Traffic signal timing for pedestrians at Sip Ave. & Bergen Ave. at Journal Square

This submittal was categorized wrong as: “Streets: Streetlights”

It should be listed under: “Traffic and Parking signage/signal issue”

This problem was reported previously: Traffic Signals Changing Fast - Issue #2660961
I submitted 2 comments explaining crossing time (Pedestrian Clearance Time, or PCT) at this intersection.

The crossing time for slow walkers is the sum of the WALK, flashing DON’T WALK and steady DON’T WALK (buffer) intervals, before conflicting traffic is released. At Sip & Bergen the existing PCTs for slow walkers are 30 seconds in all 4 crosswalks.

The existing pedestrian pushbuttons have no effect on the signal sequence or timing at any time and are rarely operated. They should be REMOVED!

The short crossing time in the west and north crosswalks is due to two factors:

1. The dedicated left turn signals for traffic to and from Sip Ave. on the east side require the east and south crosswalks to be cleared of pedestrians.

2. The east and west crosswalk pedestrian signals are wired together and the north and south crosswalk pedestrian signals are also wired together.

For southbound vehicles on Bergen turning left onto Sip, northbound traffic on Bergen must be stopped and the east crosswalk has to be cleared for the dedicated left turn earlier than the west crosswalk. The west crosswalk PCT gets short-changed because the pedestrian signals are wired together.

For westbound vehicles on Sip turning left onto Bergen, eastbound traffic on Sip must be stopped and the south crosswalk has to be cleared for the dedicated left turn earlier than the north crosswalk. The north crosswalk PCT gets short-changed because the pedestrian signals are wired together.

This configuration of two parallel pedestrian movements at an intersection with two dedicated left turn movements is the main defect in the existing signal timing plan at Sip Ave. & Bergen Ave.

If the north-south and east-west crosswalk pedestrian signals were separated or split into four separate movements, the signal timing could be changed to maximize the PCT in all four crosswalks. The north crosswalk PCT could be extended to parallel the straight and right-turning traffic and the west crosswalk PCT could be substantially increased. This requires wiring changes in the street as well as a new signal timing plan.

I submitted my analysis of the traffic signals at Sip and Bergen, along with 3 proposed signal timing plans, to Mr. Andrew Vischio, Director of JC Traffic, on 18 August. I also sent it to people at the Journal Square Community Association and Safe Streets JC.

If the pedestrian signals are split into four separate movements and the current 100-second signal cycle length is retained, the crossing time for slow walkers could be increased from 30 seconds to 45 seconds in the west crosswalk and from 30 seconds to 55 seconds in the north crosswalk, with no reduction in vehicular green time. If the signal cycle length is increased to 120 seconds, crossing time could be increased further to 55 seconds in the west crosswalk and 65 seconds in the north crosswalk.