Puck Traffic Light Actuation Discontinued at 13th and Grand

The Wyoming Department of Transportation advises Laramie bicyclists that the main bike route servicing the University of Wyoming campus no longer provides puck actuation to call for a green light when seeking to cross Grand Avenue at 13th Street.

Installed 18 months ago, the system marked the first time WYDOT installed roadway subsurface pucks specifically for cyclists. Observation since then indicated that the pucks are less effective than the pedestal buttons and, therefore, have been shut off, says WYDOT spokesman Ross Doman.

“The pucks, which trigger magnetically to request a green light, proved frustrating for people on bikes made of composite materials,” Doman says. “The pucks also were difficult to locate after a snowfall and they occasionally were triggered in error by parked vehicles or large trucks.”

Doman says these problems have resisted attempts to correct and “it is clear that most cyclists prefer the pedestal-style buttons. They are easily activated astride a bicycle on the right-side curb of 13th Street, both north and south of Grand Avenue.”

Cyclists are advised to use the pedestal actuators to get the lights to change. Doman says the puck decal markings will remain until warmer weather allows their removal.

This article was written by the Wyoming Department of Transportation.