Going Green on Mast Blvd.

Want to know the secret to driving through Santee on Mast Boulevard?

If you maintain the posted speed limit of 40 miles per hour, you'll greatly increase your chances of getting green lights at most of the intersections.

This fuel efficient and time-saving option was made possible by the city's traffic engineers, who recently re-synchronized the traffic signals on Mast Boulevard for the 1.7 miles between Cuyamaca Street and Medina Avenue.

Recent traffic counts show that approximately 20,000 cars travel each day on Mast Boulevard, which has been prone to congestion during peak communter hours.

The traffic lights were synchronized to reward drivers who adhere to the speed limit during peak commuter times from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

While he can't guarantee you'll get every green light, Principal Traffic Engineer Minjie Mei said that the synchronization formula gives a statistical advantage to motorists who adhere to the speed limit.

"Your best chance of getting all the green lights is if you maintain the speed limit," said Mei, adding that he and his staff will fine-tune the traffic signals through the month of September.

In addition to saving on gas and time, the sychronized traffic lights should reduce accidents and hydrocarbon pollution, he said.

Traffic lights along major arterial streets typically are re-sychronized every three to five years to adjust for changing traffic patterns, he said.

The traffic signal along Mast were made a priority because the daily traffic count dropped by 15 percent when the State Route 52 freeway extension opened on March 19.