Why are Amercan traffic signal not synchronized yet?

Question

Sweden implemented the synchonized signals already in the 1960 with all other European counties following fast. Now, 40 years later, or in other words, two generations behind, America still has no synchronized lights in their cities. One official told me that cities don't cooperate in that regard. Can anyone tell me why a handful of officials can cause millions of cars polluting the air and wasting so much gas by stopping and moving them at every single light?

Europes synchronized sytem has saved billions of gallons of gas yearly, just by having cars continuing at a pre-determined speed. Even countries like El Salvador and Guatemala has that system. How many more generations must we wait more, until government gives the people back what they have deserved?

Answer 1

most of ours use a different system, based on sensors.  there are pressure sensors in the road, or cameras above the lights that detect if a car (or line of cars) is present, and changes the lights accordingly.  they also change times during rush hour.  it's not perfect, but it's getting there.

Answer 2

Synchronized with what?

Many counties have synchronized their signals.  But remember that if you synchronize signals in one direction (say north-south) then the other direction (east-west) will get slowed down.  So you don't really gain anything, unless one road is bigger than the other.

Answer 3

I'd love if they did more to synchronize the lights, but the excuses they use are that different parts of the road have different traffic volumes, requiring that they break traffic up more.    I think there might be an alternate motive though-  to increase the likelihood that you'll read a billboard while stopped at a traffic light.

Answer 4

well clearly, because that would make sense

Answer 5

Because we are the greatest country in the world, wait your turn we are going to conquer you next

Answer 6

It really depends on where in the United States you live.

Here in the Motor City, different traffic controls are always being investigated.

Roundabouts seem to be the big thing here now, but in regards to traffic signals, it all depends on where you live.

For example: On M-59 at US-23 in Hartland, the signals used to be synchronized, but the problem came up when power went out. Since the signal lights were on two different power grids, the signal lights went out of sync most of the time. Since they converted the area to a SPUI (Single Point Urban Interchange) all of the signal lights are activated based upon weight, so vehicles aren't waiting at a red light with no oncoming traffic.

But in other areas, such as M-59 through downtown Pontiac, or Woodward Ave through Detroit (or almost every major city) all of the lights are synchronized so that traffic isn't stopping at every single or every other stoplight.

Departments of Transportation spend millions of dollars each year researching which type of traffic control is best. Granted, in Metro Detroit, or other large cities. But in areas where traffic signals are few and far between, scaled systems seem to work better.