It seems like there is room for long overdue improvements. For instance, in a June 2003 Durango Telegraph story, CDOT said it was about to install “inexpensive” synchronized traffic lights on Main Avenue and that if drivers drove the speed limit, they would not have to wait at too many red lights. I’ve been in Durango since before this was supposed to have been installed, and I haven’t noticed any synchronized traffic lights! I drive from Florida Road to Mercy for work and leave at 6 a.m., and I can still hit every single light at red along the way – even if I’m the only car on the road!

Let’s say we synchronized all the lights to be green once you’ve stopped at a red light anywhere along U.S. Highway 550/160, from East Animas Road to Elmore’s Corner (yes, all 19 of them, plus two very differing and confusing crosswalk lights), traffic would flow so much smoother, there’d be less potential for accidents, fuel consumption and pollution would go down, drivers would save money on gas, decrease wear and tear on their cars and save time.

But instead, we got a new “continuous flow intersection” at the DoubleTree, which is technically impossible without it being an overpass without stoplights – definitely not two – not to mention that reducing four lanes of traffic down to two on a major artery to the intersection really just robbed Peter to pay Paul because now College Drive backs up to East Third Avenue!

Maybe I’m just an idiot who is missing something crucial in this equation – or maybe I’m the smartest man alive, but I think everyone who drives through Durango could have it so much better.

If you agree, maybe contact our local officials or promote me to traffic czar. I promise I won’t add any more stoplights.

Matt Barr

Durango