City Reveals Traffic Improvements for Busy Mall-Area Intersections

The City of Valdosta has proposed some improvements to the intersection at Baytree Road and Norman Drive that will positively impact traffic in one of the busiest areas of the city. The work is expected to be accomplished on Tuesday, April 10, and the timing will be adjusted at the intersection as needed in the days following.

"The city is always looking for ways to improve traffic flow and the overall driving experience within the city limits for residents and visitors to our area," said Valdosta Traffic Manager Larry Ogden. "These improvements were recommended as a result of a 2017 Traffic Signal Optimization Study which analyzed 44 intersections across the city."

As a result of the study, as well as some concerns that local motorists have reported about extended traffic light wait times—even when there is no oncoming traffic—the city staff took a closer look and considered changes that would benefit traffic flow at that light, as well as throughout that corridor near the Valdosta Mall.

The proposed changes include eliminating one of the two westbound turning lanes from Baytree Road onto Norman Drive. Motorists will receive a left-turn arrow to make the turn. Once all of the vehicles complete the turn, the eastbound traffic will be released resulting in four lanes of traffic moving at the same time. TMC staff will also cycle the signal further down Norman Drive, which basically releases lanes at five traffic lights simultaneously so that vehicles are turning and traveling together throughout the area.

The modifications will improve the timing at these intersections and are expected to save motorists time and money by reducing wait times, vehicle emissions, and vehicle starts and stops, as well as fuel consumption.

"It's a domino effect," said Ogden. "Once we improve this particular intersection, we can then address the timing at nearby intersections, as needed, to make traffic flow more efficiently.

Ogden anticipates that when motorists notice the reduced turning lanes from two to one, they may suspect that there will not be enough time for all the vehicles on a busy day to make the green turn arrow. However, Ogden ensures that it will actually increase the number of vehicles moving through the intersection.

"The data we have studied supports an increase in turn movement time," said Ogden. "All vehicles in that one turning lane will have enough time to travel and make that left turn, providing they move when they are directed to move. However, motorists who are distracted in their vehicles with cell phones, conversations, etc., and who may not move when the green arrow is received, may actually cause the light to gap out which results in a longer wait time for that vehicle and those behind it. This is due to the technology in the road that senses the vehicles and dictates how much time is necessary to allow all vehicles present to pass through the light."

A good example of a local intersection that was recently reduced from two lanes to one is the intersection of Patterson Street and Madison Highway in the northbound direction. The Georgia Department of Transportation reconfigured that intersection down to one and scheduled enough time for waiting vehicles to make the turn, even in heavy congestion. Ogden expects to see the same positive outcome as a result of the proposed intersection improvements on Baytree Road.

As a reminder, motorists who receive the green turn arrow can make the protected left turn. When the arrow disappears, motorists may still make the left turn only when there is no oncoming traffic and it is safe to do so.

Motorists traveling on city side streets are encouraged to pull all the way to the bold white traffic line. When a vehicle pulls up to the line, a signal sent to the cabinet will cause a switch through the phases and a release of that side street traffic. Once that traffic clears through the intersection, that signal will switch back to the main street to keep traffic moving. Motorists who do not pull all the way up to the line may expect longer waiting times.

The TMC staff routinely studies traffic flow and counts at intersections throughout the city limits to ensure safe and smooth vehicular travel. For more information, contact the TMC at 229-259-5431.