Ah, SR 347. The Maricopa commute. A sore topic for many and definitely on every Maricopan mind at times at the very least. Congested, often dangerous and filled with colorful stories (often with colorful language).

Well, you know that semi-new traffic light at State Route 347 and Old Maricopa Road north of the city? Maricopa residents apparently have mixed reactions regarding that traffic light . It’s been up for a while so we’ve all used to it’s presence by now (The Arizona Department of Transportation activated the traffic signal on Aug. 15.).

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Mixed Views On SR 347-Old Maricopa Road Traffic Light

ADOT constructed new north and southbound ‘acceleration lanes’ (vroom vroom!) for the traffic entering SR 347 from Old Maricopa Road. They asked drivers to use caution and anticipate merging traffic in that area.

It was a $1.3 million intersection upgrade project, which construction crews worked on for seven months. The project was designed to “improve safety and traffic conditions for drivers” north of Maricopa, especially motorists entering SR 347 from Old Maricopa Road, ADOT said.

And some residents are grateful for the improvements.

Some find their commuting experience with this new light less stressful (LOL). The new dedicated turn arrow on Old Maricopa Road has been called “less chaotic,” also.

Now, experienced 347 commuters leave for their commute early in the morning when traffic on both roads tends to be lighter, but we all know has always been risky since many drivers tend to approach the bend like a Nascar driver. So, some may appreciate that the traffic is at a standstill when you go through the intersection now.

Some have also reported that commuting home has also been made much easier thanks to the new merge lane connecting to SR 347. The lane has dramatically cut down on wait times for drivers seeking to get onto the route. As opposed to waiting 15-20 minutes (reported by some), drivers can now pull out onto the highway and merge at a reasonable speed, which to many is as a big plus.

Some commuters remarked that before the recent light addition people had to “wait for your window of opportunity,” but it was often challenging to see around the road’s curve and gauge who was on the inside and outside lanes and how fast they were going. This posed some dangerous situations to drivers at times.

She believes this new light brought awareness, forcing drivers to acknowledge the light and slow down — ultimately making travel at the intersection safer.

I myself had own reservations about the new signal early on, thinking that it might back up traffic. I typically traverse the 347 on the weekends so I don’t see the traffic jams during work day. I can understand how other residents might see it differently but I just don’t commute during normal peak hours. I read everyone’s comments on Next Door though, colorful.

Some Residents like James Thompson do see it differently.

Thompson has lived in Maricopa for the past six years; his experience with the new light thus far hasn’t been positive.

“So far the light during my evening commute has been troublesome, and I’ve already seen a few accidents at that light,” he said.

For Thompson, that intersection has always been an issue, especially with the light at Riggs Road. In his eyes, the new signal has only complicated matters.

During peak traffic hours, he feels the light causes a “major problem,” especially for those traveling south. Much of this stems from the fact that traffic backs up to I-10, he said, and the light’s timing tends to be “sporadic.”

And the addition of more traffic signals is far from the solution, he said.

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As Maricopa continues to grow, the city has seen an influx of commuters in the area, adding strain to a major thoroughfare that has already been taxed for years by an overflow of morning and evening commuters. More lights, said Thompson, wouldn’t regulate traffic flow effectively.

Instead, he feels one solution might be to create another paved entry into Maricopa such as an access road from Casa Blanca Road to the east side of Maricopa.

But with funding for new roadway projects frequently in scarce supply, it’s unclear how long it might be before the community sees planes for new paved entry into the city. For now, commuters like Thompson and Loveland will likely have to make the most of the improvements to the interchange.