Main Street motorists will see more green
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

Upon the completion of a traffic study on Main Street through the Village of Williamsville, the New York State Department of Transportation has decided to lengthen the traffic signals along Main Street.

Within the next few weeks the signals will be lengthened from 120 to 140 seconds to allow more motorists to pass through per cycle, DOT Public Information Officer Susan Surdej said. The change will lengthen the maximum green time for eastbound and westbound Main Street traffic by an average of 14 seconds.

"It will help improve the flow of traffic on Main Street, but with the high volume of traffic it won't be monumental," she said, warning residents not to expect traffic jams to completely disappear.

She said making the adjustments on Main Street is a delicate balance because of the pedestrians, motorists and businesses each affecting the signal cycles and traffic volume.

Surdej said the timing changes are based on updated traffic count data for each intersection. A computer program was used to provide its engineers with optimized timings, and the DOT will continue to monitor the traffic flow situation on Main Street and will make further timing adjustments if needed.

Sen. Mary Lou Rath, R-Amherst, had requested the traffic study and was pleased with the announcement of the traffic signal change.

"Anyone who lives, works, or travels through the Village of Williamsville knows how terribly congested traffic on Main Street has become," Rath said.

"This is not just an issue during the morning and evening rush-hour, but throughout the day," she said. "Traveling the few blocks west from the center of the village to the I-90 or I-290 interchange can sometimes take as long as 20 minutes.

"This congestion is creating great frustration in the village and is potentially dangerous as people make reckless driving decisions in an effort to move through the traffic as quickly as possible."