Approach with caution: Eastbound I-40 drivers move toward the perplexing Wade Avenue split (N&O photo by Shawn Rocco).
What's wrong with this picture? Just about every driver in this photo has good ideas about why there's so much last-minute lane-changing at the I-40 fork with Wade Avenue -- and what to do about it.
Dozens of I-40 commuters have shared their insights in calls and e-mails to me, and in comments posted with the online version of today's Road Worrier column. Here are some of their solutions:
1. Crack down on conniving, unconfused drivers.
The primary cause of danger is from motorists jockeying for position and switching at the last minute. Invariably, it seems that one set of lanes is moving faster than the other, and some drivers will attempt to stay in the faster set as long as they can before switching to their intended set. - Dwayne Purper.
Sometimes, when they can't hop back over to the I-40 lane, they just stop in the Wade exit lanes until someone will let them in. - Anne Boney
2. Make the signs smarter
The DOT just needs to add the words "Cary" on the signs to let the public know ahead of time which lane to get into. (Human logic tells you to stay to the right to get to Cary when you actually need to be in the outside left lane) - Pam Cotton Payne
Simply remove the stinking I-440 logos from the Wade avenue signs. Let the locals who know the roads use Wade to get to 440 a bit quicker, and let those who don't simply continue on a mile or to on I-40 until they get to the 40-440 interchange. - Tom High
If you want to go to Raleigh, you don't want to take I-40 which is where the sign makes you think you want to go. Once a driver figures this out, then they have to make a panic move to get into the right lane (Wade ave. exit). I will bet anyone a lot of money that redoing the signs will fix the problem. - Brooks Gulledge
Wade Avenue takes you straight downtown and dumps you onto Capital Boulevard. I've never understood why they send you the long way around on I-40 if you want to go downtown. - Tom Kuzenko
If you're staying in the right lane it just needs to say Wade Avenue and Carter-Finley Stadium and RBC Center to the right lane. - Van Webb
3. Just start over
All of this confusion would be alieved if the eastbound exit on I40 was on the right instead of on the left. It is counter intuitive to ask that people stay in the in left most lanes when they intend to travel around Raleigh to the south (which is on the right). My recommendation is to re-do the intersection by re-routing the I40 South traffic to the right while allowing the Wade Avenue traffic to remain on the left lane. This would be much more intuitive. - Thomas Duke
Bruce Siceloff reports on traffic and transportation. A News & Observer reporter, editor and blogger since 1976, he took over the
Comments
Signage consistency is the problem
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 15:55 — MelodyEppsI moved down from DC and am used to having to know where I'm going and dealing with drivers who REFUSE to see you. The first several times I approached this intersection I was confused with which direction to go. Until very recently Wade Avenue is not how it is listed in google directions, etc. There is an inconsistency in signage language and language used by GPS devices and on-line directions. Additionally, the lack of common sense in determining which direction you should be heading to get to your destination is also confusing.
Wade Ave Mess
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 13:22 — tdanaherI have a suggestion for a easy fix. Just paint the center lane a solid line rather than the passing dashes further back before the exit. Or at least use a shorter dash painting to signify that the lane is becoming an exit lane. Along with the existing signs, this would give drivers an earlier warning that the entire highway is about to drastically change from 4 lanes to 2. I have seen this lane painting scheme around the DC beltline were I95 splits. A few gallons of paint would help this dangerous area for most drivers.
basic principal
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 20:53 — emcramerIt seems to me that a basic principal is that the right lane goes to the right and the left lane goes to the left. This is violated at the Wade Av exit in Raleigh and at the South Square exit in Durham