Traffic signal stats don't reflect our experience

I have two comments regarding the article on Carnegie Mellon University's high-technology traffic signal timing system in East Liberty ("East Liberty Pilot Project Hailed for Cutting Travel Time, Emissions," Sept. 25). First, based on an informal and entirely unscientific survey of members of my family and neighbors in Point Breeze, the statistics listed in the article seem hard to believe.

Second, if more attention had been paid in the first place to traffic flow when the Target parcel was developed, Carnegie Mellon's project might not have been necessary. The main entrance to Target should not have been placed on Penn Circle East, and the traffic lights at the intersection of Stevenson Place and Penn Avenue and another one on Penn Avenue next to the old bus depot should never have been erected in the first place.

Also, anyone who has driven along Penn Circle South and East knows that constant lane changing requiring the skill of a NASCAR driver is necessary simply to continue in a forward direction. High-tech is great, but sometimes low-tech common sense is necessary as well.

ROBERT HOFFMAN
Point Breeze