June 8: Many Avenues To Failure With Tyler Medians
Aside from the fact that the medians being placed in the streets of Tyler are just flat-out ugly, they certainly are a nuisance, as many seem to agree.
Black scrub marks from vehicle tires on the concrete curbs prove they constitute a driving hazard in spite of claims made that accidents are justifiably down because of their presence. Accidents are down most likely because of good law enforcement, not because of these unsightly barricades.
Have you noticed how much debris, such as plastic cups, cigarette butts, grass, leaves and other trash, collect along these barriers? Have you counted the extra blocks one must drive because so many formerly useful left turns have been blocked, which has resulted in an inefficient use of vehicle fuel and unwanted additional neighborhood traffic on many streets?
Plus, it has resulted in heavy traffic fines for those attempting to turn left on streets they've formerly used for many years to enter their subdivisions or places of business. Have you watched time and again the near accidents when one vehicle is attempting to turn right on a red light while another attempts a "U" turn from another lane? Have you noticed that the space occupied by medians could be far more efficiently used for an additional lane if for no other reason than improving traffic management or left turns?
Police and fire department vehicles cannot safely jump the curbs that have vertical facings to make left turns since the curbs weren't sloped as they were supposed to be, so public safety has had to suffer at least to some degree as a matter of common sense, also.
Finally, the degrees of unsightliness to Tyler streets and the inconvenience caused by medians are reasons enough to remove them, although that will never be done. However, the inefficiency in vehicle fuel consumption caused by these barriers to sound traffic management is more than adequate reason to get rid of them, giving the spiraling cost of gasoline, it would seem to many folks.
E.R. Trimble
Tyler
Tyler
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