I am also mixed, but I am moreso in favor of it than I am against it. For the longest of times, I was obsessed with it, and seemed to know more about it than even several users with it do. It is a convenience, that's for sure. Only thing though is the currency of the information. The traffic does take away time for other products to display, but TWC does not know how to put together flavors. I do believe people can see more of the regional maps if TWC were to realize you can't display every product on every LF.
Here's an idea of mine regarding traffic Intellistars:
:08- Front page CC (which is inexcusable to leave out on any LF)>8 city> sat/rad>almanac>air quality>daypart>2 metro forecast maps> regional forecast> 48 Hour Forecast>The Week Ahead>Traffic Overview>Incidents/Construction>Traffic Flow
:18- Front page CC>Regional CC>sat/rad>Almanac>air quality>daypart>metro forecast> 2 regional forecast maps>36 Hour Forecast>The Week Ahead>Traffic Overview
:28- Front page CC>Metro CC>sat/rad>Almanac>Air Quality>Getaway>Daypart>2 metro forecast maps>Regional Forecast>48 Hour Forecast>The Week Ahead>Traffic Overview>Incidents/Construction>Traffic Flow
:38-Front page CC>8 city> sat/rad>almanac>air quality>daypart>2 metro forecast maps> regional forecast> 48 Hour Forecast>The Week Ahead>Traffic Overview>Incidents/Construction>Traffic Flow
:48-Front page CC>Regional CC>sat/rad>Almanac>air quality>daypart>metro forecast> 2 regional forecast maps>36 Hour Forecast>The Week Ahead>Traffic Overview
:58-Front page CC>Metro CC>sat/rad>Almanac>Air Quality>Getaway>Daypart>2 metro forecast maps>Regional Forecast>48 Hour Forecast>The Week Ahead>Traffic Overview>Incidents/Construction>Traffic Flow
Notice how I took out the radar altogether. The radar takes up valuable time, and this time could be used to show the front page. The sat/rad does a fine job showing that there is no precipitation in the vicinity, and it would make the LF flow much more smoothly. Also, these flavors are assuming the absence of the weather bulletin screen and the local radar.
Come on The Weather Channel, it's not rocket science! It's not that hard to put together decent flavors that work.