Look both ways

After years of planning and construction work, Medford has finally installed traffic signals at the intersection of Boston and College Avenues. Unfortunately, due to "conflicting traffic patterns," the lights simply flash yellow on Boston Ave. and red on College Ave. This is supposed to be only temporary, but in the meantime, the lights are about as asinine as the stop signs they replaced.

The practice of maintaining flashers that pose as traffic lights isn't just limited to the Tufts area. Medford has them scattered all over, including at two particularly bad intersections on Mystic Ave. going to and coming from Route 93. Somerville also runs flashers inside the Powderhouse Square rotary.

If anything, the lights at Boston and College Avenues have made drivers more likely to just blow right through the whole thing. Back when it was a (mostly) uncontrolled intersection, many drivers would proceed through cautiously from all directions, never quite sure about the correct "right of way." But Medford's yellow flashers on Boston Ave. have empowered vehicles on that street to proceed without concern. And what sane person could figure out the lane system, where simply getting through to the other side requires being in a "wrong" lane? Which side has the right of way was also changed several time over the summer, leaving drivers more confused about who has the right of way.

The city claims that all three traffic colors will appear on the lights sometime this semester. The delay in turning these on is just another example of the political bureaucracy and lack of concern for safety that have plagued attempts to fix the intersection for years. Additionally, turning on the three colors could create even more headaches. Long since used to walking across the intersection without much regard to traffic, students will actually have to stop and wait at red lights, and those crossing against lights will be in much more danger.

Despite these drawbacks, the lights do represent a step in the right direction. There have been many incidents in past years of students being hit by cars in intersections. Though the adjustment period for both pedestrians and drivers may take some time, the new lights (complete with normal colors) should help keep everyone safe