White lines form buffer zones for carpool lanes

Michael Turnbell | TRANSPORTATION COLUMNIST

June 15, 2008

Q Why are the carpool lanes on Interstate 95 separated from the regular lanes with two white, dashed lines? They look to be about 3 feet wide and seem useless, confusing and a waste of space that could be utilized better.

Bill Montgomery, Boca Raton

A Those white lines act as a buffer zone to distinguish the carpool lanes from the regular travel lanes.

The most recently widened stretches of I-95 in Palm Beach County have a 4-foot buffer between the carpool lane and the regular lanes.

Michael Turnbell E-mail | Recent columns

From Miami's Airport Expressway to Congress Avenue, I-95's carpool lanes are separated by a 2-foot buffer.

The newer carpool lanes have a wider buffer because they were built to new design standards.

Q I like the small electronic message boards along Military Trail and Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton that warn drivers of problems on Interstate 95 in Palm Beach County. Why do messages refer to mile marker locations on I-95 instead of the cross street or interchange? Most people don't know mile markers.

Ronald Silberg, Boca Raton

A The state displays both the exit number and road name if it is alerting drivers about a traffic-clogging incident on I-95 in Palm Beach County, said Steve Corbin, who manages Palm Beach County's interim traffic management center.

Mile markers, however, might be used if the incident is in Martin County because street names that far north aren't commonly known by drivers, particularly those from the southern part of Palm Beach County.

The $26 million system of portable signs, cameras and speed sensors was rolled out in 2002 to help drivers cope with I-95 construction and warn them about slowdowns miles ahead. The equipment was placed along I-95, roads that feed the interstate and on alternate routes like Congress Avenue and Military Trail.

In the meantime, the Florida Department of Transportation is moving forward with plans to install a permanent system of overhead signs and cameras on Palm Beach County's stretch of I-95 beginning this fall.

Q How do you request a traffic light? I live near Commercial Boulevard and Pine Island Road in Sunrise, and it is increasingly difficult, even dangerous, to get in and out of my neighborhood. I don't know where to start. Can you give me some guidance?

Lindsay Wallace, Sunrise

A If it involves a county or city street or any combination of the two, start with the Broward County Traffic Engineering Division.

You can make a request either via e-mail at www.broward.org/traffic (click the "Contact us" link on the left side of the page) or by sending a letter to the Traffic Engineering Division, 2300 W. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309.

Include your name and phone number, the location where you'd like the traffic signal and any other pertinent details.

The county will do a study that looks at traffic volumes, speed limits, the number of pedestrians, the location's crash history and proximity to other signals before determining whether a new signal is warranted.