I just encountered and endured the longest red light wait time in Utica. You may want to steer clear of this particular intersection if you're in a hurry....at 3 am!

It didn't take me long to realize that there aren't many people out and about in Utica at 3:15 am on a weekday. So if there's no traffic, why in the world would it take me such a long time to get to work? I can't blame it on the snow anymore. I can't blame it on my car breaking down (knock on wood.) I can't even blame it on the potholes that slow me down to crawl on Genesee Street.

My friends have told me to avoid turning left on to South Genesee Street at certain hours. They've also warned me about driving on Genesee during the winter months because snow piles and off street parking can make for a rather precarious commute. My friends and I have also had conversations about the long wait times that occur at various lights around town. Up until now, I've been unable to say my piece.

Earlier this week, I finally decided to time the red light at the corner of Sunset and Burrstone in Utica using my stop watch app. I knew it was going to be a long wait, but I wanted to see just how long it actually was.

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I ended up sitting there for four and a half minutes. That may not seem like an incredibly long time, but for an impatient person like me, it seems like an eternity!  Unfortunately, this particular intersection has a sign that reads "No turn on Red." I'd be lying if told you I haven't been tempted to run it. Typically, there are no cars behind me or in front of me at that hour, and most of the time it's hard to spot another driver, period! I honor the Utica Police Department, so I reluctantly wait for the light to turn green.

This is the longest light I've had to wait at. Tell me yours.

This morning, Just Jen and I talked about Utica's one way streets and long red light wait times.

 

 

 

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