Most of the Bangalore junctions are getting signals, few of the Manual signals being replaced by B-TRAC signals and few older signals have been replaced with newer signals.

What I have seen is very long waits in the signals to get green and a very long green sometimes without any vehicles on the 'Green Stretch' making others to wait. Eventually vehicles will start moving even when it is 'Red' when there is no policeman.

This is very much true in case of Mysore. Lots of long 180 second wait signals without traffic volume testing the Patience of the drivers.

Eventually our ministers will come up with 'Signal Free Corridors' .

I agree. So far, Mysore doesn't have high traffic density.In fact even in JLB Road during day time,  vehicles keep waiting for lights to turn greeen when there is not much of traffic. Most of traffic should be cleared easily in 60 to 90 seconds.

For every cycle of the signal, there is some 'wasted' time. This 'gap' between GREEN for two roads is introduced for safety reasons. So, everytime a signal turns from GREEN to RED,  for 5-10 seconds, we have RED for all the roads. In some cases, this time has been used to provide for Pedestrian crossing, since in most junctions do not have staggered crossings for pedestrians.

     Now, assume that this time will be 24 seconds (6 sec * 4 roads) for every cycle. This 24 seconds will have to be maintained irrespective of whether the total signal cycle period/duration is 120 sec or 240 sec. Now, if we lose 24 seconds out of 240, we lose 10% of the time and 90% of the cycle time can be utilised for traffic movement.  Instead if we have shorter cycles for signals, say 120 secs, then we lose 20% (24/120) of the time and utilise only 80%.

     Another utility of longer signals is that, the daily users will know if need to switch off the engines or not, based on how far they stand from the junction.

      What rather needs improvement, and will be exteremely useful, is to

• have staggered crossings for peds
• build exit lanes, entry lanes and right turn lanes.

Staggered crossings for peds will provide them safe access across the road, but will  not require dedicated signal time for pedestrians. Exit, entry and right-turn lanes will separate these traffic to a certain extent, improve discipline, and create more free left turns.

So, the focus of BBMP should move from road widening to junction widening.

-Srivatsava V

Based on IRC norms, in Pune the PMC has held a meeting with us to finalise a policy.

Draft can be found here http://sites.google.com/site/harshadtraffic/traffic-documents/Safer-Pedestrian-Crossings-v5.pdf?attredirects=0

ASJ

www.driving-india.blogspot.com

Good job, Asj, still a long way to go.

I think you should up come with a few design templates. You have something but what I am saying is very detailed, including dimensions etc and start with ONE intersection first. There will be a lot of learning there and then you can expand to more and finally across the city

Suhas

As per Dr. ASJ's suggestion of signals, we will be waiting for 90 seconds if we see a red, but  in our Bangalore and Mysore signals, we are waiting for 180 seconds!!.

It is high time to reduce the signal cycles to 90 seconds. People in Bangalore use A/C in cars a lot and during this wait, there is lots of fuel wastage.

90 seconds is acceptable which is IRC norms, not 180 seconds.

If you come from Southern Bangalore, you must have gone through Devegowda Petrol Bunk popularly know as DG Petrol Bunk. You have to wait infinitely for 2-3 times for 180 seconds  to pass through. Vehicles will be piled up like a 'snake'.