Traffic signal

[jakeroot]

Someone please help me figure this out.

Broken signal? They flash amber like that in Europe in case of a broken signal, but then it's usually all traffic lights in the intersection. Or perhaps if it's a turn lane it might be a warning signal/proceed with caution?

There are driveways on either side of the signal, but sitting in the center lane at the crosswalk is bit odd, because the driveways aren't for at least another 40 or 50 feet. Then again, if traffic is sitting in that center lane waiting to turn, and there is another car facing them also waiting to turn, their paths would cross because there is no 90 degree turn there.

God I'm confused.

[M3019C LPS20]

I bet it is a left turn signal. It is equivalent to the modern F.Y.A. set-up.

[jakeroot]

I bet it is a left turn signal. It is equivalent to the modern F.Y.A. set-up.

Imagine that both directions have cars waiting at the crosswalk to turn left...their paths would be conflicting, since the west-bound turn movement cannot be completed within the bounds of the opposite direction's stop line.

Either way, the signal needs replacing (two orbs flashing different colors haven't been allowed for some time, AFAIK).

[kj3400]

I bet it is a left turn signal. It is equivalent to the modern F.Y.A. set-up.

Imagine that both directions have cars waiting at the crosswalk to turn left...their paths would be conflicting, since the west-bound turn movement cannot be completed within the bounds of the opposite direction's stop line.

Either way, the signal needs replacing (two orbs flashing different colors haven't been allowed for some time, AFAIK).

But only the yellow one is flashing...?

[jakeroot]

I bet it is a left turn signal. It is equivalent to the modern F.Y.A. set-up.

Imagine that both directions have cars waiting at the crosswalk to turn left...their paths would be conflicting, since the west-bound turn movement cannot be completed within the bounds of the opposite direction's stop line.

Either way, the signal needs replacing (two orbs flashing different colors haven't been allowed for some time, AFAIK).

But only the yellow one is flashing...?

That would be a grammatical error. I meant to type "two orbs of different colors in the same direction haven't been allowed for some time".

[M3019C LPS20]

Imagine that both directions have cars waiting at the crosswalk to turn left...their paths would be conflicting, since the west-bound turn movement cannot be completed within the bounds of the opposite direction's stop line.

I recently viewed this on Google Map, and I understand your point. Though unlikely present there, if vehicular detection was in use, then both left turn lanes could be split-phased. From my point of view, this would eliminate the conflict of motorists trying to make left turns from both directions at the same time.

[KEK Inc.]

NE 45th St. has a couple of solid FYA by UW in Seattle, but they are dedicated turn lanes (albeit, people who turn left on 20th Ave NE generally whip through the left turn lane for 19th Ave NE). 

[D-Dey65]

I stumbled upon this site while checking out info on old jukeboxes and video games. I don't know if anyone here is familiar with this company, but they look like they do novelty signals, commercial signals and legitimate traffic signals for municipalities as well.

http://trafficlights.com/default.htm

[Alex4897]

I stumbled upon this site while checking out info on old jukeboxes and video games. I don't know if anyone here is familiar with this company, but they look like they do novelty signals, commercial signals and legitimate traffic signals for municipalities as well.

http://trafficlights.com/default.htm

I've gotten controllers from this site before, they work without issue.

[KEK Inc.]

Here's a unique sign found commonly throughout Seattle.  The light was red for a while so I decided to snap a picture while waiting. 


iPhone

[M3019C LPS20]

I stumbled upon this site while checking out info on old jukeboxes and video games. I don't know if anyone here is familiar with this company, but they look like they do novelty signals, commercial signals and legitimate traffic signals for municipalities as well.

http://trafficlights.com/default.htm

LightsToGo has been around for some time (probably over eight years). The company is well known for manufacturing sequencers, which are capable of performing simple operations for signals wired to them.

As you mentioned, too, LightsToGo also sells signals; however, some of them are slightly overpriced in my opinion. I would rather visit EBay and find one for a good deal. Just my two cents.

[Mdcastle]

The problem with most of them is that they cheap out and don't include a snubber circuit, meaning you can't drive anything inductive with them, but more importantly for most people they might get destroyed if a bulb burns out. There's one sequencer that has relays, but it's not well-liked for some reason (I have no direct experience with any of them).

On the other hand, I have a flasher where something got both the triac and the snubber, or at least burned the resistor to a crisp... I ordered some triacs from China so I'll try to repair it.

[M3019C LPS20]

Vintage New York City pedestrian signals in service. From the Bronx. Mosholu Pkwy.



The pair that face the cross street were manufactured by the Winko-Matic company, and they used neon tubes. The pedestrian signal that faces the crosswalk of Mosholu Pkwy. was manufactured by Marbelite.

[tradephoric]

How does NYC keep the traffic signals in SYNC so well?  There are nearly 3,000 traffic signals in Manhattan alone and even a little bit of clock drift can lead to poor progression.  How does the city manage all the signals to make sure they are in sync and running the same time?  It sounds like a maintenance nightmare!

[M3019C LPS20]

New York City D.O.T. has its own traffic management center, which has been around for about 20 years, in lower Manhattan. It is at the headquarters, which is the 55 Water St. building.

There's essentially a large room there, where there's an electronic map of the signalized intersection in Manhattan (in real time). The A.S.T.C. signal controllers are constantly communicating through the NYCWin system, so the folks in the room have the ability to adjust a signal controller(s) if necessary.

[steviep24]

New member here.

Anyway, I've always found this signal installation to be interesting.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1395182,-77.7086442,3a,75y,171.95h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sPbLo1M0PQKsE0oUJNtTOTA!2e0?hl=en

The signals on the second mast arm are 3M type and also notice the five section stack for the protected/permissive left turn signal. This setup is rare for NYS.

Signal is located at the intersection of Pixley Rd. and Hinchey Rd. in Gates, NY (Rochester area). Signal is owned by Monroe County.

[cl94]

New member here.

Anyway, I've always found this signal installation to be interesting.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1395182,-77.7086442,3a,75y,171.95h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sPbLo1M0PQKsE0oUJNtTOTA!2e0?hl=en

The signals on the second mast arm are 3M type and also notice the five section stack for the protected/permissive left turn signal. This setup is rare for NYS.

Signal is located at the intersection of Pixley Rd. and Hinchey Rd. in Gates, NY (Rochester area). Signal is owned by Monroe County.

The 3Ms certainly aren't rare, although they are being replaced with filteted signals that look more traditional. I can't recall seeing a doghouse 3M signal (certainly doesn't mean they don't exist) and the 3Ms don't have an option for the 4-section with color-changing arrow Erie County (and until very recently, Region 5) loves. 5-sections might not be common here, but I have seen them every now and then, not necessarily recently.

[steviep24]

New member here.

Anyway, I've always found this signal installation to be interesting.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1395182,-77.7086442,3a,75y,171.95h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sPbLo1M0PQKsE0oUJNtTOTA!2e0?hl=en

The signals on the second mast arm are 3M type and also notice the five section stack for the protected/permissive left turn signal. This setup is rare for NYS.

Signal is located at the intersection of Pixley Rd. and Hinchey Rd. in Gates, NY (Rochester area). Signal is owned by Monroe County.

The 3Ms certainly aren't rare, although they are being replaced with filteted signals that look more traditional. I can't recall seeing a doghouse 3M signal (certainly doesn't mean they don't exist) and the 3Ms don't have an option for the 4-section with color-changing arrow Erie County (and until very recently, Region 5) loves. 5-sections might not be common here, but I have seen them every now and then, not necessarily recently.

Monroe County loves the color changing arrow too.

Come to think of it I don't recall seeing a 3M doghouse signal either.

[thenetwork]

New member here.

Anyway, I've always found this signal installation to be interesting.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1395182,-77.7086442,3a,75y,171.95h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sPbLo1M0PQKsE0oUJNtTOTA!2e0?hl=en

The signals on the second mast arm are 3M type and also notice the five section stack for the protected/permissive left turn signal. This setup is rare for NYS.

Signal is located at the intersection of Pixley Rd. and Hinchey Rd. in Gates, NY (Rochester area). Signal is owned by Monroe County.

The 3Ms certainly aren't rare, although they are being replaced with filteted signals that look more traditional. I can't recall seeing a doghouse 3M signal (certainly doesn't mean they don't exist) and the 3Ms don't have an option for the 4-section with color-changing arrow Erie County (and until very recently, Region 5) loves. 5-sections might not be common here, but I have seen them every now and then, not necessarily recently.

Monroe County loves the color changing arrow too.

Come to think of it I don't recall seeing a 3M doghouse signal either.

Ask and ye shall receive:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1112387,-108.5406032,3a,75y,231.51h,85.73t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1stZXlWfTJQJdAr8wtxuyTag!2e0

Unfortunately, this will be gone within about a year, when they convert this intersection to a roundabout.  Same may also be said with the rare (in Colorado) green FREEWAY ENTRANCE signs at the on-ramp to I-70 East, if you turn the GSV to your left.

[Zeffy]

Someone explain this to me:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2374587,-74.8028441,3a,42y,307.44h,90.99t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sIeN2TUXpqUXA3-NBe-gW_Q!2e0

It is impossible to see the color of the signal unless you are DIRECTLY on top of it. The signal on the right side of the GMSV link is broken. I don't understand why this intersection is like this. I am amazed I have passed through so many times on a green signal, because if it were red... well that would be a bit hard to stop in time, wouldn't it?

I was thinking of contacting the city and asking them if they ever had plans to replace this signal, because whatever lens those are suck...

[jeffandnicole]

Someone explain this to me:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2374587,-74.8028441,3a,42y,307.44h,90.99t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sIeN2TUXpqUXA3-NBe-gW_Q!2e0

It is impossible to see the color of the signal unless you are DIRECTLY on top of it. The signal on the right side of the GMSV link is broken. I don't understand why this intersection is like this. I am amazed I have passed through so many times on a green signal, because if it were red... well that would be a bit hard to stop in time, wouldn't it?

I was thinking of contacting the city and asking them if they ever had plans to replace this signal, because whatever lens those are suck...

Nope, it's done this way purposely.  You need to go back a little bit on Rt. 29 first, such as to this position: http://goo.gl/maps/ZL7qw  As you are driving on Rt. 29 North, you want to concentrate on this signal, not the one you pointed out which is only a hundred feet or so behind the first signal.  After you go thru the first light on a green you reach that second light, and you are correct that it will always be green. 

The timing of the signal is such so that regardless of the approach to that signal (there are 3 possibilities - from 29 North, from Sanhican Dr off to the right, or from traffic on Rt. 29 South making a U-turn), if that first signal is green, the light you questioned will be green.  The only time someone would get to this signal and it be red is if they sped thru the first signal on a red.  Or the road is congested (which is extremely rare in this area).

And contacting the city wouldn't do you any good.  It's a State maintained signal.

[Roadrunner75]

Someone explain this to me:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2374587,-74.8028441,3a,42y,307.44h,90.99t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sIeN2TUXpqUXA3-NBe-gW_Q!2e0
It is impossible to see the color of the signal unless you are DIRECTLY on top of it. The signal on the right side of the GMSV link is broken. I don't understand why this intersection is like this. I am amazed I have passed through so many times on a green signal, because if it were red... well that would be a bit hard to stop in time, wouldn't it?
I was thinking of contacting the city and asking them if they ever had plans to replace this signal, because whatever lens those are suck...

I expect there is some intent here, to avoid confusion for drivers entering NB from the side street (Sanhican) who have their own signal just prior to this one (to avoid confusing the far signal with their own), although it sounds like it creates more problems than it solves as is typical with this type of setup.  This entire intersection, including Sanhican and 579 with the U-turn and lack of stacking room is terrible by the way.

Edit:  Looks like Jeff beat me to it as I was typing, with a much better explanation too...

[steviep24]

New member here.

Anyway, I've always found this signal installation to be interesting.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1395182,-77.7086442,3a,75y,171.95h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sPbLo1M0PQKsE0oUJNtTOTA!2e0?hl=en

The signals on the second mast arm are 3M type and also notice the five section stack for the protected/permissive left turn signal. This setup is rare for NYS.

Signal is located at the intersection of Pixley Rd. and Hinchey Rd. in Gates, NY (Rochester area). Signal is owned by Monroe County.

The 3Ms certainly aren't rare, although they are being replaced with filteted signals that look more traditional. I can't recall seeing a doghouse 3M signal (certainly doesn't mean they don't exist) and the 3Ms don't have an option for the 4-section with color-changing arrow Erie County (and until very recently, Region 5) loves. 5-sections might not be common here, but I have seen them every now and then, not necessarily recently.

Monroe County loves the color changing arrow too.

Come to think of it I don't recall seeing a 3M doghouse signal either.

Ask and ye shall receive:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1112387,-108.5406032,3a,75y,231.51h,85.73t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1stZXlWfTJQJdAr8wtxuyTag!2e0

Unfortunately, this will be gone within about a year, when they convert this intersection to a roundabout.  Same may also be said with the rare (in Colorado) green FREEWAY ENTRANCE signs at the on-ramp to I-70 East, if you turn the GSV to your left.

Cool!

Here's a 3M signal with a conventional color changing left arrow. This is at NY 104 EB at the entrance ramp to NY 390 NB.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.2064065,-77.6747254,3a,75y,90h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sEWw1x-i9a45Gj6BxbPag2g!2e0!6m1!1e1?hl=en

[Zeffy]

Nope, it's done this way purposely.  You need to go back a little bit on Rt. 29 first, such as to this position: http://goo.gl/maps/ZL7qw  As you are driving on Rt. 29 North, you want to concentrate on this signal, not the one you pointed out which is only a hundred feet or so behind the first signal.  After you go thru the first light on a green you reach that second light, and you are correct that it will always be green. 

The timing of the signal is such so that regardless of the approach to that signal (there are 3 possibilities - from 29 North, from Sanhican Dr off to the right, or from traffic on Rt. 29 South making a U-turn), if that first signal is green, the light you questioned will be green.  The only time someone would get to this signal and it be red is if they sped thru the first signal on a red.  Or the road is congested (which is extremely rare in this area).

And contacting the city wouldn't do you any good.  It's a State maintained signal.

Hmm, okay, that actually makes sense now. Still, I really wish that the signal on the right of the one I pointed out was functional. And as Roadrunner75 pointed out, the intersection is a clusterfuck.

P.S. Wouldn't contacting Trenton at least work partially because NJDOT is based in Trenton? 

[roadfro]

I was thinking of contacting the city and asking them if they ever had plans to replace this signal, because whatever lens those are suck...

And contacting the city wouldn't do you any good.  It's a State maintained signal.

Maybe contacting the city/state and telling them to install a roundabout could work 

But seriously, the convoluted geometry here looks like the intersection could be better served by a roundabout...