Stop & Go. Amarillo’s Poorly Timed Lights Are A Nightmare.
We talk a lot about the drivers, construction, and various other traffic issues in the city.
One thing we have a tendency to overlook may be the most annoying...even more than the random construction.
I'm talking about the timing of the lights in Amarillo. I know I've mentioned how many different places I've lived in, and I've driven in many of them.
NONE of them have had the kind of issue Amarillo has with the timing of when their lights go from red to green. There is ONE place I've found that they run smoothly, and you better hit that speed limit perfectly in order to hit them in succession. That would be the stretch through downtown on Buchanan.
The problem is, it's the ONLY place in the city that has its lights timed out the right way. You wanna know why there are so many accidents around town? You can look no further than the constant stop and go we have to endure because of the lights.
For example, if you're downtown and anywhere other than Buchanan, you can expect to turn onto a street and promptly stop at the next light. No, it doesn't matter what street. They are all lined up to where you are constantly stopping and going.
Washington is another area that has its lights completely messed up. You get stopped at a light, cross the highway...almost, then get stopped by the next light. Just as you come to a stop, it turns green. If it would turn green just 1-2 seconds sooner, you could flow right through.
So why can't they figure out the flow of how these lights should run? That's an answer I don't have for you, but if you want to know why you see so many people run red lights around here, that might have something to do with it. I get tired of waiting too, so there's a good chance I try to push through one...and take the risk of getting sideswiped doing it.
No, I'm not saying do that. I shouldn't even say it, but I know it's what you're thinking and it creates chaos. It's not your fault though. Maybe one day it'll get figured out. Who knows.