Placerville Makes Improvements to Downtown Stoplights
The city of Placerville recently updated its downtown spotlights as a part of a state-wide effort to improve traffic safety. In order to make sure that drivers are paying attention to traffic signals, the city has placed bright yellow borders around all of the stoplights in the downtown area as well as along Highway 50, two places that both see a high volume of traffic.
A Caltrans Project
The state-funded traffic safety project is being implemented by Caltrans. Steve Nelson, a Caltrans spokesperson, told reporters that the 2-inch borders are retro-reflective and are expected to improve visibility of important information, especially at night and during periods of scheduled public safety power shutoffs during high-risk fire seasons.
Nelson indicated that the state chose the color yellow for the borders because it is a symbol for “caution or advisory” and encourages drivers to act more carefully while approaching and navigating intersections.
Timeline
While the project began on March 30, it has not yet been completed. Caltrans authorities have said that they are waiting for materials to be fabricated that are necessary for the project. Because of the lacking materials, the project in Placerville will reportedly be revisited at a date sometime this year.
Another Benefit
Another benefit of the new borders is that the reflective frames will reportedly help people with color blindness better read the signals. According to DOT representative Mike McVaughn, the border will be able to help colorblind people orient the location of the traffic light within the frame, making it easier to tell what ‘color’ the signal is. McVaughn also noted that these yellow frames will be a part of the “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.” This means that the frames will be standard for DOT throughout the US.
Intersections and Accidents
Accidents can happen anywhere, but there are always a few places in cities that have a higher percentage of accidents than others. Typically, the highest volume of collisions takes place at intersections. Intersections can be dangerous for multiple reasons and tend to be more chaotic than straight-aways because traffic is coming from more than two directions.
However, some intersections are more dangerous than most. In many cases, a particular intersection is dangerous because it’s poorly designed or missing important signage. In others, there may be a defect in the pavement or a visibility issue for drivers coming from one or more directions. In cases where a dangerous roadway causes an accident, the government responsible for maintaining that road may be considered liable for damages. However, injury claims against government bodies need to be filed within 180 days, a much shorter time limit than for most cases.
Calling an Attorney
Recovering payments for medical bills, damaged property, and lost income is often very important for people who’ve been in accidents. For this reason, it’s vital to reach out to a Placerville personal injury lawyer as soon as you can. By working with a lawyer who has experience handling injury claims, many people are able to get full compensation for the losses they have suffered.
Other Blogs from Ed Smith, Placerville Personal Injury Lawyer
- Deadly Placerville Car Accident
- What is a Placerville Personal Injury Lawyer?
- One Dead after Placerville Crash
Placerville Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Placerville personal injury lawyer. To get free, friendly legal advice about your crash case, call me at either (800) 404-5400 or (530) 392-9400.
I have been helping residents of Placerville with injury claims for 38 years. To learn about my work history, take a look at my prior settlements and verdicts as well as my reviews listed at:
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