Crews study Cary intersection

Cary, N.C. — Crews for the Town of Cary spent Tuesday studying the intersection of Green Level to Durham Road and Cary Glen Boulevard to determine if it needs a traffic light.

The town of Cary is paying for the two-week study to see if the crossroads meets standards for a light. If it doesn’t, the town could put one up anyway, but would have to get approval from the state to make any changes because Green Level to Durham Road is a state road.

Hundreds of neighbors held a rally last week in an effort to get a stoplight there. The rally was held days after 16-year-old Kailee Nicole Birdsong was killed in a wreck at the intersection on June 22.

Another wreck happened at the intersection June 23 as a WRAL photographer was filming there.

Workers spent Tuesday counting cars to determine how many vehicles move through that intersection.

A location must have a high traffic volume or at least five wrecks in a 12-month period to warrant a light, said. Tim Bailey, Cary's engineering director.

The wreck that claimed Kailee Birdsong’s life was the second at Green Level to Durham Road and Cary Glen Boulevard in a year. The wreck between a Mustang and SUV on Tuesday was the third.

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I agree with ncguy, they did a HORRIBLE job with the design of that intersection. It is a 4 lane road therefore traffic is going to be fast! It will only be a matter of time before the traffic increases to the amount needed for a light, so why not prevent more accidents and possibly deaths? There is a major blind spot at the intersection THAT is what causes most of the danger!!!! As cars come down the hill they disappear (in the blind spot) only to reappear as they come back up a hill and are entering the intersection! It was designed poorly. Whoever approved it should be fired! I think the engineers are in cahoots with the wake county school board.....senseless reasoning is all they offer!

*And a question for NCcarguy ...have you ever been to this intersection? Better yet, I dare you to make a LEFT out of the shopping center at this intersection during rush hour! When you see it tell us THEN what you think of the engineers that designed it!

ultraviolet
July 8, 2009 6:46 p.m.

I've lived in Cary for 25 years and I thought the rule was 3 people had to die before they put in a traffic light! I guess it's nice to know that there only have to be 5 accidents (deaths aren't counted)!! Remember the horrible mess at Cary Parkway and High House Road???

momof3anddog
July 1, 2009 4:30 p.m.

An intersection has to meet several stringent requirements before a signal is installed there. One of them is a history of crashes. The problem isn't related to the intersection itself, though, it's because the traffic doesn't pay attention to the speed limit and flies up on the intersection faster than expected.

If a signal was actuated so it was always green for the main road and only turned red when someone was at the intersection, that would be the best, but that would not eliminate the danger. Traffic making a right turn would still be vulnerable to traffic coming up over the hill, because THEY DRIVE TOO FAST!

Bendal1
July 1, 2009 3:41 p.m.

OK...HERE is the problem with a media getting into engineering here. THAT money may very well keep another intersection from getting a light that very well MAY be needed, and those of you that are calling for a light HERE instead may have the blood on your hands of someone else!!! There is NOT An endless pot of money people.....please leave the ENGINEERING to ENGINEERS!

ObamaMustGo aka NCcarguy
July 1, 2009 11:01 a.m.

Town planners did a horrible job with that intersection!

Why do you need a study? That makes no sense? Spend almost as much money on the survey as it would cost for a new light.

So then they decide from the survey- hey we need a light there. Now you have spent twice the money?

ncguy
July 1, 2009 9:45 a.m.