Meet the German traffic light stuck on red for three decades
File photo.
Digital Reporter
Thursday, June 18, 2015, 3:41 AM -
If you ever find yourself at an intersection that crosses Gerokstraße and Güntzstraße in Dresden, Germany, you'll hit a red light. While you can turn right onto Güntzustraße at any time, you won't be so lucky if you try to drive in any other direction.
That's because the traffic light, which stands at the intersection of four separate streets, is red, and it's been that way for nearly 30 years.
Officials say it isn't a technical error. In fact, they're well aware of the light and have no plans to fix it. The Local says the cost of maintaining the light since its installation in 1987 totals about €150,000 -- that's approximately $290,000 CAD.
It all boils down to bureaucracy, and it's a bit complicated.
"The administrative regulation as set out in section 37 paragraph 2 of the of the transportation regulations alludes to the need for an exact plan for traffic light signals,” a Dresden spokesperson told The Local.
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“Because the green light means ‘transport is free to go’ all the other lights in conflict to this one must show red ... The red light instructs: stop at the intersection. After stopping one is also allowed to turn right if there is a sign to the right of the traffic light that shows a green arrow on a black background. Because on Ziegelstraße one is only allowed to turn right, in accordance with regulation 27 section 37 of the transport regulations, we can do without using the traffic signal’s green light."
The spokesperson added it is not possible to take down the light and replace it with a more cost-effective sign.
“Stop signs do not correspond to traffic light systems and do not fulfill the same set of regulations,” The Local was told.
That's all well and good, but the Berliner Zeitung points out an even stranger fact.
Apparently, the annual maintenance for the light covers the cost not just red replacement bulbs, but amber and green ones as well.
Sources: The Local | The Berliner Zeitung
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