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City ditched traffic light delay idea Is there not a way to have at least a three-second delay when traffic lights turn red? This would help slow down the accident rate if commuters have that delay before the green light comes on. A lot of time the traffic light will turn yellow when a car enters the intersection, then red before the car is all the way through it. I would hate to get a ticket for that. -- Gary T., Medford A moment or two of silence at the intersection might do us all some good, Gary, but don't hold your breath. The timing of lights at intersections is no simple thing. The length of yellows is controlled by a book known as -- drumroll, please -- the Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices. It says yellow lights must last at least three seconds and no more than six. Most Medford yellow lights stay on three seconds for left turns and four for straight crossings, says Kim Parducci of the city's Public Works Department. "In some we allow up to five seconds where speeds are higher or travel distances are greater," Parducci notes. "If timed properly, the length of the amber phase should allow for a vehicle to get through the intersection if already entering it." In other words, Gary, you've got to be quick about that intersection crossing. As to that critical moment after a light turns red, Parducci says the city has considered what's known in the biz as "the all-red clearance interval," but discarded the idea of introducing a second or so delay when all lights are red. "It tends to be more effective on highways where speeds are higher, or in cities such as Portland, where traffic congestion is severe," she notes. (Send your questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; or by fax to (541) 776-4376; or by e-mail to: youasked@mailtribune Please include your name, address and phone number for verification.) Today's News Index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA