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Traffic light timings are based on several things:
1. Width of the road
2. Speed limit
3. Average traffic count
Michigan's standards are similar to what is posted above. The new standards also include what is called and "all red" for safety. Currently most lights are set up so that one side goes to red and the other side goes to green at the same time. This contributes to accidents when the person trying to beat the light may still be in the intersection when the other direction turns green. Now they want to have both directions at red for at least two seconds to give the intersection time to clear.
As to the original post, however, you said the light was yellow for about 3 seconds. You also indicated it was 35MPH zone. I'm afraid my research shows that to be pretty normal, at least for Michigan. I would guess that most states are pretty similar.
My information come directly from the traffic engineer for the City of Flint (I had to fix his PC this morning). The city sets all of it's lights to MDOT standards.
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