Merry Lane goes green when there's no traffic

Why does the traffic light at Merry Lane and Circle change when there are no people and no cars? This is a small, two-lane side street feeding into a busy four-lane street during morning rush hour.
- Tim and Jeannie O’Donnell

Several other readers e-mailed about this traffic light. City traffic engineer Rob Helt said they checked the video detection for this intersection and downloaded the logs. “We’re not seeing the problem people are describing,” Helt said. If readers continue to see that the light on Merry Lane is changing to green when no vehicles are present, call Helt with the specifics, 385-5908.

Jim Gafney, who's "just passing through Ft. Carson," e-mailed from his BlackBerry: "I bet what people see happens after someone makes a right on red. I am not from here and don't know the intersection, but if someone pulls up and activates the magnetic field under the pavement, then they turn right, that would leave the next driver to see the light change with no one there."