New Traffic Pattern Ahead

[frankenroad]

I searched and did not see this topic addressed.

When an intersection is re-configured, often a sign saying "New Traffic Pattern Ahead" is posted.   I pass one every day where the "new" traffic pattern is over a year old.  Then, a couple days ago, I was on a different road and encountered the same sign.  In that case the "new" traffic pattern is at least 5 years old, if not more.

How long should they stay up?  My thought is that 3-6 months should be plenty of time for people who frequent the road to become familiar (I will admit that in the first case above, I ran the newly-installed stop sign about 2 months after it had been installed, just from muscle memory).  I think the target audience of those signs are the people who use the road frequently, and may get caught off guard by a change.  Someone who only uses a road occasionally is going to be more attuned to the traffic patterns, and not relying on ingrained habits.

[kalvado]

Since those signs are likely to be there after construction is complete, they are likely to be installed by construction contractor and should be removed by... by.... ok, looks like there are no volunteers.
Sort of same question was asked about "deaf child" and similar signs. Kids grow up and/or move away, but signs stay.
I've seen abandoned "temporary" stop signs, and "road work" signs left behind years after the contract is closed.

[kirbykart]

^There's an orange road work sign saying "BUMP" 10 mins from where I live that's been up for almost 5 years now. Like, either remove it or put a yellow sign in its place.

[ran4sh]

The MUTCD says 6 months, or earlier if traffic "returns to normal"

https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009r1r2/part2/part2c.htm#section2C52

https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009r1r2/part2/part2c.htm#section2C62

[roadfro]

The MUTCD says 6 months, or earlier if traffic "returns to normal"

https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009r1r2/part2/part2c.htm#section2C52

https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009r1r2/part2/part2c.htm#section2C62

Ah, but the removal of the "New Traffic Pattern Ahead" sign after 6 months is a guidance statement, not a standard, so doesn't technically have to be followed... But that said, guidance statements should generally be followed unless there is a compelling reason not to--and I can't see a compelling reason to leave this sign in place for a year or more. So most likely, the road agency from the OP and other examples must've forgotten these signs were there.

[PHLBOS]

While not a NEW TRAFFIC PATTERN AHEAD sign per se; this WARNING NEW STOP SIGN TREMONT AT GROVE panel in Salem, MA has been around since 1989.

[JoePCool14]

These New Traffic Pattern signs have been here on WI-32 since at least October 2018 when a signal was removed.

https://goo.gl/maps/hjSq9rUFc5yVJ7GN6

As for an appropriate length, 6 months is good. Just wish someone would actually take them down. 

[TEG24601]

They misguidedly added an FYA to a highway intersection in 2019 (I say misguided because the traffic signals were added to prevent crashes at this intersection, and the FYA would have been better for the cross street), but they added an orange "Signal Revision Ahead" when they did it.  It is no over 3 years later, and the orange sign is still there.  On this highway, I think this is the longest I've seen an orange sign posted that wasn't there for ongoing "Road Work" in the 30 years I've lived here.

[andrepoiy]

In Ontario they put up a "NEW" sign but they usually do get removed after a while - although I never actually took notice of how long it takes.

Example:

[JoePCool14]

I always liked the Ontario NEW signs. I think putting them at the point (stop sign, signal, etc.) is useful, and it's more likely that the signs will actually be removed since they are more obvious.

[7/8]

In Ontario they put up a "NEW" sign but they usually do get removed after a while - although I never actually took notice of how long it takes.

OTM Book 6 recommends 30-60 days.

[epzik8]

Yeah I think DOTs are just lazy. Maryland tends to leave new traffic light signs up for a while.

[kalvado]

Yeah I think DOTs are just lazy. Maryland tends to leave new traffic light signs up for a while.

It's not lazy, it is about organizing workflow and efficient resource management. With most of the work contracted out, removal of sign in 6 months must be a separate administrative with extra contract being awarded. THat is  instead of setting one calendar reminder...

[JoePCool14]

Have there been studies done on NEW signs? How effective are they anyways? Does it depend on the new device(s) being used?

[LilianaUwU]

The DOTs should just let us roadgeeks take off the NEW signs after a set amount of time.

[NWI_Irish96]

Somewhat related, I had to call one of my kids in sick today, and the automated answer at the school states, "Please listen carefully as some of our menu options have recently changed" but it's the same message and the same menu options when we moved to this district 5 years ago.

[kphoger]

Somewhat related, I had to call one of my kids in sick today, and the automated answer at the school states, "Please listen carefully as some of our menu options have recently changed" but it's the same message and the same menu options when we moved to this district 5 years ago.

Some messages even say "as some of our menu options may have changed".  Like they don't even know.   

[wanderer2575]

There is also the inevitable "new traffic pattern ahead" when there's a lane shift in a roadwork zone.  That's not a new traffic pattern.  A new pattern is a roundabout, or a DDI, or an exit temporarily relocated from one side of the carriageway to the other.

[GaryV]

Somewhat related, I had to call one of my kids in sick today, and the automated answer at the school states, "Please listen carefully as some of our menu options have recently changed" but it's the same message and the same menu options when we moved to this district 5 years ago.

They just want you to listen to the entire message instead of hitting a number that might be correct for what you want. And then the caller gets mad at the doctor's office because they get referral appointments instead of appointments, because they didn't listen.

[hotdogPi]

There is also the inevitable "new traffic pattern ahead" when there's a lane shift in a roadwork zone.  That's not a new traffic pattern.  A new pattern is a roundabout, or a DDI, or an exit temporarily relocated from one side of the carriageway to the other.

I've seen the sign for a permanent added left turn lane and green arrow. Is that not a new traffic pattern?

Somewhat related, I had to call one of my kids in sick today, and the automated answer at the school states, "Please listen carefully as some of our menu options have recently changed" but it's the same message and the same menu options when we moved to this district 5 years ago.

I know of one place (the country club on Howe St. in Methuen, MA) where the opposite happened: they changed their options and didn't change them in the automated message. Fortunately, when I typed in 6, the person there immediately told me to type 14 instead, so they must get them a lot. (That one is for the restaurant, which is open to the public). However, I think it would take a really long time to hear all the options; since the first one is 3, it probably goes into the 20s.

[CtrlAltDel]

Somewhat related, I had to call one of my kids in sick today, and the automated answer at the school states, "Please listen carefully as some of our menu options have recently changed" but it's the same message and the same menu options when we moved to this district 5 years ago.

They just want you to listen to the entire message instead of hitting a number that might be correct for what you want. And then the caller gets mad at the doctor's office because they get referral appointments instead of appointments, because they didn't listen.

After five years, it's also because they don't want to redo the recording.

[frankenroad]

The DOTs should just let us roadgeeks take off the NEW signs after a set amount of time.

I like how you think!

[CtrlAltDel]

It's not the same thing, but I wish they'd be faster about changing out new traffic pattern ahead signs in road construction a bit faster than they do. It seems like a lot of the time you go from one "new" pattern to another "new" pattern with no "normal" time in between.

[GaryV]

It's not the same thing, but I wish they'd be faster about changing out new traffic pattern ahead signs in road construction a bit faster than they do. It seems like a lot of the time you go from one "new" pattern to another "new" pattern with no "normal" time in between.

I'd be happy if they just accurately gave notice on which lane(s) would be closed ahead. Many times the right lane was closed, and then when they shift to the left lane being closed they didn't change the signs. Other times, the lane closed sign is still up, but all lanes are open.

[Henry]

The DOTs should just let us roadgeeks take off the NEW signs after a set amount of time.

I like how you think!

That is definitely a great idea!