360 Fireworks Party

Monday, July 9, 2012

HELP IDENTIFY TROUBLESOME INTERSECTIONS IN COVINGTON

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
|
by Michael Monks 
|
What are the most annoying, dangerous, ridiculous, and/or troublesome intersections in Covington? The City's street grids are pretty reasonable for the most part but every so often a driver arrives at an unforgiving, lengthy traffic light, a strangely planned and broken stretch of road, a railroad crossing, or other annoying obstacles that make a commute more obnoxious than it perhaps has to be. Let's have a road-rageous gripe session! Help The River City News create a list of these places that you can't stand driving through. 
|
Here's a start:
|
INTERSECTION AT 20TH & GREENUP STREETS
This intersection is plagued by one of the most random, long stoplights in town. Leaving Wallace Woods by headed north on Greenup will bring you to a 3-way stop with Greenup being a one-way northerly street and 20th moving east to west. The light turns green for just ten seconds for drivers on Greenup and those headed west on 20th, but if you are headed east on 20th the light could be green for up to two minutes, leaving drivers in the other direction to wait their turn for an inordinate amount of time.
|
|
Watching the lights change twenty times total, brings this strange schedule (times are approximate and were taken around 12:30PM on Monday, July 9):
  • Northbound Greenup: green light for 5 seconds
  • Eastbound 20th: green light for one minute
  • Northbound Greenup: green light for 7 seconds
  • Westbound 20th: green light for 7 seconds
  • Eastbound 20th: green light for 1 minute, 15 seconds
  • Northbound Greenup: green light for 5 seconds
  • Westbound 20th: green light for 7 seconds
  • Eastbound 20th: green light for one minute
  • Northbound Greenup: green light for 5 seconds
  • Westbound 20th: green light for 5 seconds
  • The lights changed 6 times without one green light for Westbound 20th at this point
  • Eastbound 20th: green light for one minute
  • Northbound Greenup: green light for 5 seconds
  • Eastbound 20th: green light for one minute
  • Northbound Greenup: green light for 5 seconds
  • Eastbound 20th: green light for THREE MINUTES
  • Northbound Greenup: green light for 5 seconds
And then the strange pattern starts to repeat itself. Or doesn't. Who knows. Greenup Street is one of Covington's busiest and the 20th Street intersection is where it really begins as a major thoroughfare through town. Do you think more drivers are on Greenup or 20th Street headed east? Seems quite weird.
|
EIGHTH STREET AT MAIN STREET
|
Eight Street is broken up at Main Street, meaning that it does not run straight across the intersection. In fact, it is quite difficult for drivers on 8th Street headed east to see the ones on the other side headed west. But, the green light time is shared by both sets of drivers.
|
Know of some others? Maybe 26th & Madison with its seemingly endless roads running into each other? The 5th Street exit entering Covington from I-75 North? The fact that depending on how late you are running will determine if there is a train crossing Decoursey in Latonia as you approach? Send your suggestions in via email or join the conversation at Facebook (click here). Look for a full report soon!

2 comments:

  1. I think it was that way to accommodate ambulance traffic better when St. Elizabeth North was an active hospital. Just a thought. I used to live in the 19th block of Greenup Street.

    ReplyDelete
  2. No those changes were made after St. E closed the Covington location. It's a STUPID idea. Not only does it happen at Greenup and 20th but at Scott and 20th. Itis nothing but a traffic jam.

    ReplyDelete