Traffic signal

[paulthemapguy]

I usually see "left turn yield on flashing yellow/green" or left turn only signs posted to the right of the signal (if one is used at all). Though in cases where the arm extends past the farthest signal, I have seen the sign posted to the left (though I often see the sign posted to the right even when the arm extends to the left a considerable distance).

I'm not overly familiar with Illinois, but I don't seem to recall an abundance of R3-series signs on overhead mast arms in my time cruising around Street View (though IIRC, "yield on flashing yellow arrow" is used at least in St Charles).

Unfortunately, the FYA's you saw in St. Charles are a bold exception, rather than a rule.  Those FYA's are county installs and a very new thing for Kane County, the only county in the area to use them.  FYA's are never seen on a state or municipal level in northeast Illinois, unless I'm missing something.

From my time contributing to IDOT roadway plans, I recall that mast arms are manufactured at lengths that differ by two-foot increments (34', 36', 38', etc.).  I imagine that the idealized extra space of two feet is enacted to ensure a two-foot tolerance for lateral placement, of both signal heads and the signal mast itself.  Sometimes you might have to shift the foundation of the mast, about 2' in diameter IIRC, in case you dig down and encounter utilities, bedrock, shifty soil, or some other unsuitable condition for mast arm placement.  You can try, but you can't always predict what you'll strike when you dig down to try and establish a position for the mast arm.  Remember, the requirement of two extra feet is written down on paper, as in it's something that engineers plan for.  In practice, I've seen plenty of signals here in Illinois with no extra mast arm space to speak of, because adjustments to the plans were made in the field.  This might not be 100% correct, but I hope that this at least made sense.

Edit:  ALSO-- dodging suspended power lines.  That also can shift things around.

[freebrickproductions]

And if those wasn't ugly enough for you....
http://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&panoid=2vBfkrstVfMK8lU_ZFoRcQ&cbp=1%2C59.19576%2C%2C3.0%2C5.5681143&cbll=37.575326%2C-77.480413

I'm gonna say those are cool rather than ugly. Especially since they use Crouse-hinds Type-M sections! Wonder if they were originally going to have all 12 inch indications, but didn't have enough clearance to get away with it, which then makes me wonder why it was the green that was made 8 inch and not the yellow...

[jlwm]

Came across this in Canandaigua, NY on NY 332. Featuring doghouse signals with 8 in. balls and 12 in. arrows.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.8879846,-77.2815768,3a,37.5y,137h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3RE-1UZARniCHugp-38wmw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Also has a railroad crossing in the background with traffic signals instead of the usual crossing flashers.

Both are actually not uncommon in New York. Little-used crossings over major roads get signals, while I can think of a ton of 8/12 doghouses throughout the state. Want to know what's weirder? This thing.

That thing is ugly. They should hve done what NYC does and stick the arrow off to the side of the 3 8" lights

Colonie has a ton of those things. I actually lost count.

And if those wasn't ugly enough for you....
http://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&panoid=2vBfkrstVfMK8lU_ZFoRcQ&cbp=1%2C59.19576%2C%2C3.0%2C5.5681143&cbll=37.575326%2C-77.480413

That isn't ugly. THIS is ugly. When the mast arm is drooping so much that they have to replace the signal to maintain clearance. This is a City of Houston maintained signal.

Before (2010): https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7040035,-95.3958256,3a,22.1y,36.54h,87.31t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sRE24lupBwD2z1PQLYCQ_xA!2e0!5s20100301T000000!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Current: https://www.google.com/maps/@29.704032,-95.3958085,3a,21.1y,35.54h,87.5t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sf6XHRU8FnObFVAguCEtFKg!2e0!5s20140401T000000!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

[steviep24]

Are flashing green arrows legal? Check out this video at 11 seconds in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3-UugI0JoA

[roadfro]

Are flashing green arrows legal?

Not in the United States. They don't have a meaning prescribed in the MUTCD and are specifically prohibited.

[steviep24]

Are flashing green arrows legal?

Not in the United States. They don't have a meaning prescribed in the MUTCD and are specifically prohibited.

The video I posted was shot in Massachusetts I think.

[Rothman]

Could have sworn flashing green arrows were in the Massachusetts RMV manual when I was a kid.  Thought it was really weird.

[thenetwork]

- How can a fire department not know of the low clearance???

- The last guy who's truck caught fire after it was eaten by the bridge was seemed to be walking around as if this happens to him all the time.  (!?!??)

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

Found some newly installed 8 inch left turn arrows in NYC buy LaGuardia airport on streetview

94th St

https://goo.gl/maps/EK2J52kn4Uo

[Scott5114]

Those of you who don't like extra arm length past the last signal head probably hate this setup. https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2039635,-97.4201019,3a,18.9y,164.59h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGcjrq_ZOT4_ggR5VFOqRvw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[jakeroot]

Those of you who don't like extra arm length past the last signal head probably hate this setup. https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2039635,-97.4201019,3a,18.9y,164.59h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGcjrq_ZOT4_ggR5VFOqRvw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Indeed. It's painful!

Found some newly installed 8 inch left turn arrows in NYC buy LaGuardia airport on streetview

That's excellent! I love me some 8-inch arrows. I'm accustomed to seeing both new and old 8 inch arrows in Vancouver, but not the US. I know there are plenty out there, but a new 8-inch arrow? Interesting.

[SignBridge]

RestrictOnTheHanger? Hmmm.........sounds like something a LIRR conductor would announce to his engineer on Track-16 in Penn Station........

But back on topic, even in NYC which uses mostly 8-inch signals, the 8-inch arrow is unusual today. I wonder if it's something they just did real quick and sloppy to address the crisis level traffic congestion around LaGuardia Airport during the reconstruction.

[Rick1962]

Those of you who don't like extra arm length past the last signal head probably hate this setup. https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2039635,-97.4201019,3a,18.9y,164.59h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGcjrq_ZOT4_ggR5VFOqRvw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Yikes! Here's some of the crapola that's been installed in Tulsa lately:

Admiral & Memorial:  https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1607569,-95.8866269,3a,66.8y,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s1puze8Y_L3V4Jf3o4-gQAg!2e0

I-44 & Peoria:  https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0899789,-95.9756687,3a,66.8y,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sEd_-u_kcZLKccxqbxqG1MA!2e0

[SidS1045]

Could have sworn flashing green arrows were in the Massachusetts RMV manual when I was a kid.  Thought it was really weird.

I don't remember flashing green arrows, but I definitely remember flashing green balls, defined in the manual as "proceed with caution, light may turn to red-and-yellow for pedestrians to cross the roadway."  There are a few of those left, including one a few minutes' drive from my house.

[jay8g]

This is just weird. Oval backplates? Chrome mastarms? (Massive, oval) backplates on the pedestrian signals? The double red circles on the left turn signal hardly warrant a mention!

[SignBridge]

Virginia also has a lot of signal installations like those Tulsa ones that Rick1962 posted above. Looks ridiculous when the mast-arms are excessively long and not trimmed to required length. Some states just have no class.

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

RestrictOnTheHanger? Hmmm.........sounds like something a LIRR conductor would announce to his engineer on Track-16 in Penn Station........

But back on topic, even in NYC which uses mostly 8-inch signals, the 8-inch arrow is unusual today. I wonder if it's something they just did real quick and sloppy to address the crisis level traffic congestion around LaGuardia Airport during the reconstruction.

NYCDOT's signal setups, regular and temporary, seem very sloppy and inconsistent at times, but they get the job done. The intersection that is across the bridge from the one I posted is also sloppy.

Although I don't take the LIRR anymore, I remember that announcement very clearly.

[M3019C LPS20]

RestrictOnTheHanger? Hmmm.........sounds like something a LIRR conductor would announce to his engineer on Track-16 in Penn Station........

But back on topic, even in NYC which uses mostly 8-inch signals, the 8-inch arrow is unusual today. I wonder if it's something they just did real quick and sloppy to address the crisis level traffic congestion around LaGuardia Airport during the reconstruction.

If there is truck traffic in the area, then it is possible there may have been an issue with the clearance level. There is another signalized intersection in Brooklyn that has an 8" arrow (LED) in use, too. Formerly an 8-8-12 Marbelite head, the new traffic signal was installed by the DOT a couple of years ago. It is under the Gowanus Expressway before the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6760158,-74.0011188,3a,15y,71.47h,95.75t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sPVVr_Z66BYQuDeAieNmk1Q!2e0!5s20140901T000000!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

[jlwm]

This is just weird. Oval backplates? Chrome mastarms? (Massive, oval) backplates on the pedestrian signals? The double red circles on the left turn signal hardly warrant a mention!

Most of the signal installations around the Galleria in Houston have that setup. They started that around 20 years ago. The intersection of Westheimer and Post Oak has a halo like, cable supported street sign hanging over the intersection which you can see here: https://goo.gl/maps/6LDakBohC3r.

[Rick1962]

Virginia also has a lot of signal installations like those Tulsa ones that Rick1962 posted above. Looks ridiculous when the mast-arms are excessively long and not trimmed to required length. Some states just have no class.

Sad thing is, under the previous City Engineer, traffic signal installations were typically done neatly, such as this one at 41st & Yale:

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1043535,-95.9224008,3a,66.8y,89.01h,87.77t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sT50eBnnsq4Z9ZSWtu0DQGQ!2e0

Under the New Guy, however, the signal installations suck as badly as the streets.

[Aerobird]

This is just weird. Oval backplates? Chrome mastarms? (Massive, oval) backplates on the pedestrian signals? The double red circles on the left turn signal hardly warrant a mention!

It looks like somebody read an Art Deco design book and then went nuts.

That said, I actually really like the oval backplates on the traffic signals - they add a bit of class and break up the rectangles-everywhere. (On the pedestrian signals, not so much...)

[SignBridge]

They used to have round back-plates that made the traffic lights look like railroad signals on Market St. in downtown San Francisco. Don't know if they are still there.

[Big John]

^^ Yes, they are still there: https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7822701,-122.4103965,3a,75y,262.14h,99.37t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFYAdXdfQ1vm1Zwfdwz-CFw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[PurdueBill]

Those of you who don't like extra arm length past the last signal head probably hate this setup. https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2039635,-97.4201019,3a,18.9y,164.59h,93.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGcjrq_ZOT4_ggR5VFOqRvw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Yikes! Here's some of the crapola that's been installed in Tulsa lately:

Admiral & Memorial:  https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1607569,-95.8866269,3a,66.8y,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s1puze8Y_L3V4Jf3o4-gQAg!2e0

What are the upward-facing rectangular items at the end of the arms?  Could the arm be long to accommodate whatever those are?

[lordsutch]

What are the upward-facing rectangular items at the end of the arms?  Could the arm be long to accommodate whatever those are?

They're usually old signs that have been repurposed to act like a wing to better stabilize the mast arm in the wind.