This is not a new idea

It's just sad that the economy has to get this bad before Boston "thinks of" this. Other parts of the country synchronized their lights several years ago! 

Boston drivers waste hundreds of thousands of hours stuck at traffic lights -- and hundreds of thousands of gallons of precious gasoline as their cars idle. Now the city says it's moving to adjust the lights -- saving people's time and the planet at the same time.

"We’re always looking at ways in which we can lower our emissions and be smarter about moving traffic," Thomas J. Tinlin, the city transportation commissioner, said.

Timing adjustments to the lights at 60 intersections in the Back Bay this summer have sharply reduced traffic delays, city officials said today. 

The officials estimated that, on an annual basis, the adjustments will save 135,000 hours of people's time and 125,000 gallons of gasoline, while eliminating 9.5 tons of carbon monoxide emissions.