Ashvegas reader: Why the #$@% can’t Asheville cops direct motorists when a traffic light goes down?

Jason Sandford May 24, 2013

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Thursday afternoon, a tractor trailer took out a traffic signal at the intersection of Patton Avenue and South French Broad Avenue. The lack of a light triggered a massive cluster-#%$@ that created horrible traffic tie-ups in downtown Asheville leading into the 5 o’clock rush.

Loyal reader Kevin takes it from there:

Hey,

So I’ve thought about this in the past, but it wasn’t until the cluster$#@& of yesterday afternoon that was Patton Avenue that I’ve decided to ask about it. I figured you would get more answers out of this than I would, so why in the hell have I NEVER seen a local police officer directing traffic when a traffic signal goes down? Every other city I’ve lived in figured this out a long time ago, but Asheville has never deemed it necessary it seems. Which is funny considering it happens much more frequently in Asheville, combined with the fact that our traffic is already a mess to begin with, this seems like a no-brainer.

I understand not needing someone out there at 10pm on a secondary road, but when a traffic signal goes out on PATTON AVENUE in the middle of rush hour traffic, no one in charge ever thought of this?

/rant over (if I had written this yesterday, it would’ve been much longer and gotten a lot darker)

Thanks for you help!

Image link for traffic signal.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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6 Comments

fido May 26, 2013

don’t know how to do anything but set up road-blocks.

Reply
David S. May 25, 2013

Did the downed pole block a lane? The default should have been for Patton Ave to remain flowing with French Broad treated as a stop sign. That’s how a major vs minor street should operate during a signal malfunction.

Reply
fido May 25, 2013

cops are too busy manning roadblocks.

Reply
Jonathan Wainscott May 25, 2013

Or when there is an accident. I don’t know how many times I have seen a cop just sitting in his/her squad car while motorists just figure out what the hell they are supposed to do to get around an accident in the middle of an intersection. The performance of basic services in this town is embarrassing. The reputation of Asheville as a sophisticated city hinges entirely on chic restaurants and the Fine Arts Theater. As for civic services, we’re just another po’ ass backwoods north cackalacky town.

Reply
Sean May 24, 2013

Not enough of them, man. They were needed more in public housing and the drug unit (sarcasm), so the patrol division is perilously short-staffed.

Reply
Murphy May 24, 2013

it’s not in the budget …

Reply