Southbound Tampa Flow Gets Priority

Dear Traffic Talk,

When you exit the eastbound Ventura Freeway at Tampa Avenue, the signal does not correspond to the signal at Ventura Boulevard and Tampa. Vehicles line up on the offramp and when the signal changes to red there is nowhere for them to go. It appears the coordination of these two signals is way off.

Rosalie Weiner

Tarzana

Dear Rosalie,

Because a traffic signal is timed based on traffic demand, the higher priority here is to move southbound Tampa traffic, which is heaviest during peak hours, said Bill J. Shao, a transportation engineer at the city Department of Transportation.

During rush hours, many southbound motorists on Tampa wish to make left turns onto Ventura Boulevard, he said. The signal coordination is primarily set for southbound Tampa traffic because otherwise vehicles may back up and block the westbound traffic on the on and offramps, he said. There is space for only four vehicles between the Ventura Freeway’s eastbound Tampa offramp and Ventura Boulevard, he added.

According to Shao, eastbound offramp traffic onto Tampa is accommodated, but less so. The problem is that many eastbound offramp drivers also wish to make southbound left turns onto Ventura Boulevard.

Dear Traffic Talk,

The traffic signal at Mulholland Drive and Beverly Glen Boulevard in Sherman Oaks is not timed correctly during the peak evening commute time.

The traffic traveling north on Beverly Glen to the Valley cannot move through the intersection because the traffic is backed up.

Barbara Lewis

Sherman Oaks

Dear Barbara,

The problem is not incorrect signal timing but too much congestion for the roadway, said Shao at the city Department of Transportation.

During weekday evenings, many drivers use Beverly Glen or Mulholland as alternates to the congested San Diego Freeway, he said. These high demands are competing for the same traffic signal. Despite the length of green time, motorists north of Mulholland on Beverly Glen are inching their way toward Ventura Boulevard.

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