What shall ye do here?

[Mergingtraffic]

OK, here's an intersection below CT-8 in Waterbury, CT.


https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5460994,-73.0440898,3a,75y,236.67h,76.57t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sl60-jfV5Vzy5N7UpMw7ZUw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu


You see the traffic light and you can go straight or channelized traffic to the right.

However, look closely the traffic light is for straight traffic and they encounter traffic from the left. But right turn traffic is channelized.  The stop line goes all the way across.  The right hand traffic won't hit a conflict point up until they hit the YIELD sign because of the island. 

So, if the light is red, should right hand traffic keep going over the stop line to the yield sign? or stop at the light and wait? Most right hand turn traffic proceeds until the YIELD sign regardless if the light is red or not.  Also, note the traffic light isn't over the right channelized turn, it's far back enough for the straight ahead traffic. Should the stop line not go all the way across the lane?

[Scott5114]

Wouldn't it follow the normal rules for a right turn on red? So stop at the line, then proceed when clear (which is always)?

[wanderer2575]

Wouldn't it follow the normal rules for a right turn on red? So stop at the line, then proceed when clear (which is always)?

I dunno.  One can make a reasonable argument either way about whether it's a right turn (as you say) or whether it's still proceeding straight.  That really isn't its own full lane on the right, so I can see why the stop bar goes all the way across and there isn't a perpetual up/right green arrow.

[Henry]

I think it would help to have a NO TURN ON RED sign if they wanted to discourage such movements. Even an extra signal for the right turn could also help, but unfortunately the road doesn't meet the criteria that would warrant one (i.e. it only has one lane each way). So it is what it is.

[Revive 755]

However, look closely the traffic light is for straight traffic and they encounter traffic from the left. But right turn traffic is channelized.  The stop line goes all the way across.  The right hand traffic won't hit a conflict point up until they hit the YIELD sign because of the island.

The crosswalk could be a conflict.

Even an extra signal for the right turn could also help, but unfortunately the road doesn't meet the criteria that would warrant one (i.e. it only has one lane each way).

That channelized right turn is close enough to being a full lane that an extra head could be justified.  Could also put in an additional head on the strain pull and justify it as providing better visibility for those behind larger vehicles - or even just improving visibility due to the railroad overpass.

[JoePCool14]

Wouldn't it follow the normal rules for a right turn on red? So stop at the line, then proceed when clear (which is always)?

Unless there is a pedestrian, which funnily enough, there is one chilling there in the Street View photo. But yes, I'd stop at the line like it's an unnecessary stop sign, and then pull forward to the Yield sign to make my right turn.

[jeffandnicole]

I would say the conflict is the crosswalk.  So treat it as a stop line on a red light, then pull forward, verify no one is coming from the left at the yield sign, then continue.