I recently became fascinated with the phenomenon of “private” traffic signals, which are electric traffic control lights which serve only one user at a busy or dangerous intersection. The first one is where West Pine Boulevard sweeps around and terminates at Lindell Boulevard after coming out of Forest Park. The traffic light usually only serves northbound, westbound and eastbound traffic, but it also can serve someone going southbound out of a driveway of what was once the property of the now-demolished Charles S. Hill mansion.

The other instance is way out in Chesterfield, at the reengineered intersection of Long, Kehr’s Mill and Wild Horse Creek roads. It’s a really long story, but the intersection used to look totally different, with Kehr’s Mill ending at Wild Horse Creek, and then Long intersecting nearby. They redid the whole area, with a new bridge, and the traffic now moves more smoothly. But it left one person’s house with no easy way to get out onto the busy thoroughfare, so now there’s a private traffic signal (and huge retaining wall protecting their driveway), allowing them to get out onto Wild Horse Creek Road.

Do you know of any other places where this happens? I find it interesting.