Signal Sync Arrives on Wilshire

The blue "signal sync" signs have started popping up on Wilshire (or at least I've finally noticed them), part of the LADOT's $5.5 million plan to synchronize 256 traffic signals in Mid-City (specifically, between Wilshire and Hollywood, as well as La Cienega and Western).

Signs like the one above will be posted at more than 200 intersections around the city. LAist covered Mayor Villaraigosa's press conference announcing the program in February:

Apparently, vehicles traveling on Wilshire Boulevard at a speed within 2 mph of the 35 mph speed limit will be greeted with green lights throughout the corridor. The downside of the bias in favor of Wilshire Blvd. vehicular traffic is that this plan will then have a negative impact on north/south vehicular traffic on streets such as Vermont, Western, La Brea, Fairfax, La Cienega, and Sepulveda.

Another detail that didn’t come up was the impact of a capacity increase, which critics claim will attract more single occupant vehicles resulting in the same gridlock that this plan purports to address...

Not only will motorists be treated to a ~35 mph ride down Wilshire but they will be also reminded of the wisdom of their route selection by the new “Signal Sync” signage!

Has my daily drive down Wilshire been smoother? Tough to tell; I usually leave the office after 7:30 p.m. (plus I head east, away from westside gridlock), so the boulevard is already clearer by then.