Does Mansfield Have Too Many Red Lights?

If you’re frustrated with the red light situation in Mansfield, you are in good company.

While stop lights are one of the necessary evils of commuting, they don’t guarantee safety for pedestrians or cooperation from drivers.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, red-light running is the number one cause of urban crashes. Furthermore in 2013, approximately 127,000 people were injured in red-light related accidents.

In August 2015, the National Coalition for Safer Roads released an interactive safety map that would allow users to see the number of red-light running deaths in their area as part of the group’s ‘Stop on Red’ initiative.

At Patch, we appreciate that our readers and motorists know the stop lights in Mansfield best. We asked you on Facebook how you felt about the red lights in our area. Could Mansfield use more red lights? Are there too many? What intersections need a stop light, or should get rid of one?

Here’s what readers said on social media:

• "The second light past the Xfinity center where you can get on 495N is useless. If you're heading straight towards Main Street, there is no intersecting road and therefore no reason to ever stop. It should always stay green for those lanes going straight!"

• "Many of the lights do need to be shorter and timed better along with more flashing yellow/red at night, but adding lights and 4-way stops at busy or tricky intersections will reduce some of the accidents."

• "Way too many. Worse yet, some of the light cycles are horrid. Ever try going north on 140 and take a left on Norfolk by Home Depot? If you get stuck at that light you might as well order a pizza. During non-peak hours that should be a flashing yellow. Get rid of as many as you can, stop signs as well."

• "Red light should be added at the 4-way intersection of Tremont, West Street and Grove Street in West Mansfield. Right now its blinking yellow and red but I've seen far too many accidents there. Very dangerous with little visibility for those going Grove to Tremont or vice versa."

• "Not enough ,and we definitely also need more 4-way stop signs at a few intersections."

• "106 & Franklin Street. There is a left arrow to turn into Franklin. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't and when it does it is after the green for straight unlike every other green arrow in the state."

Is there red light in Mansfield you can’t stand? Is there an intersection that could desperately use a red light? Let us know on Facebook.