Has the flashing yellow left turn signal made it to your state?

[Revive 755]

Utah has installed its first FYA for right turns.

[freebrickproductions]

Huntsville, AL also installed a FYA right-turn signal a little while back. Currently the first one in the state as far as I'm aware.

[silverback1065]

these are now all over indiana, and now people here are confused as to what they mean: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/witnesses-confusion-over-new-traffic-signal-caused-fatal-crash 

Sad that someone died in this case, but I don't get how they can be that confusing with the explanation sign right next to it. 

[mrsman]

Utah has installed its first FYA for right turns.

I looked at this, and it seems to be a replacement for a Yield sign on a right turn.  It can be useful for many places where there is a channelized right turn into heavy traffic, a green arrow will let you know that it is protected (because the other cars and pedestrians see a red light) and a yellow flash is treated  as yield.

Does this light ever turn red?

Please correct me if I'm wrong on the meaning of traffic lights:

Flashing red and flashing red arrow are equivalent to stop signs
Flashing yellow arrow is equivalent to a yield sign for turning traffic
Flashing yellow ball lets you know that  cross-traffic has flashing red, but your direction has normal right of way

Do flashing green have any meaning in the US?

Is there a signal indication equivalent to yield for straight non-turning traffic?

[jeffandnicole]

Do flashing green have any meaning in the US?

Delaware had a flashing green at some intersections. The cross street had flashing red.  Motorists could cross on the flashing red, but if a car remained stopped for too long (say, more than a minute), the light was stop flashing and revert to normal mode, and cycle normally.  After the light cycled, it reverted back to flashing red/green.

I don't believe they exist any more in Delaware.

[freebrickproductions]

The MUTCD outlawed flashing green indications.

[Atomica]

Yes, and I have seen them throughout Kansas and Missouri.  I think they might even be in Nebraska now.

[roadfro]

Please correct me if I'm wrong on the meaning of traffic lights:

Flashing red and flashing red arrow are equivalent to stop signs
Flashing yellow arrow is equivalent to a yield sign for turning traffic
Flashing yellow ball lets you know that  cross-traffic has flashing red, but your direction has normal right of way

Do flashing green have any meaning in the US?

Is there a signal indication equivalent to yield for straight non-turning traffic?

Flashing circular yellow means ok to proceed with caution. When an intersection is in red/yellow flash mode, the direction with the flashing yellow typically indicates the street with the nominal right of way. The presence of flashing yellow doesn't necessarily automatically imply the presence of a flashing red, as it can be used in other applications that don't include intersections (as in older crosswalk or emergency signals that used a flashing yellow instead of steady green).

Flashing green has no meaning, and is not allowed per MUTCD.

[PurdueBill]

With only three colors and two modes (steady and flashing), it's unfortunate that one is wasted with flashing green not allowed.  It's still around in Massachusetts, albeit on its way out, but for a situation where cross-traffic has flashing red, the flashing green would have made a lot of sense. 

[Atomica]

With only three colors and two modes (steady and flashing), it's unfortunate that one is wasted with flashing green not allowed.  It's still around in Massachusetts, albeit on its way out, but for a situation where cross-traffic has flashing red, the flashing green would have made a lot of sense.

Flashing green could be used for evacuation routes, as from hurricanes, tornado disaster zones, and earthquake disaster zones, as an emergency evacuation, that the driver need not stop.

[ET21]

Saw it in Peoria, IL and along US 24 just this past Tuesday

[Brandon]

Saw it in Peoria, IL and along US 24 just this past Tuesday

IDOT District 4 seems to be an extensive user of them.  I've seen a few in District 6 (Springfield), but none in 1, 2, or 3.

[ET21]

Saw it in Peoria, IL and along US 24 just this past Tuesday

IDOT District 4 seems to be an extensive user of them.  I've seen a few in District 6 (Springfield), but none in 1, 2, or 3.

It will be interesting to see if 1-3 decides to incorporate them soon. I thought it be included with all the signal improvements seen over the past 3 years around the area

[Revive 755]

^ From what I have heard District 1 will not be adopting them until they are completely mandated either by a future version of the MUTCD or a higher IDOT level in Springfield.  However, I would not be surprised to see a few local agencies use them selectively after Kane County gets a few up on Randall Road and whatever road they decide to use them on next.

As for the rest of Illinois, rumor has it one of the districts bordering District 4 (besides District 6) will be the next to try them.

[HTM Duke]

There's only two FYA's installed by VDOT in Fairfax County that I know of:
Northbound Backlick Rd at Barta Rd
Eastbound Braddock Rd at Ravensworth Rd

The second one is more interesting, since it is the only FYA that I've seen to operate in both permissive and protected modes depending on the time of day.

As an honorary runner-up, here are what I believe are the first set of FRA's in Northern Virginia:
I-495 north exit to Gallows Rd southbound

[Big John]

^^ The first one looks odd as the FYA is in the bottom of 4 sections instead of the 3rd section.

[uknowbeers]

There's only two FYA's installed by VDOT in Fairfax County that I know of:
Northbound Backlick Rd at Barta Rd
Eastbound Braddock Rd at Ravensworth Rd

The second one is more interesting, since it is the only FYA that I've seen to operate in both permissive and protected modes depending on the time of day.

As an honorary runner-up, here are what I believe are the first set of FRA's in Northern Virginia:
I-495 north exit to Gallows Rd southbound

Typical VDOT confusion. The Barta Road one was protected-only and is now protected-permissive, so that's an upgrade. But the FYA is in the wrong position, as Big John pointed out.

The Braddock/Ravensworth Rd. used to have a doghouse, but now will operate in protected-only mode for certain parts of the day. For a peak commuter, that's a downgrade for traffic flow.

Re: the FRA's, why? For a right turn, wouldn't a solid red ball make more sense? What are they trying to communicate with the FRA?

As a sidenote, when this overpass was being rebuilt 5(?) years ago, VDOT once put a protected-only left for eastbound gallows to NB I-495; the traffic backed up so far on the bridge that within a couple weeks VDOT changed it to a Doghouse (which is still what it has).

[HTM Duke]

The Braddock/Ravensworth Rd. used to have a doghouse, but now will operate in protected-only mode for certain parts of the day. For a peak commuter, that's a downgrade for traffic flow.

Last I checked, protected-only turns only happen during the PM rush, when the majority of traffic is heading west.  Given that I've seen some dangerous stunts pulled by drivers to make the left on the green ball during said rush before the signal switch, I'm okay with this.

On a tangent, there once was a line item on VDOT's six year plan to build a second left turn lane to Ravensworth Rd, which would have created a protected-only situation anyways.

Re: the FRA's, why? For a right turn, wouldn't a solid red ball make more sense? What are they trying to communicate with the FRA?

Per a VDOT press release I found, there was originally a single signal with a steady red arrow before, where one could not turn on red.  VDOT changed it to permit turns on red and to make it more visible, but I don't see traffic making that turn often enough to say if it works.  As for the red ball... I'll just say that a lot of drivers in NOVA will just blow through a right on red ball if possible.

[Brandon]

^ From what I have heard District 1 will not be adopting them until they are completely mandated either by a future version of the MUTCD or a higher IDOT level in Springfield.  However, I would not be surprised to see a few local agencies use them selectively after Kane County gets a few up on Randall Road and whatever road they decide to use them on next.

As for the rest of Illinois, rumor has it one of the districts bordering District 4 (besides District 6) will be the next to try them.

District 6 (Springfield) has a few that I've seen.  Much agreed on the rumor regarding District 1's (Schaumburg) lack of acceptance of them.  I think Hell will freeze over before CDOT adopts them as well.

[Revive 755]

Per the preliminary plans Kane County, IL has posted for the first section of Longmeadow Parkway, it appears they will be using FYA's on this project as well:  Link (see Sheets 99 and 101).

(If that link does work, try the long way via here (first entry under "Other Documents")

[AMLNet49]

Massachusetts uses flashing green balls for a situation where there is a crosswalk.  The cross-street associated with the crosswalk has a flashing red ball. If a button is pushed on the crosswalk by a pedestrian, the flashing green on the main road turns to solid yellow and then red, while the cross-street gets a solid green. After a minute, the lights reset to flashing signals.

[Revive 755]

An article in the Rockford newspaper indicates that there is a senator pushing to have a few protected only left turns switched over to using flashing yellow arrows.

[iBallasticwolf2]

I haven't seen any of those in KY or OH yet. That will be interesting to see that. Is it possible it could help congestion or safety at some diamond interchanges? I could see it being installed at the I-75/I-71 and KY 1072 interchange which should actually be an SPUI.

[cl94]

Ohio has had some for a while per previous posts. Think there's one in Dayton.

[Brandon]

An article in the Rockford newspaper indicates that there is a senator pushing to have a few protected only left turns switched over to using flashing yellow arrows.

Good.  Those "Left Turn On Green Arrow Only" things are ridiculous.  It's perfectly clear, and we have to wait for the green arrow to cycle through!?!