City of Fresno Presents: The $2.4 Million Flip of a Switch. Fresno, California just spent $2.4 million and seven years to turn on a single traffic light, proving once and for all that government red tape is the most powerful traffic control device of all. The intersection at Shepherd and Chestnut sat unfinished for nearly a decade while drivers played a daily game of “guess the right-of-way” and city officials played a game of “guess the budget.” When the light finally came on, it was like the second coming for commuters who’d been detouring since the Obama administration. The city blames the cost on endless studies, property purchases, new poles, environmental work, and something called “project coordination,” which apparently means “waiting for everyone to answer the same email.” Local taxpayers are understandably unimpressed, especially since another Fresno light went up nearby in three months for a fraction of the price. Now people are joking that it would’ve been cheaper to install a Chick-fil-A and let the drive-thru workers direct traffic. Officials say the new signal will improve safety and traffic flow, but after $2.4 million and seven years, it might be the only intersection in America where drivers stop just to admire the craftsmanship.
Fresno is the deadliest place for intersection violations and red light running in California, according to a new report.
Released this week by Streets Are For Everyone, the report found that between 2021 and 2023, 55 people were killed and 153 were seriously injured in Fresno County from intersection violations, averaging 18 deaths and 51 injuries per year.
The data shows that Fresno County has the highest per capita rate of deaths and serious injuries from intersection violations and red light running among the state’s large counties, according to the report.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/traffic-light-busy-fresno-intersection-163454942.html
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