Here in Albury, it is referred to as "the city of traffic lights", as they are everywhere now, with multi turn facilities, ie., turn right, left, straight ahead, etc.
When the Freeway was completed here, (bypass), the authorities seemed to make it more difficult and controlled within the CBD, even though we were 90% less trucks in the city and probably about 20% less traffic overall. Where there were a couple of slip ways where you didn't have to stop at traffic lights, the RTA at the time, or Council, blocked them to make traffic use the traffic lights.
Also, Council has closed some access to streets where motorists could avoid school zones, lights and congestion, by using side/back streets. The RTA referred to them as "rat runs", although the real rat runs are where everyone are forced to go, ... through the traffic lights and school zones.
A lot of the traffic lights here in Albury are badly adjusted as far as timings go, ... too much unnecessary time and fuel wasted at useless traffic lights.
