New traffic light a Superlake

[Dostortas]

It’s back.  Just a heads up.  Plenty of folks ignoring it and going through it regardless of the color.  Proceed with caution.  

[John Shrall]

It's much quieter now without that dufus blowing his whistle all day attempting to direct traffic.

[Natasha]

Don't forget this is a long weekend.... might be why it's turned on.  Seems to depend these days.

[Dostortas]

The light I was referring to is where the original traffic light was, in front of the intersection by La Paz liquor store.  That light was removed a few years ago but it’s back again now.  I think several people ignored it this morning because it’s new and they didn’t really notice it.  May take a week or so until people are accustomed to the new light.  When intersections are close together like that, they can be easy to miss at first.  

[Floradude]

Is the one a half-a-block west still operating?

[Mainecoons]

Are you telling us they put a THIRD light in San Antonio?  Or moved one of the others?

 

[Natasha]

6 hours ago, Dostortas said:

The light I was referring to is where the original traffic light was, in front of the intersection by La Paz liquor store. 

Sorry.  Misunderstood.  Actually that light would be a GOOD thing as getting onto the carretera from that road these days can be a real headache.

[barrbower]

Yeah, that will speed things along nicely...Let's just put a light at every single intersection!  I've seen a transito cop sitting at the not to be used WalMart entrance for the last couple of days.  Seems to be ticketing those who try to enter what is obviously supposed to be an entrance.  You can fix ignorant but you can't fix stupid.  Not sure if Jalisco has civil engineers or traffic engineers but if they do, then, well, stupid... I guess.

Alan

[MtnMama]

It is good to have a way to cross a major thoroughfare in a small town but I'm not sure 3 in a row are needed. When I lived in Colorado there was a small town called Empire. The road going to Winter Park and Mary Jane ski resorts went through the middle of town. They put in one traffic light so people could get from one side of town to the other. (When I lived there, until 2007, it was the only traffic light in the county.) 

[Yo1]

I don't believe a light would be needed if they would paint lanes in the one way street by SuperLake coming onto the carretera.  Traffic does build up trying to get on the carretera but there is plenty of room for a right turn lane and a left turn lane.  People are pretty good about giving way to cars trying to turn left onto the carretera.

[vetteforron]

I remember Ajijic and Jocotepec when there were no lights. Now they can't seem to have enough. This is not a complaint just things change. 

[Lexy]

There is confusion about which is the correct entrance to use for Walmart. I believ I was correct for awhile and then switched to the incorrect one after watching others drive in.  So now a cop is there passing out tickets?? So does anyone know for sure which it is, please?

[pappysmarket]

Remember people, those lights are just a suggestion. Do as you please and don't get in an accident. If you get a ticket just pay what he wants and remind him you've paid your "dues" so you don't want to be stopped by him again and take care of him at Christmas time. Worked for us and many others back in the early 2000's.

[barrbower]

I just drove east through the gauntlet at 10:30 this morning and west bound traffic was stopped back to Mirasol and pretty much bumper to bumper back to the middle of Riberas.  You know when the lights are not on or just blinking yellow the traffic moves much better and there do not seem to be accidents.  I think this is because everybody is really watching for other cars and being polite to let folks in.  Something to be said for not over thinking a problem.

Alan

[dcstroker]

Another problem with the light at Super Lake is that the people driving west cant see the light unless they stop well back from the street. Just got back from shopping there and had the green light to enter the carretera and 2 cars headed west didnt even stop and when I honked my horn got a dirty look.

[oasiscloud]

The traffic going West has been backed up all the way to Mirasol or San Diego since at least 10 this morning. Going East it isn't so bad. The only safe way to get into Walmart coming from the East is to turn into the first La Floresta entrance and then turn back to Walmart. It's only about a block extra and much easier to turn in there than anywhere else.

[Dostortas]

On 2/7/2022 at 2:07 PM, Mainecoons said:

Are you telling us they put a THIRD light in San Antonio?  Or moved one of the others?

 

Yes there’s a third light.  One at Jesús Garcia, one at La Paz Liquor store which I think is Calle Independencia and one at San Jose by Absolut Fenix.  And then of course the Walmart intersection.  

[ezpz]

Arrrggghhhh!  The never ending traffic light saga!  That whole area has suffered from a lack of foresight and logical planning to make the traffic flow better.  As for me, I lived here 12 full years without a car and only bought one a couple years ago.  I was in culture shock driving again, but driving in MX is really freaky!  Very bad road designs, bad signage, often bad visibility, a lot of drivers who don't even think about the rules of the road, and much more car traffic than a few years ago.  I have come to hate driving here.  I take the back roads when I have to go to Superlake or Centro Laguna, which is not often. 

I drove to Chapala for my booster shot a while back and coming back to Ajijic, I was trying to make a legal left turn from El Centro onto the main drag with the tree islands.  I was almost hit by two cars at the same time!  Both of them were driving in the wrong lane!  Just one small example.   

[RickS]

....another viewpoint from a frequent visitor after a week of driving around.

The problem IMO is probably not lights or inconsiderate drivers but that, over the years, the number of people  and businesses owning vehicles 'locally' or otherwide coming to Lakeside from outside has exploded. So if you put 10 times as many vehicles on the same single  2-lane thoroughfare and try and give access to that throughfare from 'neighborhood' streets as you must, you get what we have here these days. A disaster.

But I don't find the lights to be a big problem. And what I do find is that drivers ON that thoroughfare go out of their way to let traffic from non-signaled intersections to either and join the parade, or cross across that madness! I probably have not waited more than 30 seconds trying to get on or across the carretera and I have been driving around a lot since I got here.

I can already hear a lot of discent from this position from full-time folks saying that either I don't know what I'm talking about OR that I just haven't been here long enough. While this may be true from your standpoint, I'm sure that having to endure this madness 'colors' opinions. And, of course, I did say that it is just 'my opinion'. But it is what I am observing in my first week here this time.

And another opinion.... this traffic situation has surely taken a LOT of glow off of trying to live and/or visit in this Paradise!

Peace

[Mainecoons]

Remember last year when the traffic lights were all out for nearly a week?  Traffic moved freely, there was no back ups on the side streets, everyone did fine.

This whole problem is caused by over used, primitive traffic lights.

 

[ibarra]

The lights aren't synchronized which causes delays also.

[RickS]

True,BUT synchronizing lights on a 2-way street is VERY difficult... think about it.... and requires very sophisticated computer software and sensors in the street (or cameras) to aide in the process.  One-way streets can 'easily' be synchronized but not 2-way. Lakeside would not have access to this kind of technology IMO.

[MtnMama]

To put this into perspective, when we moved here, almost 14 years ago, the owner of the much-missed Lake Chapala Review wrote in an editorial that the traffic in Lakeside was a mess and that a libriemento above SAT and Ajijic was needed. Back then it would have been possible but with all the new construction, it is no longer realistic.

[johanson]

Living at the top of Juarez in Ajijic, I remember well, when they were thinking of build a a Libramiento over Ajijic. I was afraid that it might negatively impact those of us that lived, as far up as you could go on the existing streets.

Another group was suggesting placing the Libramiento along the Lake Chapala shoreline.

One of these days something will need to be done. I'm afraid to find out what they might do to try to solve our traffic problems.

[CHILLIN]

The Lake within the Lake solution. Build a causeway and breakwater on the lake to bypass Chapala and Central Ajijic, meeting the carratera again in West Ajijic. This is shallow water, therefore not an expensive public project. Then dredging channels, again not expensive, to duplicate the ancient Chinampa floating gardens as in CDMX. Each Chinampa would have a caretaker shack and ecofriendly waste system, like a composting toilet. Then come the boatmen, no gas motors allowed. They take out tourists to buy from the Chinampas. Things like fresh flowers and herbs. This has turned out to be huge success in CDMX spanning hundreds of years. They also have fiesta boats, and the canoes sell them foods and treats. I am sure it would be very successful and draw attention from all over the world, especially among eco conscious communities and the honeymooners.

What could be possibly better, out on the Lake watching sunsets, surrounded by wonderful music, flowers, laughter and good food?

https://www.fao.org/americas/noticias/ver/en/c/1118851/