Monday Morning Commute: NO RIGHT ON RED. When traffic signals and signs conflict, what’s a driver to do? Traffic engineer Paul Basha supplies the answer.
By Paul Basha | Summit Land Management In Scottsdale, on northbound 68th Street, at Indian School Road, a driver is confronted with four red signals, a prominent sign stating, “NO TURN ON RED,” a right turn only lane, and a little green right turn arrow. Is driving intended to be a multiple choice test? I’d […]
Monday Morning Commute: Is lengthening the yellow light a good idea? Award-winning traffic engineer Paul Basha analyzes
By Paul Basha, Summit Land Management | Rose Law Group Reporter Since the traffic engineer world is highly dependent on human behavior, yes-and-no. In the 27 January 2023, Friday, Arizona Republic, an article describes the City of Phoenix in-process study of determining the answer to the question. The article reports that in metropolitan Phoenix, from […]
The Monday Morning Commute: Ask Traffic Engineer Paul Basha: Why Are There Long Queues Of Vehicles On Freeways Late In The Rush Hour?
Fascinating columns on future freeway need and freeway capacity. Though why are there long queues of vehicles on freeways late in the rush hour? If every vehicle gets on at an entrance and leaves at an exit, why don’t the queues disappear quickly? By Paul Basha, traffic engineer, Summit Land Management Fascinating columns on future […]
The Monday Morning Commute: Ask Traffic Engineer Paul Basha: How Much Traffic Can A Freeway Handle?
By Paul Basha, traffic engineer, Summit Land Management How much traffic can a freeway handle? A lot. More detail? As a data-obsessed engineer, can do. The Arizona Department of Transportation provides a highly informative website with extensive traffic count data on both freeways and arterials. When freeways first open, especially in distant suburban areas, the […]
The Monday Morning Commute: Ask Traffic Engineer Paul Basha: Will The Metro Phoenix Freeway System Be Able To Handle The Expected Population Increase?
Will the metro Phoenix freeway system be able to handle the expected population increase? By Paul Basha, traffic engineer, Summit Land Management According to the Maricopa Association of Governments, metropolitan Phoenix had a population of 4.65 million in 2017 and is projected to have a population of 7.70 million by 2050. (And 60 Minutes reported […]
The Monday Morning Commute: Ask Traffic Engineer Paul Basha: What Is Walkability?
Walk is walkability? By Paul Basha, traffic engineer, Summit Land Management Where on the scale of enjoyable-to-acceptable-to-tolerable-to-avoidance are these various environments? All are within a five-minute walk of each other. Certainly a wide unobstructed path is preferable. I understand the moon is wide and unobstructed. Plants are good, as are different shapes of something. Ugly […]
The Monday Morning Commute: Ask traffic engineer Paul Basha: What would be the best transportation system in a metropolitan area?
By Paul Basha, traffic engineer, Summit Land Management Always interesting commentary in your columns. Comparison to other cities in the United States is informative. What would be the best transportation system in a metropolitan area? Definition of best is relative – very much dependent on each person’s perspective and experience. Most freeways: likely Los Angeles. […]
The Monday Morning Commute: Ask traffic engineer Paul Basha: Will electric vehicles ever be commonplace?
By Paul Basha, traffic engineer, Summit Land Management Will electric vehicles ever be commonplace? First, imagine just before the turn of the century, not the last one, the one before that. Whenever you wanted to go somewhere, you walked. The wealthy might ride a horse, if the distance or appearance were long enough to justify […]
The Monday Morning Commute: Ask Traffic Engineer Paul Basha: What Else Can You Tell Us About Travel During The Pandemic?
By Paul Basha, traffic engineer, Summit Land Management What else can you tell us about travel during the pandemic? United States travel data related to the Coronavirus Disease response is being compiled by the Maryland Transportation Institute in partnership with the Advanced Transportation Technology Laboratory, both associated with the University of Maryland. The citations for this […]
The Monday Morning Commute: Ask The Traffic Engineer: What Is The Difference Between Bike Routes, Bike Lanes, And Bike Paths?
By Paul Basha, traffic engineer, Summit Land Management Bike routes are simply streets that have connectivity for bicycle trips. Typically, only signs are provided, to advise motorists and bicyclists that the street is intended to be shared. Often bike routes have directional signs to help bicyclists follow the most scenic or most car-free journey. Scottsdale […]