Dear Lane Ranger,
I've noticed a similar short green signal at northbound Telegraph Road and PW Parkway. This happened even on Saturday afternoon at approximately 5:15. I was driving the second car and it turned yellow before I entered the intersection. The first car proceeded at a normal rate.
Emory Pollard
Woodbridge
Dear Emory,
It seems like when we talk about signal lights, or what the Virginia Department of Transportation likes to call the "signalization of intersections," things can get a little technical. But that is why you have the Lane Ranger to attempt to make sense of it all.
At this particular intersection, drivers have 28 seconds to pass through the green light. That's 21 seconds of green and a full seven seconds for the yellow light to be on before the signal returns to red, said VDOT spokeswoman Jennifer McCord.
But that green light will only stay on if the weight plate, or sensor embedded into the pavement, can regis-ter a car either sitting on top of it or passing over it. The weight plates are located at the very top of the lane, at the white stop bar.
If there is a three or more second gap between cars the signal will turn yellow, whether or not the full 21 seconds of green has elapsed, said McCord.
"This allows as much green time for the Prince William Parkway mainline as possible, rather than having them wait while a side street is not in active use," said McCord.
This could be why you noticed a short light at the intersection.
Send your commuter questions to the Lane Ranger via email at Laneranger@insidenova.com , on inside-nova.com on Facebook and via Twitter at Twitter.com/insidenova. You can also send your questions di-rectly to the Lane Ranger, 14010 Smoketown Road, Woodbridge, VA 22192.
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