Intersections with traffic lights (semaforos) along Libramiento

Intersections with traffic lights (semáforos) along Libramiento

2020-07-25

by Ivar Schacke

 

Introduction

When I came to San Miguel de Allende 2005 there were just 2 intersections with traffic lights, one at the intersection between Libramiento and Calle de La Estacion and the other in front of the H+ hospital. Later they were dismantled and I was told by the transito director that traffic lights were not wanted in SMA. This was the policy until our present mayor took over. – Now traffic lights are going to be an important way to ensure proper mobility – Times have indeed changed.

If the center of San Miguel develops as we OCSMA suggest, that is, no vehicles in the historical center and no trucks and tourist busses inside the Libramiento, but more green areas, then traffic lights should not be installed inside the Libramiento. The Libramiento is the road (not street) with the heaviest amount of traffic and using traffic lights to help mobility is correct. However, even with traffic lights the Libramiento will in the future only partly be able to ensure a good traffic flow. This is because traffic will grow a lot. We may some day discuss how much we believe traffic may grow.

Traffic lights

General comments

In an intersection on the Libramiento the street crossing must – by using traffic lights – ensure proper movement of vehicles AND at the same time safe passing of bicyclists and pedestrians. What I have seen during my study is an attempt to ensure safe crossing for pedestrians, while at no location did I observe any preparation for securing bicyclists. You may remember the attempt to construct a two-directional bicycle lane from hotel Mission Allende to the city administration building by the road towards Los Rodrigues. This project was never a success and also not advertised well. There are several problems for bicyclists, but the worse is passing the new intersection between Libramiento/La Conspiracion. At this intersection the sidewalk has been upgraded with concrete while the bicycle lane(s) do not exists. Maybe we some day should take a serious discussion about bicycling in San Miguel. At present it is enough to state that we do not recommend bicycling inside the Libramiento, but certainly outside to the pueblitos such as Cienegita.

Traffic lights must help drivers of vehicles, but certainly also pedestrians, who will need special pedestrian signalling. That has actually been established at the new Libramiento/La Conspiracion intersection, but unfortunately with some examples of poor design – see below. The location of traffic lights at an intersection is important. Basically you need signalling just before the intersection and if it is a crossing of a 4-lane road, traffic lights after the intersections will also be of value to travellers. This was only partly accomplished at Libramiento/La Conspiración. White pavement lines to provide safe crossings for pedestrians should be painted 4-5m before the pedestrian crossing which should of course be established before the traffic light of the main street. This was actually done at the crossing at Sapasma, which nevertheless did not have sufficient pedestrian signalling.  To ensure maximum of traffic capacity, pedestrians often must cross in two tempi: from one side to the median and later from that location to the far side. This was well done at the Sapasma intersection.