Are We There Yet?

Here’s the view from the side-view mirror as we crawl along in stop-and-go traffic between Royalton and Rice. [7.8 miles according to Google Maps.] It seems to me the traffic is due to traffic signals in Rice. These signals were installed several years back after the tragic death of an elderly couple who were hit while trying to cross busy Highway 10. As a method of stopping traffic to ensure safe pedestrian crossing, they seem to work fine. The problem is that they also seem to slow traffic for miles in either direction during busy cabin commuting times. I don’t know if it’s possible from a traffic engineering perspective to coordinate these lights with the lights in St. Cloud and Royalton – like what is done on city and suburban streets. Perhaps these signs are just too far apart with too many other variables (cars entering and exiting from smaller roads) to make it workable. Has anyone tried?

It may help stop traffic in Rice – thus boosting local business revenue – but it’s been a year since I stopped there, though the Hobbled Wife reports they have a great Subway!