Non-Standard Traffic Signal Colors

[Ian]

Up until just a few years ago, the city of Washington, DC used traffic signals that were a battleship grey color (example). This got me thinking, where else in the country are there traffic signals that aren't the standard MUTCD approved signal colors of yellow, black, and dark green?

In my travels to California last summer, I noticed there were several municipalities which had odd colors to them. The first example I noticed were in Newport Center in Newport Beach, where the signals were painted white...



Another example was along Azusa Avenue (CA 39) in Covina, where the signals were painted the standard black on the fronts, but the backs were painted a light blue color...



One last example that I saw, but didn't get photos of, were some signals in Daly City, near San Francisco. These signals were similar to the ones in Covina, except the backs were painted a straight blue rather than a lighter blue (an example on Google Street View). So, any other examples of abnormal traffic signal colors?

[jakeroot]

Areas outside of Victoria BC have both blue and wine-ish paintjobs ... nothing was left untouched:

[freebrickproductions]

Isn't there a city in Ohio that used blue signals (for the backs, at least)? Also, there's a signal here in Huntsville that has the back painted grey.

[Brian556]

Purple signal poles on US 192 Kissimmee Florida area near Walt Disney World

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.333032,-81.4797355,3a,75y,286.39h,87.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smcBgoX_UaiYqjw9I3CKRHw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Farmers Branch Texas-white:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.9237121,-96.8977121,3a,75y,248.44h,89.33t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sBbrOus-bRdZDPr4E9OEwIA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DBbrOus-bRdZDPr4E9OEwIA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D71.13437%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

[PHLBOS]

In the immediate Boston area; there are still some signals painted in battleship grey (these were originally green w/black visors) remaining along most DCR (formerly MDC) roadways.

MA 145 along the Revere Beach Parkway at the Ocean Ave. intersection

[Pink Jazz]

In Northern Virginia many signal housings at fire stations used to be painted red.  These have mostly been phased out.

[index]

The US 17 Business drawbridge over the Dismal Swamp Canal in South Mills, NC has a signal painted a somewhat reflective silver color. The center light where yellow should be is green for some reason... As jeffandnicole pointed out, there should also be two signals.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.4458094,-76.327456,3a,75y,90.13h,73.61t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxzCU5M87CIvYXQ1Za6HqJw!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

edit:     https://www.google.com/maps/@36.445995,-76.3269498,3a,75y,276.37h,83.56t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sEVsrUIKiYky0qeoTrf5Nhw!2e0!5s20071101T000000!7i3328!8i1664!6m1!1e1

Very unusual signal.. The individual lights are spaced out, the center light is green like the other one, and it too has a shiny silver housing. The green light also appears smaller. There's a yellow object on top I can't exactly identify. What's going on here?

[jeffandnicole]

There's a drawbridge in northeastern NC that has a signal painted a somewhat reflective silver color. The drawbridge serves a canal. It's located on US 17 BUS in South Mills, NC. The center light where yellow should be is green for some reason...

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.4458094,-76.327456,3a,75y,90.13h,73.61t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxzCU5M87CIvYXQ1Za6HqJw!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

I have more of a concern over the non-standard (and prohibited) placement of that green light than I do with the color of the signal housing!  There should be a second signal as well, rather than just the one with (what I'm assuming) two red lights.

[lepidopteran]

In Northern Virginia many signal housings at fire stations used to be painted red.  These have mostly been phased out.

There was a setup like this on Route 28 between Centreville and Manassas.  However, these were single sections on a span wire.  There were 12" lenses facing the main road (Econolite bullseyes in fact), and 8" lenses facing the driveway.  They were dark when not in use, but I assume the main road lit red on an emergency run, and the side signals were green or flashing yellow.  Anyone know for sure?  This station has since been relocated, and now uses the conventional R-Y-FY on the main road.

There used to be an all-silver unit in the middle of town in Ellenville, NY.

I admit that when I saw this thread title, I thought it meant non-standard colors of the lenses, rather than the casings.  I remember as a small child telling an adult that traffic lights were yellow, green, and black.  Of course, they were like, no... traffic lights are red, yellow, and green.  I finally clarified that I meant the steel part  .

[busman_49]

Isn't there a city in Ohio that used blue signals (for the backs, at least)? Also, there's a signal here in Huntsville that has the back painted grey.

Not so much a city, but the Easton area in Columbus, Ohio, uses signals with yellow doors & visors and blue bodies.  They actually look quite nice!

[Rothman]

Isn't there a city in Ohio that used blue signals (for the backs, at least)? Also, there's a signal here in Huntsville that has the back painted grey.

Not so much a city, but the Easton area in Columbus, Ohio, uses signals with yellow doors & visors and blue bodies.  They actually look quite nice!

Almost everything is painted blue in that area.  Is there a reason why, like a local school's colors or something?

[freebrickproductions]

Isn't there a city in Ohio that used blue signals (for the backs, at least)? Also, there's a signal here in Huntsville that has the back painted grey.

Not so much a city, but the Easton area in Columbus, Ohio, uses signals with yellow doors & visors and blue bodies.  They actually look quite nice!

That's what I was thinking of. Thanks!

[SignBridge]

Back to the original poster, re: the MUTCD and signal head colors. Someone recently pointed out to me that the 2003 and 2009 Federal Manuals no longer address the issue of signal head color at all. So any color is apparently permitted. The last Manual that did address this issue was the 1988 edition which recommended yellow only.

Were you maybe referring to a State Manual that allows various colors? I'm told that New York's Supplement allows yellow or dark green only.

[cl94]

I'm told that New York's Supplement allows yellow or dark green only.

Correct.

As far as Easton, everything in the area is blue, including sign gantries and guiderails. All signs have a blue outline and backing and concrete piers along I-270 are painted blue. I'm assuming the developer paid for it all.

[dfnva]

In Northern Virginia many signal housings at fire stations used to be painted red.  These have mostly been phased out.

There was a setup like this on Route 28 between Centreville and Manassas.  However, these were single sections on a span wire.  There were 12" lenses facing the main road (Econolite bullseyes in fact), and 8" lenses facing the driveway.  They were dark when not in use, but I assume the main road lit red on an emergency run, and the side signals were green or flashing yellow.  Anyone know for sure?  This station has since been relocated, and now uses the conventional R-Y-FY on the main road.

There used to be an all-silver unit in the middle of town in Ellenville, NY.

I admit that when I saw this thread title, I thought it meant non-standard colors of the lenses, rather than the casings.  I remember as a small child telling an adult that traffic lights were yellow, green, and black.  Of course, they were like, no... traffic lights are red, yellow, and green.  I finally clarified that I meant the steel part  .

There's an exact signal assembly like the one you're talking about in Yorkshire, VA on US 1 near Alexandria (Hybla Valley Area): https://goo.gl/maps/Ws6VJdgMLiu

This is the only red-painted traffic signal I can think of that's still in operation in Northern Virginia and uses single lights instead of R-Y-FY. The McCains replaced older signals. I want to say they were either Econolites or Marbelites. Other Red-painted traffic signals used to be operation elsewhere in Northern Virginia at firehouses. One example I remember was on US 50/29 (Lee Hwy) at Plantation Parkway in Fairfax City but that signal has been gone at least 20 years or so.

Red-painted Signals are still installed elsewhere in Virginia. This one was installed with road widening project not too many years ago on US-250 outside of Richmond: https://goo.gl/maps/v8xjG7GncPE2

California apparently likes Blue-painted signals. San Diego has some.

[freebrickproductions]

I remember when I went up to Alaska 10 years ago, at the end of the cruise we stayed in Vancouver for a little while. I remember that in the Chinatown there, they had signals painted red, such as these ones:
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2785478,-123.0998623,3a,15y,224.1h,92.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7vnp0X2WCg5TpGNUUQW4Ag!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2787115,-123.0998552,3a,15y,247.9h,94.01t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sN4aAqf41Rh6tCzPEjsiuog!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2793545,-123.0998266,3a,15y,84.5h,94.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYIi-OE8tSw6KazWH6k_0Fw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2803482,-123.0999063,3a,46.3y,214.56h,101.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scuAHmp9aKT_dUP8386vjvQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2803984,-123.099588,3a,15y,46.79h,93.37t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_6UopI_nV4XCEofHqymUyw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2803581,-123.0974768,3a,15y,3.44h,95.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sItplM_sAeoiKr5XBGOic6g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2803552,-123.0974003,3a,15y,218.28h,92.59t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5tJNwZTJHnrWW8-k9kdavA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Sadly, it seems that they've mostly been replaced with black and/or yellow signals over the years.