How many deaths need to occur on Camino del Rio before the Department of Transportation synchronizes its northbound and southbound lights to turn red at the same time? I talked with Detective Trish Hutchens at the Durango Police Department, who is investigating the most recent fatal T-bone accident, and she said they are looking into the cause of the accident but that the Department of Transportation has control over the lights. Well, safety is safety!
We have had several accidents during the last several years that have been investigated, but no changes have been made to synchronizing the lights. Yes, we have added blinking yellow lights and a left-turn light at the Walmart intersection, but the other lights in our city remain unchanged. In most cities in the United States, when the traffic is stopped by a red light in one direction, the opposing traffic also is stopped by a red light. Durango can’t be different.
Get rid of the confusing blinking yellow lights in the city and synchronize the traffic lights so they turn red in both directions at the same time. It shouldn’t take a wrongful-death lawsuit by the family of these accident victims to get the Department of Transportation to act. Fix it.
And while we’re at it, let’s get rid of the October-to-May restricted speed limit on U.S. Highway 550. Change the speed limit to 55 and be done with it.
Darryl Metz
Durango
