Traffic signal

[Big John]

^^ That is not exactly true as it says "should" rather than "shall"

2009 MUTCD 4D.12

Guidance:
18 If the posted or statutory speed limit or the 85th-percentile speed on an approach to a signalized location is 45 mph or higher, signal backplates should be used on all of the signal faces that face the approach. Signal backplates should also be considered for use on signal faces on approaches with posted or statutory speed limits or 85th-percentile speeds of less than 45 mph where sun glare, bright sky, and/or complex or confusing backgrounds indicate a need for enhanced signal face target value.

[cl94]

As far as dark green vs yellow, the New York supplement includes this paragraph:

Section 4D.12 Visibility, Aiming, and Shielding of Signal Faces

Standard:
19A Signal heads shall be dark green or yellow.

Support:
19B Visibility of signal indications, particularly red indications, is usually more important than visibility of the signal heads themselves. Green signal heads offer greater contrast to the signal indications. Yellow signal heads have application where contrast with the background is considered more important than contrast with the signal indications.

[Mdcastle]

Taking this thread in a somewhat different direction, does anyone know of any intersections that have any of the following items:

1) Pedestrian signals with an animated eyes display?

2) Unusual/uncommon cluster arrangements, such as:

       (<R)(R>)                                  (<R)(R>)                             (R)
            (Y)                       or                 (Y)              or                (Y)   
       (<G)(G>)                                      (G)                          (<G)(^G)(G>)

Standard Doghouse but unusual indications
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA4j7cxx3fI

[jakeroot]

Standard Doghouse but unusual indications
[youtube video]

Great clip! What a strange setup. How long has the signal been setup this way? Seems awfully redundant.

[SignBridge]

RestrictOnTheHanger, re: those two photos you posted (a few posts back) from NY-25. In the first one in Commack, where you say the heads are black, they look distinctly dark green to me in the photo, just like the ones in your other photo at Rts. 25A/107. Can't tell for sure about the second photo in Woodbury. And BTW, (not being sarcastic here) I have been recently tested for color-blindness with no deficiencies found.

Also are you guys sure you're talking about the head color and not the backplates?

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

RestrictOnTheHanger, re: those two photos you posted (a few posts back) from NY-25. In the first one in Commack, where you say the heads are black, they look distinctly dark green to me in the photo, just like the ones in your other photo at Rts. 25A/107. Can't tell for sure about the second photo in Woodbury. And BTW, (not being sarcastic here) I have been recently tested for color-blindness with no deficiencies found.

Also are you guys sure you're talking about the head color and not the backplates?

Hmm, next time I drive into Nassau or Suffolk I'll have a second look at the NYSDOT setups. Its been a few months.

Standard Doghouse but unusual indications
[youtube video]

Great clip! What a strange setup. How long has the signal been setup this way? Seems awfully redundant.

I wonder if the extra arrows were circular at one point? I agree with Jakeroot,  very strange

[Mdcastle]

This was an installation on a temporary bypass when the wye at County 61 and 101 (old US 169 and 212) was replaced with a roundabout. 

[steviep24]

About NYSDOT's traffic signal color from a few posts back.

I took a closer look at the color of signal heads today on newer signals (being a nice clear day) and they are more of a dark olive color rather than black. Many older signals are dark green/hunter green.

In Rochester, NY most of the signals owned by Monroe County are yellow and are otherwise installed to NYSDOT standards.

[jay8g]

These traffic signal poles and several street light poles in the area seem to have been intentionally installed at a serious angle. The signs and side-mounted signals have actually been installed specifically to counter the angle, which is what makes me think it is actually intentional. I'm not sure what effect they were going for here... but it definitely bothers me.

[plain]

These traffic signal poles and several street light poles in the area seem to have been intentionally installed at a serious angle. The signs and side-mounted signals have actually been installed specifically to counter the angle, which is what makes me think it is actually intentional. I'm not sure what effect they were going for here... but it definitely bothers me.

That is definitely intentional. I guess I'm not mad at the design really but at the intersection in your first example that one mast arm over the wider street seems to be low and too close to the edge of the street. Idk it just seems like a rig could hit it if any ever go down that street. That could've been installed a bit further away from it

[jakeroot]

Was browsing around Street View in the Phoenix area, when I came upon this mast arm near Sky Harbor airport....



It appears to be modelled after those extendable monopods that you might use for a camera (as opposed to a tripod). I doubt it actually extends in a similar manner, but it got me thinking. Are there any mast arms that actually work in this manner (i.e. they extend like a monopod)? Has anyone else seen a mast arm designed like this before? I've posted before (in this thread about four pages back) about mast arms that are way too long relative to the signals mounted to them. This has always been a pet peeve of mine (I'm sure I possess a mild form of OCD), so I love to see mast arms like this, where the intent was clearly to end the mast arm at the farthest signal.

[freebrickproductions]

Probably not quite what you had in mind, but I do know some crossing signal cantilevers were designed to be extendable:
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Georgia/Atlanta/Constitution/
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Georgia/Lindale/Park/
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/Decatur/Moulton/
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/Verbena/Depot/
http://www.rxrsignals.com/Alabama/Scottsboro/Willow/

[Revive 755]

Was browsing around Street View in the Phoenix area, when I came upon this mast arm near Sky Harbor airport....



It appears to be modelled after those extendable monopods that you might use for a camera (as opposed to a tripod). I doubt it actually extends in a similar manner, but it got me thinking. Are there any mast arms that actually work in this manner (i.e. they extend like a monopod)? Has anyone else seen a mast arm designed like this before? I've posted before (in this thread about four pages back) about mast arms that are way too long relative to the signals mounted to them. This has always been a pet peeve of mine (I'm sure I possess a mild form of OCD), so I love to see mast arms like this, where the intent was clearly to end the mast arm at the farthest signal.

It could just be a two piece mast arm.  IIRC some states do allow those, but have requirements for a minimum length of overlap between the two pieces.  I don't know though whether as part of the process the two parts are permanently welded together or permanently attached in some other manner.

[paulthemapguy]

Was browsing around Street View in the Phoenix area, when I came upon this mast arm near Sky Harbor airport....



It appears to be modelled after those extendable monopods that you might use for a camera (as opposed to a tripod). I doubt it actually extends in a similar manner, but it got me thinking. Are there any mast arms that actually work in this manner (i.e. they extend like a monopod)? Has anyone else seen a mast arm designed like this before? I've posted before (in this thread about four pages back) about mast arms that are way too long relative to the signals mounted to them. This has always been a pet peeve of mine (I'm sure I possess a mild form of OCD), so I love to see mast arms like this, where the intent was clearly to end the mast arm at the farthest signal.

It could just be a two piece mast arm.  IIRC some states do allow those, but have requirements for a minimum length of overlap between the two pieces.  I don't know though whether as part of the process the two parts are permanently welded together or permanently attached in some other manner.

If this is near an airport, they may have had to modify a typical model to shorten the height of the street lamp, with planes flying overhead and whatnot.

[ajlynch91]

One of the more unique traffic signals in the Chicagoland area is at Naper Blvd and Plank Rd in Naperville. The standard heads have two reds. This was apparently done to improve visibility as both the North and South approaches to the intersection curve, leading to a number of accidents before the signals were installed. As to how much they've helped, I cannot say for sure as I don't work for Naperville, but they are certainly much more attention grabbing than a traditional 3 section head.

[kphoger]

One of the more unique traffic signals in the Chicagoland area is at Naper Blvd and Plank Rd in Naperville. The standard heads have two reds. This was apparently done to improve visibility as both the North and South approaches to the intersection curve, leading to a number of accidents before the signals were installed. As to how much they've helped, I cannot say for sure as I don't work for Naperville, but they are certainly much more attention grabbing than a traditional 3 section head.

Is there still an advance warning sign as well, with flashing lights?

[ajlynch91]

Yes, immediately before each curve north and south of the intersection.

[Super Mateo]

Damn, that's short. And here I thought these were the shortest [non-ramp meter] signals I've seen:  
Randall Ave @ Campus Dr: Madison, WI
N Park St @ Johnson St: Madison, WI
Whitney Way @ Old Middleton Rd: Madison, WI

The extremely low signals seem to be considered frequently for pre-signals at railroad crossings, such as on  IL 47 has one in Huntley and there's one on Wood Dale Road in Wood Dale, Illinois.

This one I found in Washington Court House, OH is unusual not only due to its low mounting, but also because it's in Ohio, where I can't recall encountering any stop bar lights.  There's also a sidewalk in front of it, so it wouldn't be hard for a pedestrian to block the view.

[Rick1962]

Was browsing around Street View in the Phoenix area, when I came upon this mast arm near Sky Harbor airport....

It's homemade! Up until 1980 or so, Tulsa fabricated their own truss arm installation out of oil pipe. Did a darn fine job of it, too. Those mast arms in Phoenix (and most of their double-guys) were fabricated in a shop, too.

Here's an example of one of the few remaining truss-arm installations in Tulsa. Zoom in for home-brewed goodness.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1043597,-96.0116321,3a,66.8y,86.87h,86.14t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sxWUpvbNNA7ViUxh6nvbDnA!2e0

[jakeroot]

Plenty of videos of this around, but I decided to go out and make my own. Here's a HAWK signal in Mill Creek, WA. AFAIK, it was installed in 2011. While observing the signal, I noticed that very few drivers proceeded on flashing red, as is permitted. Perhaps a "proceed after stop on flashing red" sign is in order.

Here's a Street View of this particular HAWK in real life: https://goo.gl/maps/Q17ZrQzTVyv

https://youtu.be/87k7EVo8KkQ

[jakeroot]

Was browsing around Street View in the Phoenix area, when I came upon this mast arm near Sky Harbor airport....

It's homemade! Up until 1980 or so, Tulsa fabricated their own truss arm installation out of oil pipe. Did a darn fine job of it, too. Those mast arms in Phoenix (and most of their double-guys) were fabricated in a shop, too.

Nice! Thanks for the information. I think they look really clean (though not as clean when used in truss-style). Any idea why a city might use this style over the typical steel mast arm? FWIW, the PHX example was installed in 2005/2006.

[paulthemapguy]

Just wanted to jump in and share this traffic signal photo from the entrance to Arches NP in Moab, UT.  It's a combination of a constant-burning green and an FYA, which I hadn't seen before.  The photo is taken facing south. Left-turning traffic from the left ends up on a left-hand merge ramp that takes up the center lane until it dissipates farther ahead.


UT-US191-ArchesS by Paul Drives, on Flickr

[kphoger]

^^  Thanks for posting that.  I should be there in six weeks.

[MNHighwayMan]

Taking this thread in a somewhat different direction, does anyone know of any intersections that have any of the following items:

1) Pedestrian signals with an animated eyes display?

2) Unusual/uncommon cluster arrangements, such as:

       (<R)(R>)                                  (<R)(R>)                             (R)
            (Y)                       or                 (Y)              or                (Y)   
       (<G)(G>)                                      (G)                          (<G)(^G)(G>)

Today, I finally got around to getting a picture of this signal, which is your third example (sort of, it's a vertical five stack, not a cluster):



This is the signal for the WB I-35/80 offramp to 86th St in Urbandale. Once I get it uploaded I'll add a video of it in operation, too.

[plain]

Taking this thread in a somewhat different direction, does anyone know of any intersections that have any of the following items:

1) Pedestrian signals with an animated eyes display?

2) Unusual/uncommon cluster arrangements, such as:

       (<R)(R>)                                  (<R)(R>)                             (R)
            (Y)                       or                 (Y)              or                (Y)   
       (<G)(G>)                                      (G)                          (<G)(^G)(G>)

Today, I finally got around to getting a picture of this signal, which is your third example (sort of, it's a vertical five stack, not a cluster):



This is the signal for the WB I-35/80 offramp to 86th St in Urbandale. Once I get it uploaded I'll add a video of it in operation, too.

I've seen one of these back in the day  and I'm almost certain it was in Newport News, Va... obviously LED's wasn't out yet and also I think the Newport News one was wire hung instead of mast arm mounted. And thanks for posting this because I didn't know any agency was still doing this