Lack of traffic controls drive me crazy

Good luck with all the traffic "nuances" around here. When I moved here 5 years ago, I almost got myself killed at a flashing red light at 11:30 pm, because where I came from, a flashing red light means that it's a four way stop, but here it apparently means that it's only one direction that has the stop and the other direction has a flashing yellow. Almost had to get my car interior cleaned after missing a semi by not more that the thickness of the paint on my car. I'd much rather drive in any major metro area than any of the side streets in this town.

why complain in the newspaper? most places including phoenix, you talk to a traffic guy not a newspaper, fyi putting stop signs where they don't need them actually frustrates drivers & causes them to speed, that according to research of course

I moved here 14 years ago and could not believe the lack of signaling in the schools zones as compared to other states. Just imagine what the traffic will be like next year around Emerson and Middle School when the detor starts.
I live in the area and I have even written to the school superindent to make him aware of traffic hazards. So many cars run the red lights each and every day. Parents drop kids off at the lights during snow storms so they do not have to navigate the drop off zones. Several vehicles have ended up on the sidewalk and the middle school lawn an yet they still allow the children to run outside the fencing. Then you have the children running after the stray ball while the teacher is back at the entrance doors.
It truly was a culture shock to move here.I moved here 14 years ago and could not believe the lack of signaling in the schools zones as compared to other states. Just imagine what the traffic will be like next year around Emerson and Middle School when the detor starts.
I live in the area and I have even written to the school superindent to make him aware of traffic hazards. So many cars run the red lights each and every day. Parents drop kids off at the lights during snow storms so they do not have to navigate the drop off zones. Several vehicles have ended up on the sidewalk and the middle school lawn an yet they still allow the children to run outside the fencing. Then you have the children running after the stray ball while the teacher is back at the entrance doors.
It truly was a culture shock to move here.

The city has a traffic board that is an improvement from the past. Posting here is like whispering in the mayor's ear. Try calling city hall at 9 p.m. or on the weekend. This is a 24/7/365 pipeline to the powers that be. They seem to respond here. Power to the posters!

I agree that the lack of signs is a problem, especially with so many motorists who are from other states or other countries. I hope someone can convince the traffic board to put up appropriate signs and fences at the school before it is flooded with traffic from the detour.

I totally agree. Look out for red light runners too. I am not originally from Columbus, and I have NEVER in my life seen so many people run red lights. On 23rd street, it seems optionally whether or not to stop at a red light. Especially for semi's. I also have never witnessed someone getting pulled over for running a red light.

I have driven all over the USA and have never found worse drivers than what there are in Columbus. I avoid Columbus like the plague. Even out on the highway, Platte county drivers are dangerous.

Gilbert AZ has traffic control at every intersection? Sometimes such control causes more congestion. At one time the City of Columbus was asked to reduce the speed limit around some school and declined saying it didn't want the "liability." I believe most schools now have reduced speed zones and I haven't heard that the City has been sued. Some former mayors weren't exactly progressive you know - and they're gone.

Why would anyone even need to drive in Columbus? Particularly within her quarter section of town. Here's an idea: Try using the two legs you born with. Its people like this who think that the big, bad, evil Big Oil companies are conspiring against them when they have only 3% of the World's petroleum reserves.

if u pay attention the traffic accidents are mostly either elderly people or teenagers getting out of school. the teenagers getting out of school seem to be in such a rush and i do understand some have to go to work right after school. and also something else i don't like about columbus is that people get to close behind the cars no wonder some people get rearended. And why don't the cops do anything about following to closely. F.Y.I having things hung on the rear view mirror is illegal.

Complainers, evidently way to easy to get a drivers license here! Haven't read or do not practice the part of the Right of Way or to slow down and watch out for the other guy. We are all in this together. May I suggest a virtual reality drivers test before you can drive with real life instances with signs and automobile controls in English. Help us all to weed out the dangerous, unattentive drivers without turning them into quadriplegics. With soaring gas prices and smaller cars the death toll will increase congruently. God help us all. Driving is a job. Do it to the best of your ability or keep the vehicle in the garage. Please.

To Wannalive-what do you think a driving test is for? Believe it or not, you do have to take it before you get your license!?!?!

Also, it is not just the teenagers and elderly involved in the accidents. If you read the police reports in the paper, you will notice a lot of the accidents are also unlicensed, uninsured....let's call them foreigners.

As one person stated, I too would rather drive in a large metro area. Driving in this town is ridiculous. I have never seen so many rude drivers that turn in front of you. Also, do people realize the legal distance at a stop light? At my defensive driving course we were taught you are suppose to see the tires touching the ground.

Columbus is a terrible town to drive through.

Thankfully everything, Menard's, Hy-Vee, and Walmart moved to the east side of town. Now left turns are possible out of various parking lots in the area.

C'mon bypass!

Yes, welcome to the good life here in Nebraska. One thing you can be sure of, the no u-turn signs are at every intersection except one. No, I am not going to tell you where it is. That intersection doesn't need it any more that the rest of them do. I think that is the most ridiculous thing I have noticed since moving back to Nebraska. It seems like there are more no u-turn signs in Columbus than the entire Denver metropolitan area (pop. 20,000 vs. 2,500,000).

VoteForTR: Have you ever taken the drivers test? It's only for those who first get their license, those who had their license taken away, or those who are referred by law enforcement. The test itself takes about 5 minutes, you make a couple of turns, and have to pull over and turn your hazards on...not very difficult.

Capo: Omaha has stop signs on most residential intersections in town. It does slow down traffic, but isn't traffic only supposed to be going 25 mph anyways? Driving 25 mph isn't supposed to be for traffic flow and ease of driving through town...it's for safety.

Capo (again): Most towns do have a reduced speed limit in school zones. Columbus isn't as fortunate. I believe what Linda is referring to is flashing yellow lights on through during the school day that reduces traffic down to 20 mph. This again is something that is common in Omaha and other towns. It would be very safe for Columbus to do this on 23rd Ave and 26th Avenue by Emerson and CMS since the speed limit is 30 mph on these roads. Howard Blvd by West Park, 18th Ave/15th St by Scotus/St. Bon's, and 33rd Ave/38th St by Lost Creek are three other areas that could have improved safety from flashing yellow lights.

Sounds like it is time for little Columbus to get the red light cameras. As a former resident now living in Texas, I understand what people are saying, especially about 14th street. The red light cameras have put a big brake on the number of red light runners here, in fact the city of Dallas was stupid enough to say they were going to shut them off because there was not enough revenue from tickets to pay to keep them running (?). They work, it is just too bad that it takes big brother to make people obey traffic lights/signs. Look at it this way, the extra revenue could be used for things the city needs, like that extra viaduct if it ever gets built!

STOP RUNNING RED LIGHTS--YOU ARE GOING TO KILL SOMEONE!! TO THE POLICE--START PULLING THESE PEOPLE OVER BEFORE THEY KILL SOMEONE!

I drive through the 23rd & 33rd light every day and every day there is someone who is running the light. Why add more if people aren't using them and aren't getting punished for not!!!!!!!!!

Right on sister that is Columbus in a nut shell.

RIGHT ON RED..RIGHT ON RED...RIGHT ON RED!!! Not a good week for my horn to go out on my vehicle! This town is the worst for that! You are probably the same people that run the red light on 23rd and 33rd..but sit at a red while turning right and wait for it to turn green!

A couple of days ago I was behind a police cruiser at 48th and HWY 81. A cattle truck came flying through a red light-at least 4-5 seconds- and I thought "finally, I'm going to see someone pulled over for this" but no, the truck went right on east, and the cop went south on Howard. It seems to me that the police in this town turn a blind eye to red light runners-especially if it's a commercial truck. I don't know if they think the State Patrol Commercial unit is the only one who is allowed to stop these truckers when they run the red lights.

Good luck! It would be really nice for them to put up more signs. There have been several accidents 2 blocks from where I live (and 1 accident on the block I live on). All with in the past 7 months. The cops or NO ONE seem to care about this. One of these accidents put 5 of my friends in the hospital! I honestly don't think they're gonna do anything about it until too many people DIE. Hopefully they do something about it before anyone else even gets hurt!

GW--do you realize that it is perfectly legal to turn right on red as long as you yield to oncoming traffic? And yes--Columbus has the worst driver's I have ever seen.

to nobody...That was exactly my point..I get tired of the people NOT going right on red, instead they wait for the light to turn green. Reread my post....

HELLO!! GW DIDNT SAY THAT IT WASNT LEGAL TO TURN RIGHT ON RED.

Right turn on red EXCEPT WHERE POSTED OTHERWISE. Northbound 33rd, turning right onto 23rd is an example - turn arrow.

Why don't you people go to the City Council and complain to them instead of whining about it on the blogs of the Telegram? Seriously, I'm sure this is the "WORST" place in the whole world to drive wah wah wah(I was being sarcastic in case you didn't notice)...Apparently no one has ever driven in New York or San Francisco before...Please take your complaints elsewhere...There are bad drivers all over, not all lumped into "Platte County" (the home of dangerous drivers)!!

We all know there are bad drivers no matter where you go, but its not a big secret you can go anywhere, but when you drive into the city limits of Columbus, drivers go from bad to worse.
If people would just get off the cell phone and put out the cigarette, it would be a safer world to drive in.

I've driven in both New York City, and San Fran, as well as many other major cities, and as far as signage, specifically stop signs, I'd much rather drive in those cities. Part of the problem is that some streets like I believe it's 17st have stop signs going on the North South Ave, but then the next street doesn't. I am one of the newbies in town that almost stops at each intersection because I don't know for sure where there are and aren't stop signs. Yes I understand the yield to the right concept, but I'm afraid that there are too many drivers in this town that don't understand the concept, or don't care--they're going to go through regardless.

GO BIG RED!

You Nebraskans are so argumentative. The poor gal is simply giving her opinion on some improvements that could be made for the sake of kids! And you are pompous enough to argue against it? Wow!

I have seen those semi drivers run lots of lights in this town. The worst ones are Vieseman drivers. It is absolutely crazy! They are all in a race to get to the ethanol plant here. Don't think it is going to get easier either, with the plant getting bigger! Hwy. 30 and over the viaduct are the worst! Yes, I too would rather drive in Omaha or Lincoln than this town! It is a lot safer in 8 lane traffic than 2 lane traffic here in Columbus!

Who is this Linda person anyway that comes into this town from Arizona wanting to change the world? Why doesn't she go back to Arizona and change how people drive there.

Who knows who this "Linda person" is and who really cares?? Apparently she is this "innocent woman" that we "pompous people" like to argue with. I guess what she thinks counts since she was an Arizona resident and we Nebraska residents should just use constructive criticism (since it was so nice in Arizona that she had to move here)....Seriously, is there ANYTHING else we can come up with to read??? This is getting really lame. Everyone is soo melodramatic!

I dont mind the traffic in this town, but its the people riding their bikes who think they own the roads. If your biking and theres a stop sign, that includes you.

I find it refreshing that somebody that hasn't lived here forever actually shows an interest in this community and has some ideas that she is willing to share to possibly improve it. This is the whole attitude of this town that I've mentioned before on other postings that drives me crazy. If you're not originally from this town, grandparents from this town, an original settler of this town, you can't have an opinion, and if you do, you aren't supposed to share it and heaven forbid if you do share it. I've noticed and have been bothered by these traffic issues in this town and I thank you Linda for mentioning them. To roady and well well, somehow I have a feeling that you are part of the non-pwer non-progress problem that has been so abundant in this community the past number of years.

To Stop Signs:
I soooo agree with you. I do beleive that it is the odd number streets that actually have the stop signs north and south, but you still better watch out. I agree that big city driving is much better than Columbus. I had my one and only accident (knock on wood) when I was 16 at an intersection in Columbus with no signs (I was on the right and had the right of way.) This summer I will be 34 and to this day I do a complete stop at every one of those inersections without signs and about every time watch somebody else go flying through from the other direction wihtout a care in the world. It may take me more time, but hopefully I will avoid an accident.

Thank you for your opinions Linda!!! It's always nice to hear from people with different perspectives as opposed to the stubborn people of this town that are easily offended and scared of anything outside of their comfort zone.

The lack of stop signs on Columbus streets is absolutely unbelievable.

some people in columbus apparently are exempt from having to use turn signals or right of way, as i've learned.

[by the way, if you put your blinker on right just as you are turning--it doesn't count!]

its so much easier to drive in omaha or lincoln than it is in this town.

people are funny.

Doug Dunbar - Go ahead and stop anyway. No one is telling you can't stop at every intersection. Your auto mechanic will love you for it. Plus, you'll get to buy more expensive gas.

i think people should turn on the blinker a block before they turn because they cause accidents when they turn it on right when they are turning i mean come on. no wonder a whole lot of people get rear ended. and i am wondering when are they going to turn on the traffic lights in front of the mall and amigos. and something else is that people drive too closely behind one another. i hate that. i mean u work freaking hard to pay for ur cars to stay in good conditions and then some person that is in a rush and crashes into you just ruins it. i admit i sometimes am in a hurry but i don't get so close behind cars because in case their is some accident going on further ahead you can turn to the other lane and go instead of waiting there.

One thing I'd like to point out is that while there may be a need for more signage, putting up more signage does not necessarily mean better traffic control or less accidents. It is up to the DRIVER to obey the traffic signs & signals. In Columbus there seems to be a definite lack of not only drivers obeying the traffic signals (both commercial & non commercial) but also a lack of common sense among many of them. Just this morning on the way to work, I watched a woman in a vehicle pull into Holiday gas station parking lot only to stop immediately upon pulling into the lot. The vehicle behind her was also wanting to pull into the station and because the first vehicle stopped where it did, it blocked the second vehicle which was then stopped partially on the highway and partially in the lot, with traffic piling up behind it and nowhere for the second vehicle to go. Apparently the first vehicle was waiting for an empty spot at the pumps. The second vehicle honked but the first vehicle just sat there. It was absolutely assinine that someone would pull into a parking lot only to stop immediately and block the driveway like that. Yet idiotic incidents like these happen (and cause accidents) all the time. And the driver of the first vehicle appeared to be a middle-aged, professional-appearing woman, not some teenage kid or half-blind 90 yr old making it even worse- it was someone who should have known better. Total lack of common sense!
You can add signage to every block of this town, but until the drivers start using their brains while driving it isn't going to do much good.

I wish someone would look into getting left turn arrows on the lights at 26th ave and 23rd st, and 23rd ave and 23rd streets.

sorry folks, if you think you have bad drivers there, Ever been to OMAHA??

As for the red light runners, maybe the city should try to sequence them so you can move more than 1 block at a time before hitting a red again before getting stopped to wait for a train!

I thought this would be interesting to read since she is new to the community. I am sorry to see that now she is using her column as a podium for causes. While her ideas are good, just not what I would expect from her. She is going to lose readers if her criticisms continue. Lets hear the good stuff too.

One of my pet peeves is the intersection of 15th street and 23rd avenue. Example: if the first westbound car at a red light is turning left, they must wait to turn left until the eastbound vehicles go through the intersection. Due to the short duration between light changes, all the vehicles behind the left turning car, will have to sit at another red light to proceed through. I have had to wait there through two red lights just to get through that intersection. I have told city officials, but no one does anything about it. VERY FRUSTRATING!!!

I think that this blog needs to kick it up a notch and keep things updated more often or be removed. What has been written is not anything new to anyone in this city. Get it going or give it up

Just because redwoods grow faster than change comes to the city is no reason to not bring up important issues ... most every new person in town notices speed limits by schools much higher than where they came from. If they come with small children, it's probably extra apparent. If it took 80 years to get viaducts, maybe we can pitch in and get school speed zones in only 50-60.

i think there should be cops more often at 26th avenue because some people think that the speed limit is like 45-50 mph and its only 30. i mean go slow. there are houses and there maybe little kids who live in those houses and they like to play outside and i know its the parents responsibility to watch the kids but i mean go slow. its an avenue not a highway. and its not a passing zone either.

I AGREE!!! AND YES OMAHA DRIVERS DO SUCK!!

You folks are so gullible. This 'new resident' to Columbus, Linda, is a fake person so the editor can seed the opinion articles in the direction he wants. GULLIBLE !!

As for above comment. Wrong. Linda is exactly what she says she is, and the thoughts she shares here are her own.

anyone ever hear of 'situational ethics' welcome to columbus...we have seeped in it forever! these are JUST traffic 'rules'... and everyone knows 'rules' are made to be broken! You may call them laws but that don't mean you have to take them as laws since they are low level laws / rules. Even our own government passes laws and then will not enforce them, not? My point. oneday being late for work (in a rural location) & little oncoming traffic (although there was a school, just off the way) i thought i will bump it up 10 miles an hour and slow down if: 1 i see a cop 2 if i see kids 3 i am coming up to my turn. What was the speed limit anyway?... suggested speed limit 50 mph. usual regulatory sign...hmm. what did that sign say? Next day, I read the sign again... suggested?
where was the suggested anyway?, situational thinking tells me
these are merely to keep traffic at a even flow, safely. and I know I am capable and alert. I can best judge the situation after all it is a mere regulation. I shocked even myself at that deduction!.. From that point I began to really notice how much of that garbage got into my thinking. So I put a guard on my thoughts, to look for other simple ideas and 'laws' that I could have overrid or negated! Now after many years of policing my own attitude, justifications, I hope to say, I am no longer situationally ethicly impaired! I have banished all such thinking and have a new found love and respect for laws. I am not anal about it. I just realized I am not above any law, I am thankful I stumbled onto what I was doing...i am a safer driver for it! No more speeding tickets, running stop sign tickets, or turning whatever way i want even if it says right turn only! and NO accidents. Yes you have to drive for the other driver ... yes i get upset, but then i remeber they are a situationally impaired driver! Laws and stop signs, red lights won't help these people....they do not have a clue! they are in their own world...

Linda,
I currently live in the other side of Phoenix (Glendale) and one thing I can say is that I will take Columbus traffic any day over the Phoenix Metro area. My time in Columbus has been limited (as the rest of my family live in St. Ed). However, I have spent a lot of time in Columbus on business or traveling to and from other parts of the state. While back there I will occasionally forget that traffic in Columbus may be congested once in a while, but it is definitely not as bad as other parts of the country.
I have been a cop in the Phoenix area for 28 years. I have watched all of Phoenix grow tremendously. Gilbert, as you may recall, was at one time the fastest growing community in Arizona (and probably all of the west coast). Community officials, with there best intentions, have tried to make their communities happy. One of the many result were the placement of a LOT of stop and yield signs - in some cases for no other better reason than to reduce complaints. Did it necessarily stop the problems? Not really. As more of the infrastructure of each community was built, more signage went up and now it's gotten silly with stopping every 500 feet. And yield signs? . . . . I challenge you to randomly ask people in any community what the definition of yield actually means; or what are you suppose to do after you stop for a stop sign and before you pull out into traffic; or which car goes first when two cars from different streets arrive at about the same time at an intersection with flahsing red signals. After investigating 100's of crashes in the Phoenix area, many people will tell me that yield means nothing more than “looking” as opposed to looking and making sure it is safe to pull out, change lanes, etc. Another thing with too many stop signs is that unless there is the probability of enforcement that goes along with them, they are largely ignored. Too many stop signs can indicate too much government involvement and again there is that silent minority who just ignore them. It takes just one person to ignore one stop sign where it could potentially change lives forever (if there is a crash).
I don't want to discourage the use of stop or yield signs and/or flashing red signals where it can be safe but it is not the overall answer to all traffic concerns. People need to drive defensively (as if they were invisible) and with the utmost courtesy. There is a large population in and around Columbus that are reaching those unforgiving retirement years. As they do, they may be wiser but they’ll make many more everyday mistakes. Smarter driving for everyone is a better solution. Not necessarily signage. I really don’t know how we do that outside of better laws, enforcement, technology, engineering standards overall and education. In the Phoenix area, we are utilizing cameras to spot people who run red lights and speed.
I will drive any day in Columbus NE as compared to the Phoenix metro area. When it comes to the signage, just be careful of what you ask for. You might just get it.

ok well enough with the traffic controls complaints cuz i think its going to take a long time till that problem gets fixed. i don't get it some people drive too fast and some drive like 10 under the legal limit oh man that is so messed up anyway well what can we do? oh and like had mentioned before 26th avenue is not a highway . it clearly says 30 mph not 45 or higher. oh yeah and please no more tailgating.