KHOU-11 ran a story last night about a particularly bad intersection downtown, with unclear signage, faded lane markings and…the Danger Train:
Accident after accident appears to be waiting to happen at the intersection of Wheeler and Main, where drivers and trains could be on a collision course.
[snip]
It’s challenging enough during the day, but it gets even worse at night. The right lane of Main is marked and intended for right turns on to Wheeler only, allowing traffic from the left lane to merge right and away from the tracks.
Bt if the right turn lane’ vehicle doesn’t turn, the other cars have few options — stop, hit the car that didn’t turn or drive on the tracks.
[snip]
In the time 11 News was at the intersection, car after car ignored the signs, totaling about 40 percent of all cars going through the intersection.
[snip]
Metro says that any signage that would make the turn only lane clearer is the city’s responsibility.
Many drivers say a sign on the crossbar above the lane might help, or at least a sign with an arrow. Right now the signs are only text, with a washed out arrow on the pavement.
More officers later came to the location and said that they monitor the spot all the time and often write dozens of tickets at a time for various vilations.
Metro says they have researched the location and think it is safe.
HPD says there have been 13 vehicle accidents in the last year.
Rail supporters can scream all they want about bad Houston drivers, but as Callie Markantonis has tried to point out, what does it say about Metro that it knew all about Houston drivers and still decided to put a train down the middle of Main street, at grade-level?
And Metro sees nothing wrong with the intersection and thinks the city should correct any signage problems. It’s like the blind leading the blind.
