Fauntleroy/California traffic-signal timing: It WILL be fixed

(Photo added 6:30 pm, looking south on California from just north of Fauntleroy)
As a followup to our Monday report about the Fauntleroy Way repaving/reconstruction/reconfiguration, we asked SDOT‘s project manager Jessica Murphy a question that many have been wondering about: What’s up with the signal at Fauntleroy/California? (For those who don’t drive through it much if at all, things used to flow well, but since the road work, the timing has seemed “off,” often in a way that leads to major backups.) Murphy’s reply this morning:

The signal at California and Fauntleroy is still in pre-timed mode. Crews have to come out to switch it back to normal operation where the traffic loops detect each vehicle and cycle through the signal accordingly. We had hoped to consolidate this with other signal work at Edmunds and Alaska but due to complications at Edmunds, that hasn’t happened yet. So….. I’m having the crews come out next week to get the California signal up and running as it was before the project.

The project overall will be deemed “substantially complete” this week, Murphy says, while explaining that doesn’t mean it’s completely done: “Several notable things still outstanding are the traffic curb on the east side at California (to prevent left turn out of the Thriftway parking lot), the median island at the new crossing at Juneau, and a few other odds and ends.”

OP September 17, 2009 (10:19 am)

And whoever believes this will happen also probably believed SDOT would have paved Fauntleroy in all black top, not a mix of blacktop and concrete—like, say, I did.

miws September 17, 2009 (10:47 am)

Thanks for this update! Saved me from having to search for the most recent story on this intersection, regarding the continued flooding potential at this location.

Don’t know if this was to correct that, but just walked to Thriftway, and as I was waiting……waiting….waiting…. ;) to cross California, saw a crew with a dumptruck unloading and spreading what appeared to be blacktop at the northeast corner where flooding has been an issue. This was around 10:00 am, and they were gone when I headed back around 10:30. Of course, I don’t know how long they were there before I was.

Mike

KSJ September 17, 2009 (10:50 am)

Speaking of traffic lights, did anyone else notice the change at Admiral and California? Yesterday I was in the southbound turnlane on Admiral waiting to turn east onto California and the green arrow was at the end of the north-south cycle instead of the beginning. I wonder when that change was made?
–
(Thought I would mention it because I thought something was wrong with the light and almost switched into the other lane to go around the block in case the light was broken.)

GWS September 17, 2009 (11:13 am)

Regarding the comments by KSJ, I believe the change at Admiral/California was made last Fri – at least that’s when I noticed it. The timing of the two lights east of the intersection seems to have been changed also with much shorter cycles in the Admiral direction. My perception is that the changes have slowed traffic on Admiral quite a bit with more backups – especially headed west.

chas redmond September 17, 2009 (11:16 am)

I was also under the impression that there would be bulb-outs at Fairmount Park to allow folks a safer crossing – I’ve seen nothing at the park which suggest SDOT is following through on their commitment to get parents and kids to the park safely. I’m really disappointed by this missing element. It was discussed as an element of the overall project for months on end.

John September 17, 2009 (11:59 am)

I like the fact that SDOT turned the right lane as you’re heading down Fauntleroy towards the ferry into a right lane turn only. One problem…people are already ignoring it and going straight. Typically they end up in the ferry line. That turn lane needs to allow for the bus only to go striaght.

miws September 17, 2009 (12:08 pm)

Hi KSJ, there’s been a discussion on the California & Admiral light for the last few days over on the Forums page: https://westseattleblog.com/blog/forum/topic.php?id=6448

Nothing really conclusive, just people’s recent experiences at the intersection, and speculation as to what’s going on.

Also, forgot to mention in my post above, that I’m glad to see the curb returning preventing the left turns out of, and I hope into, Thiftway, one less driection for cars to come from and try to kill me. ;) I was afraid with the new configuration, and what is essentially a two-way left turn lane up until nearly California, that left turns were goping to be allowed.

Drivers have been doing that recently, when not obstructed by various phases of the construction. It’s understandable, since there really doesn’t appear to be anything restricting such a move.

With the old configuration, the curb ran for quite a ways. Yet, occasionally but not too often, I’ve witnessed westbound drivers cut over in to the eastbound lanes, and make the left turn into T’way. They would be traveling several yards to do so! Never had one of them come close to nailing me as I walked along the sidewalk, but that would have been enough for them to get an earful from ol’ non-confrontational me! :mad: ;)

Mike

coffee September 17, 2009 (12:23 pm)

2 comments, first the bike lane while traveling northbound on Fauntleroy is NOT a right turn lane. Several people think this is a turn lane and always lay on the horn while I am tryint to turn right.
Second, how about that horrible light system at 35th and Holden? And is the “camera south on 35th fixed yet?

gidget September 17, 2009 (12:24 pm)

Tracy – Would you ask the DOT about any recent changes at Admiral/CA? It suddenly seems to have gotten very backed up unnecessarily (did I spell that correctly?). Thanks!

AaronK September 17, 2009 (12:34 pm)

So, other than the signal issue, has traffic flow been an issue along the newly-striped Fauntleroy as many insisted it would? Seems like everything has been smooth sailing from what I’ve observed.

sw September 17, 2009 (12:36 pm)

Another follow-up question for SDOT: will there be street signage to reinforce the new lane configuration? I would assume yes, but with SDOT one knows not to assume…

Donuts for all September 17, 2009 (12:53 pm)

Why are they cutting into the blacktop already? I noticed 2 sets of cones this morning blocking 2 fresh holes cut in this nice new black top?

celeste17 September 17, 2009 (3:35 pm)

Donuts I knew that would happen. I worked at the airport for 5 years and the road leading to the parking lot was blocked off for about a month and no sooner did it open then the phone company was at the corner installing something resulting in the blacktop being cut. I laughed and said can’t they get their sh*t together and plan this stuff. Really annoying.

Al September 17, 2009 (3:45 pm)

SW – I emailed Jessica about the barrels still located at Fauntleroy/Edumunds and she responded that those are there and at several other locations until street signage is completed, target sometime next week. I cannot wait until those barrels are gone.

Erin September 17, 2009 (3:52 pm)

@ Aaron K: I’ve attempted to avoid Fauntleroy as much as possible in recent months due to the closed lanes/construction. I had to drive it both North and south bound a couple times this past week and did not witness traffic backups. However, I did get stuck behind slow moving cars on at least 2 trips. Very slow. I’m talking 25 miles an hour for the whole stretch. (I was not one of those speeding down the pre-construction Fauntleroy either… honestly, probably went a few miles per hour over, but not like the drag-racers that used that street like an Indy track…)

Even though it’s not much better, I think I’ll be sticking to 35th Ave whenever possible.

Mike September 17, 2009 (6:18 pm)

I’m building a new home located on another major street project that Jessica is managing. And regardless of what anyone thinks of either project, my experience with Jessica is that she works very very long hours, constantly has s**t flying at her from all directions, always manages to be patient, straightforward, professional, and never loses her cool. These are not simple projects and from my perspective we’re lucky to have smart, tough, thoughtful person like Jessica in charge. And no, I don’t work for the city. I run a private business.

WSM September 17, 2009 (7:49 pm)

This whole project was a disaster. I ask, do you see three million dollars on the street? I think somebody made off with a ton of money and did a half baked job repaving the road. Now we get half baked excuses. It’s like the Monorail, all over again. Another scam.

jsrekd September 18, 2009 (8:00 am)

re: Fauntleroy traffic. I live two blocks off the Fauntleroy/California intersection, have for my whole married life of 24 years. And, yes, we still have found long delays & backed up traffic along that whole corridor.

I’ll be curious to see what happens when they “fix” the timing on the lights there. We go up Morgan to 35th more often now.

I have to admit, I *do* love the left turn lane at 41st though!

miws September 18, 2009 (3:25 pm)

I walked the length of Fauntleroy from California to Alaska, earlier today.

I noticed that what they were blacktopping, as mentioned in my above post from yesterday, was immediately around the drain at the northeast corner. Still not sure if it was in response to the floodiing concerns, and to alleviate that, or, just finishing work in general.

One concern, is near that corner on Fauntleroy, around the area where the initial markings are there to indicate right turn only to California northbound, there is also a sharrow. It seems to me that would be confusing to bikers and drivers alike. It tells me, that’s the general area that the bikes should travel along (yeah, I understand it’s a sharrrow, and not an actual bike lane), so, traveling in that general are on a bike, would indicate the bike rider should continue straight, but, being a right turn only lane, and the fact that bikes are supposed to obey the same laws as auto traffic, should a rider who intends to continue along Fauntleroy stay in that lane and continue straight through, or move to the left, to the traffic lane for those continuing straight.

As I got to the block between Edmunds & Alaska, was impressed with just how darn purty that block is! Nice, fresh, clean, blacktop. Nice, bright, white and yellow lines. Totally unspoiled! (Too bad they couldn’t put some type of clearcoat over it, to preserve the pavement and paint, and keep them in a pristine condition! ;) ) Well, except for some apparent utility location markings, which I’m sure, are for the final stage of the project, as I believe was mentioned above, the utility companies digging holes in the virgin pavement, ensuring the city’s pothole quota is kept up! ;)

Mike

zgh2676 September 18, 2009 (11:51 pm)

Please someone who has pull with the DOT ask about California and Admiral. Please. Went through 3 lights before crossing the intersection today.

WSB September 19, 2009 (12:08 am)

Somebody tell me more about the Admiral thing so I know what to ask about. We go through there at least once a day but I guess I haven’t caught the backup. Is it all four ways? Just one particular way? Or? – TR

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