Thank you for your concern, your request is being processed.

LaShonda Taylor assigned this issue to K Poss

You have described the traffic signal as functioning properly. The light will not change to a side street or a turn lane unless there is a vehicle present at the time the signal should cycle to that approach. If the signal "anticipated" vehicles or cycled to approaches with no vehicles present it would hold all other traffic for no reason. Thank you for your concern in this issue.

With a street this busy, the odds of having a car approaching the light are pretty high. The light's programming logic is flawed. It should go through the cycle as normal allowing approaching cars to move through. If no car is sensed in 15 seconds, then cycle to red. That will not hold traffic up. Since one of these turns is on to I-75 N, this becomes a critical turn and makes for some cranky drivers if their ligh never changes. This has been reported multiple times by multiple people.

With a street this busy, the odds of having a car approaching the light are pretty high. The light's programming logic is flawed. It should go through the cycle as normal allowing approaching cars to move through. If no car is sensed in 15 seconds, then cycle to red. That will not hold traffic up. Since one of these turns is on to I-75 N, this becomes a critical turn and makes for some cranky drivers if their ligh never changes. This has been reported multiple times by multiple people.

The traffic signal is functioning as programmed and is ultimately timed by GDOT as it is a State Route. Traffic signals are not timed on odds someone will approach but actual vehicles needing service in order to decrease idling cars that produce more exhaust sitting still. If you wish to ask GDOT to check into retiming this intersection, the district email address is: D3ControlCenter@dot.ga.gov

Why didn't you say that to begin with, if you knew you had no control over it. A simple, please contact GDOT, would have been acceptable.

Macon-Bibb County does the MAINTENANCE on all signals throughout the county even on State Routes, but TIMING CHANGES and TIMING RECONFIGURATION are ultimately up to GDOT.

OK, I have reported the issue to them. You may want to make that distinguishment clear on your SCF page that all TIMING issues need to be directed to GDOT. Seems a logical thing to do.

Appropriate referral make to GDOT.

No further action required

Other than fixing SCF to reflect the differences in what gets reported where.

Nice try, folks, but its time to go back to the drawing board! Here's my reply from GDOT.

Good Morning Mr. Hughes,

Thank you for reporting this issue to us but unfortunately, the Georgia Department of Transportation does not service any of the Traffic signals in Bibb County at this time. The signals are all handled by the city of Macon and their local public works department. I am sorry for any confusion or inconvenience this may be causing.

Thank you for your report.
Jessica Myer

D3ControlCenter
Georgia Department of Transportation
115 Transportation BLVD
Thomaston, GA. 30286
Office: 706-646-7701

This issue was recategorized from DOT: Issue to FACILITIES MGMT: Traffic Signals & Signs.

Mercer assigned this issue to Cassandra Bell

Thank you for your concern, your request is being processed.

LaShonda Taylor assigned this issue to K Poss

Unclear, is your concern for Pierce Ave vehicles approaching Riverside and wanting to turn left onto Riverside? Or is it for Riverside vehicles approaching Pierce to turn left onto Pierce?

It is the turn lanes on Riverside. One way turns left and goes under the bridge. The other way turns left either onto Pierce or Forest Ridge Drive. If you are approaching the light, but not quite there(20-30 feet or so), the light assumes no car is in the lane and will skip that cycle. It is very frustrating.

Is it a "protected-permissive left turn" or "protected-only"? Protected-permissive means you get the left turn arrow for your turn at the beginning of the cycle provided the signal controller has registered your call when the cycle starts. Protected-only means you get that left-turn arrow and when the left-turn arrow phase times out you face and red left turn arrow and can't go until the next cycle.

That answer is above my pay grade. The only thing I can say is what I said above. If you are approaching the light, but not quite there(20-30 feet or so), the light assumes no car is in the lane and will skip that cycle. It is very frustrating. You can interpret that as you wish.

I hear ya. You have to get there in time to place your call. It's really just like pressing the elevator button soon enough before the machine decides not to stop at your floor. I think GDOT misunderstood in that GDOT engineers set all the timing (which is what your concerned with) and the city is responsible for maintaining the equipment (like making sure the magnetic loop is working, which I believe it is - the controller setting allows it to "gap out" faster than you want).

Join the rest of us; cut through the parking lots and avoid the traffic signal!

Shannon Callaway assigned this issue to Shannon Callaway

After reading the past comments and doing some investigating, I hope to bring some understanding and resolution to this issue.

This is a GDOT intersection, meaning one or more of the streets that intersect is a State Route, in this instance, it is the intersection of (2) State Routes (87 and 247). GDOT is responsible for State Routes and their intersections. Macon-Bibb Co has its own Traffic Signal Dept, therefore, they provide the maintenance and repair for all intersections inside of their jurisdiction including GDOT intersections. Macon-Bibb Co Traffic Engineering is responsible for the timing and permits associated with all of the traffic signals inside our jurisdiction, including GDOT intersections.
The Traffic Signal Dept cannot change the way an intersection functions or its “physical appearance” (as detailed in the permits) without going through Traffic Engineering first. As to where a GDOT intersection is concerned, a permit must be submitted detailing the change(s) wanted, why they are wanted, and the appropriate data supporting the need for the change(s). These permits must go through a number of approvals (Traffic Engineering, the Mayor’s Office, etc) before ever getting to GDOT. GDOT then decides whether the changes are acceptable or not and approve or deny the permits accordingly.

The Traffic Signal Dept has checked the equipment and the functionality of the intersection. It is functioning properly. We have checked the timing and monitored traffic patterns and volumes. They are moving smoothly and properly. Our Traffic Engineer sees no immediate need to change the current intersection setup to accommodate the functionality you are suggesting. The intersection is operating in accordance to the permits submitted after numerous traffic studies were performed for this intersection.

Thank you for your suggestion and feedback on this matter.

This intersection has been checked and is functioning as designed. There is no immediate need to change the current configuration at this time

Shannon Callaway wrote:
"After reading the past comments and doing some investigating, I hope to bring some understanding and resolution to this issue"..."Our Traffic Engineer sees no immediate need to change the current intersection setup to accommodate the functionality you are suggesting. The intersection is operating in accordance to the permits submitted after numerous traffic studies were performed for this intersection."

Wrong answer! Your customers (taxpayers), your stakeholders (taxpayers), your citizens paying highway taxes don't agree therefore you have many requests to change and nearly 400 that view the issue an must agree as they don't support you. Other than yourself, who is saying it works good for them? That lane, the left turn lane that is Southbound, is too short during heavy traffic to have left turn taxpayers in there but fills-up once the light changes. Thus your taxpayers are upset by the wait and upset by your unresponsiveness. Need we have a new mayor and council to get you out of there? Maybe the Governor should weigh-in on who controls the intersections. I've figured how to NOT get in the turn lane but please help those who haven't that option to circumvent the problem.

The issues you are referring to are NOT the issue mentioned in this ticket. What you are referring to is a timing issue and we have not heard the many complaints about that particular left turn that you referenced. The initial ticket suggestion was for changing the way the intersection operated as it was permitted. IF you have a NEW concern for this intersection, please create a new ticket, state the problem, and be as specific as possible. Please include the day(s) that you have experienced the problem and the time(s) of day that you experienced the issue and we will work towards resolution of that issue.
As for THIS ticket and it's initial request, this matter is CLOSED.
Thank you for you concern on this matter.

The suggestion of the original ticket has been resolved and therefore this ticket is closed.

How say you that the issue is resolved, there is still a very long wait and your attitude is the dame.

Mr. Israel, you are not the original author of this ticket. If you will read, the original author wants to change the way the intersection operates, to change the way that the intersection functions. Your complaint, which is completely different than the suggestion on this ticket, is one of timing. Insomuch as the need to completely change and repermit the intersection to operate differently is the issue that is resolved. There is NO need to change the way the intersection operates, but PERHAPS the timing needs adjusting. You need to keep in mind that this intersection has TWO major State Route thoroughfares that intersect as well as the exit from the interstate AND a side street leading to a residential neighborhood. This is one of the largest intersections in Macon and it accommodates a large volume of people all day. The volumes have diminished some with the 75 SB on-ramp being moved up the street, but, current volume is still significant. There is going to be a wait while servicing all directions. Traffic signal intersections are not built for convenience, they are built to save lives and while that may be an inconvenience to you and some others, it is intended to move traffic safely and as orderly as possible.
Again, where THIS ticket is originally concerned, the matter mentioned by the original author has been resolved. This ticket is closed. Reopening this ticket will not change that. Please open another ticket as I mentioned earlier and we will resolve your issue separately.
Thank you.

The suggestion of the original ticket has been resolved and therefore this ticket is closed.

Issue 12151575 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue.