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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Northland Trailer Park resident Kim MacNearney is tired of waiting for the lights at Norseman Drive and Franklin Avenue to change. It would be one thing if the lights at that intersection were like most others in town, but they're not, she said.

A city bus waits for the lights to change at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Norseman Drive Wednesday afternoon. - Kevin Allerston/NNSL photo

She said she routinely finds herself trying to turn left toward downtown, waiting for a light that seemingly refuses to change.

"Often times you get there and you actually sit through three green lights (going the other way). Like, you watch the hand signal change to don't walk, and you wait for your light to turn, and then the hand signal changes back to walk," said MacNearney.

She said she has been noticing the issue with the lights at the intersection for about a year and she hasn't noticed similar problems at any other intersection in Yellowknife.

During the evening, the light is operated by a pressure sensor. When it detects a vehicle, the system identifies a need for a green light.

During the day, the light works on a cycle and by the pressure system. A button for pedestrians also activates the light.

"I usually just put my car in park, and get out and go press the walk button, or if there is a pedestrian going by, I will roll down my window and ask them to press the button," said MacNearney.

She said that because of the problems turning left leaving Northland, she often drives toward the other exit near the Village Reddi Mart where there is no light.

She said she has seen people who, after waiting through several light changes, hang a right and then pull a u-turn near the fire hall so they can get downtown.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said a crew from Public Works and Services checked the light Wednesday and said it is working as it is designed to.

He said the main problem is that lights at the Franklin/Norseman intersection don't automatically cycle at night, and that drivers aren't pulling up close enough at the intersection to activate the pressure sensor.

Van Tighem admits the intersection can be quirky and that it can be hard to find the sweet spot where the sensor can detect a need for a green light.

"That light works normally during the daytime and it works funny at night," he said. "I've even gotten out and hit the buttons where they exist, or asked my wife to do it. In many different cities, not just here."

However, MacNearney said she often faces problems at the intersection during the middle of the day.

"I'm not heading downtown for appointments in the middle of the night," she said.

Van Tighem said the city is looking at a pilot project to install a new camera sensor at a Yellowknife intersection, and that if it can handle Yellowknife's winter temperatures, the camera sensors could be installed at intersections around town.

"That's why we're looking at the new technology because, as you can tell, the old technology was flawed. Well, not flawed, but it wasn't perfect. We are striving for perfection," said Van Tighem.

He couldn't say exactly where or when the camera system will be installed.

MacNearney suggested if it is just an issue of people not pulling up to the right spot, a sign indicating where drivers should stop to activate the pressure sensor could improve the situation.

"It's something I will get them to look at," said Van Tighem.

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