I see where they have finally replaced the “target” at the I-5 Mellen St. intersection. I wonder how long, and how many signals, will have to be replaced before the folks who are responsible for this signal will realize that doing the same thing over and over again the same way will inevitably result in the same outcome.
They do have alternative solutions. They could install another arm on the traffic signal that is already there, one that would be much harder to knock down, is larger, further from the turn that drivers seem to miss and has a curb and concrete island to cross before being impacted. Another maybe simpler solution would be to place a steel post between the “target” and eastbound Mellen Street, if not a steel post but some type of barrier. Just a suggestion from a dumb old sailor.
J. E. Howe
Centralia
