Saturday, May 16, 2015
The "First" Traffic Light in Europe
The first traffic light in Europe was supposedly located at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany. However, the there are other speculations that Berlin is not the home of the first traffic light in Europe. This being said, a replica of this traffic light sits in Potsdamer Platz in modern Berlin. Below is 2 pictures of the replicated traffic light which still functions today.
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6 comments:
Have any of you wondered why the light sits on the sidewalk ? It used to be located in the centre of the intersection of Potsdamer Platz as you can see in older pictures. Any thoughts?
I did wonder why the light sits on the sidewalk. It is so far away from where the cars stop that I wonder if I would actually notice the light while driving! I think that where it is placed now may have been its original spot, but that is just a guess!
I think that the light is placed on the sidewalk so that it is easier for people to view. If the light were still used as part of the other traffic lights it would cause some chaos because people would want to take a closer look at it and possibly cause traffic in the process. The light is clearly a tourist attraction as I have seen posters advertising the light around the city.
From what I've read the light was moved while adding a new line to the S-Bahn, but this is merely wikipedia information so take it as you will.
The light was certainly moved. It wouldn't make any sense to have it still in the centre of the street especially with the traffic that is in the square.
Having said that, Potzdamerplatz used to be quite different so there is a chance that the traffic light is still in its rightful spot, just the streets were slightly moved over time.
Vince is right. The intersection is not quite were it used to be. Remember, West Berlin changed the streets when it built the Cultural Forum next to Potsdamer Platz. But my guess is, the light was also moved a bit so it won't interfere with the traffic in its current location. So, Wikipedia might actually be correct as well.
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