Extra traffic signal head is a backup, not a mistake

Street Smarts reader Patty Freeburg, of Snohomish, drives through Everett and wrote in with this question: “After more than a year of construction, why are there three stop lights and only two lanes at the intersection of Pacific and West Marine View Drive? One lane is left turn only, yet the third light leads the driver to think there are more options. One block east, at the corner of Pacific and Grand, there are two lights and three lanes. It doesn’t make sense.”

The city recently wrapped up the latest phase in a long-range project to improve big rigs’ access to the Port of Everett.

But the extra signal heads have nothing to do with the project itself.

In fact, you’ll find extra signal heads at numerous intersections, everywhere you go.

Here’s what the city’s traffic engineer, Ryan Sass, had to say: “The simple answer is that it is a requirement to have at least two heads on the through movement. The intent is to have redundancy for safety in case of a red light burnout. Requirements like this are from the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, or MUTCD, that is a nationwide standard of practice for signals, signs and pavement markings.”

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