The greens are too short. The reds are too long. Drivers say Berks County's busiest intersection has suddenly gotten worse.

City and PennDOT officials have been doing a little tinkering with the timing of the lights at Lancaster Avenue and Route 10, including a change Wednesday.

"It's a very busy intersection" said city resident Bill Hartline.

Where Business 222, 422 and Route 10 meet, drivers already expect to wait. But some say recently the wait has gotten worse.

"Traffic is heavier during the day and backed up further it seems," said Craig Laudenslager, who owns the nearby Rainbow Cleaning System Company.

Some idling drivers blame the newly built Reading Fire Station at the corner.

"I thought it was a little odd to have a fire company right there," Shillington resident Tim Lerch said.

Reading's Director of Public Works Charlie Jones said the signals were tweaked because of the new station.

"There was work that the fire station had to do on the signal," he said.

But Jones said that simply shed light on a bigger problem with the lights.

"When workers were installing the new emergency signal for the fire house two weeks ago, they noticed the existing signals weren't working according to their permits."

Jones said the signals had not been working properly for at least a few years. The lights at the ends of the ramps from 422 get the priority and should turn green when traffic gets close to backing up onto the bypass.

"That would be extremely dangerous because it's in the passing lane," Jones said.

So, an adjustment was made that let more cars off the ramps more often, but that stopped traffic on Lancaster Avenue and Route 10 more often too.

Wednesday, another adjustment was made to try to even out the stopping and going in all directions.

"And if that doesn't work," Jones said, "we'll work with PennDOT and see if there's something else we can modify.

Jones said there will be occasional delays when the fire trucks have to leave the station on a call. The new emergency signal in front of the firehouse is designed to stop traffic for 30 seconds. Officials say that's not enough time to add to the congestion at the intersection.

If you'd like to weigh in with any comments about the traffic at the intersection, you can leave a message for 69 News at (610) 871-0074.