Traffic signal

[NE2]

But if you're on a bike on the sidewalk can you turn right on don't walk?

[KEK Inc.]

The variable no turn on red is for the right lane.

If the light is off, then it would be like this:  http://goo.gl/maps/PC7zu


I bike a lot in Seattle, and honestly, the bike infrastructure is at its birth.  It's illegal to bike on the sidewalk, but you can walk your bike.  I often dismount my bike in an intersection and use the crosswalk.

[Michael]

I found this interesting signal setup in Syracuse last night.  I'm posting this because of the right-turn ramp having signal faces even though there's no conflicting movements.  Note the pole mounted signal face on the pole in the middle of the image, and another on the right side.  Since it's difficult to see the signals from above with Google's aerial imagery, here's a link to Bing's Birds-Eye view.  I was wondering if other people around here had any thoughts.

[M3019C LPS20]

I found this interesting signal setup in Syracuse last night.  I'm posting this because of the right-turn ramp having signal faces even though there's no conflicting movements.  Note the pole mounted signal face on the pole in the middle of the image, and another on the right side.  Since it's difficult to see the signals from above with Google's aerial imagery, here's a link to Bing's Birds-Eye view.  I was wondering if other people around here had any thoughts.

If you take a closer look at that ramp set-up, there is a crosswalk present. With the crosswalk present is a pair of pedestrian signals as well. Seems to me that the pedestrian signals there are not actuated, so they're probably pre-timed.

I have seen similar signalized ramps in the past; however, the pedestrian signals present are actuated. With that said, the traffic signals rest on green unless a pedestrian pushes a nearby button to activate the "WALK" cycle.

[kphoger]

That made me think of this one, for some reason.  It's a backward-facing stoplight on a one-way street.  Any idea what it's there for (there's already a ped signal)?

http://goo.gl/maps/NBkbz

[1995hoo]

That made me think of this one, for some reason.  It's a backward-facing stoplight on a one-way street.  Any idea what it's there for (there's already a ped signal)?

http://goo.gl/maps/NBkbz

Could it have a been a two-way street at some time in the past? I remember back in 1995 when Bill Clinton ordered the Secret Service to close Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in the days after the Oklahoma City bombing, H Street NW (which had been a two-way street) was changed to one-way eastbound, but the old westbound traffic lights remained in place for quite a few years afterwards (maybe in the hope that someday the road would be reopened?). Someone unfamiliar with the history would have been mystified by the lights facing the wrong way.

[deathtopumpkins]

I don't think that's the answer, based on the fact that there's only the one signal head stuck in the middle. I think it may be for the benefit of people trying to back out of those diagonal parking spaces, so they know when oncoming traffic has a green or not to help them find an opportunity to back out.
It may also be for something like street sweeping or snow plowing, where the sweeper/plow goes up the street the wrong way. There are a fair number of places around here that are plowed the wrong-way, usually with a caution sign at the beginning of the street.

Places do tend to leave up signage if changing a road to one-way though. Long before I even moved up here the town of Ipswich changed several streets to one-way, but left every single sign up for the opposite direction (stop signs, railroad crossing signs and gates, speed limit signs, etc.), and didn't even do that good of a job blacking out the old centerline.

[M3019C LPS20]

That made me think of this one, for some reason.  It's a backward-facing stoplight on a one-way street.  Any idea what it's there for (there's already a ped signal)?

http://goo.gl/maps/NBkbz

It may serve as an auxiliary signal for emergency vehicles, such as police vehicles, for example.

In various locations of Long Island, N.Y., one could find an individual traffic signal face a curb at an intersection. For the most part, it typically serves a pedestrian signal. Below, is an example of one from there.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Long+Island,+NY&hl=en&ll=40.724942,-73.722618&spn=0.002395,0.00567&sll=41.863137,-88.112347&sspn=0.009412,0.022681&oq=long+island&hnear=Long+Island&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=40.724908,-73.722735&panoid=oatUjwB7viELFQR8wgM2BA&cbp=12,77.96,,0,1.46

[kphoger]

The one I linked to was like that back in the early 2000s, and the street had been one-way for a while (at least) before that.  Similar intersections in the area (such as here and here) don't have that extra signal.

[M3019C LPS20]

It seems to me that it remains red 24/7, while the other traffic signals operate normally, since I traveled a couple of clicks on Google Map and observed the traffic pattern that was present.

That particular traffic signal must have a special function. Perhaps for emergency vehicles and pre-emption.

[sp_redelectric]

I found this interesting signal setup in Syracuse last night.  I'm posting this because of the right-turn ramp having signal faces even though there's no conflicting movements.  Note the pole mounted signal face on the pole in the middle of the image, and another on the right side.  Since it's difficult to see the signals from above with Google's aerial imagery, here's a link to Bing's Birds-Eye view.  I was wondering if other people around here had any thoughts.

If I go down the block a little ways, there's a brick garage building that looks like it could have been a fire station at one time.  It looks like it's a private business now...  In Salem, OR there is a traffic signal facing the wrong direction on a one-way street for the main station; however the fire station also has a dedicated lane in front of it so fire trucks can turn west on what would otherwise be a one-way eastbound street without conflicting with traffic.

[Central Avenue]

I haven't managed to get a picture yet, since it's usually dark when I drive through, but...

Alum Creek Drive at Groveport Road in Obetz has a bizarre temporary setup for its left turn signals. Both directions are a protected-only left turn, but rather than use a three-section signal with red, yellow, and green arrows, they've used a 5-section doghouse with a tarp covering the yellow and green balls, alongside a "LEFT TURN SIGNAL" sign.

It still functions as if it's a normal three-section signal, but it's very sloppy looking.

[codyg1985]

I haven't managed to get a picture yet, since it's usually dark when I drive through, but...

Alum Creek Drive at Groveport Road in Obetz has a bizarre temporary setup for its left turn signals. Both directions are a protected-only left turn, but rather than use a three-section signal with red, yellow, and green arrows, they've used a 5-section doghouse with a tarp covering the yellow and green balls, alongside a "LEFT TURN SIGNAL" sign.

It still functions as if it's a normal three-section signal, but it's very sloppy looking.

Maybe the final signal will use those doghouse signal heads somewhere at that intersection and they didn't want to bother ordering any additional signal heads that won't be used on the project? That is odd, though.

[BamaZeus]

A friend pointed out to me this old color video from 1939 NYC.  The video itself is great, perhaps minus the music which seems a little too "modern" to be in this video.  But, it has several great "finds" in it that could really go into several threads.

At :31 and :40 there are examples of the old-fashioned one-way sign.   Beginning at 1:04, several shots of the classic green and yellow city buses are included.

And, the kicker at 1:54 is a perfectly working 2-lamp traffic light in full color

[kphoger]

A friend pointed out to me this old color video from 1939 NYC.  The video itself is great, perhaps minus the music which seems a little too "modern" to be in this video.  But, it has several great "finds" in it that could really go into several threads.

At :31 and :40 there are examples of the old-fashioned one-way sign.   Beginning at 1:04, several shots of the classic green and yellow city buses are included.

And, the kicker at 1:54 is a perfectly working 2-lamp traffic light in full color

You didn't embed or link to any video.   

[M3019C LPS20]

A friend pointed out to me this old color video from 1939 NYC.  The video itself is great, perhaps minus the music which seems a little too "modern" to be in this video.  But, it has several great "finds" in it that could really go into several threads.

At :31 and :40 there are examples of the old-fashioned one-way sign.   Beginning at 1:04, several shots of the classic green and yellow city buses are included.

And, the kicker at 1:54 is a perfectly working 2-lamp traffic light in full color

You didn't embed or link to any video.   

This is the video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WgqRN40TXrE

Definitely a lot of vintage New York City signage in the video, such as the porcelain "humpback" street sign and "ONE WAY" arrow sign.

The two-section, "Mercury traffic signal" is definitely a classic, and the statuette of the god Mercury on top of it is a nice addition.

[BamaZeus]

A friend pointed out to me this old color video from 1939 NYC.  The video itself is great, perhaps minus the music which seems a little too "modern" to be in this video.  But, it has several great "finds" in it that could really go into several threads.

At :31 and :40 there are examples of the old-fashioned one-way sign.   Beginning at 1:04, several shots of the classic green and yellow city buses are included.

And, the kicker at 1:54 is a perfectly working 2-lamp traffic light in full color

You didn't embed or link to any video.   

Derp.  Silly me.  I think I got busy at work all of a sudden, then went back to the post an hour later and forgot to paste the link.   That is the correct video posted above.

[roadman65]

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Elizabeth,+NJ&hl=en&ll=40.665202,-74.214776&spn=0.002929,0.005284&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.892242,21.643066&oq=eliza&t=h&hnear=Elizabeth,+Union,+New+Jersey&layer=c&cbll=40.665341,-74.214779&panoid=QsYHZjigOwJiWkvczmH1ig&cbp=12,81.56,,1,-7.5&z=18

Here is one that is common practice in New Jersey where in one direction the signal head is side mounted while in the other it is overhead.  Growing up in New Jersey as a kid I found this fascinating, but at the same time always wondered why this is done.  To me, having the side mounted signal head attached to the mast arm along with its counterpart would be more beneficial to the motorist.  I am guessing it has to do with the fact there are already two overhead signal heads already on two other mast arms behind the view of the link, but at least this one is mounted high.  I have seen many NJ intersections with signals have a  mostly have a low mounted head on the same pole where an overhead assembly exists for the opposite direction. 

[codyg1985]

I love side-mounted signals that augment the overhead signals. It really helps when you are behind a 18 wheeler and it is hard to see the overhead signals.

[roadman65]

I love side-mounted signals that augment the overhead signals. It really helps when you are behind a 18 wheeler and it is hard to see the overhead signals.

I wish Florida would use them, as very few states do have them.  I was wondering if that is the reason why NJDOT does this.  It did cross my mind that may be the reason, but not sure.  I hate it when behind even a small truck at two or three car lengths, when it blocks your view of the signal and once the truck in front of me ran the stoplight and had to screech to a stop to avoid running the light.  Now with cameras waiting for you to slip, I think seeing the signal heads well in advance are a must!  That is one thing about the feds that I cannot figure out and that is why signal heads are not mandatory to be spaced out for safety considering CA, NJ, IL, and few other states have had side mounted heads for years showing them that they work well for the good of the motoring public.

[kphoger]

Heck, who needs two?

Here is GMSV during road construction; through traffic has only a signal head, which is solid green full-time.
Wichita, KS:

Latest street view here, which shows the solid green ball for the through movement.

This website, which was shared in the "Is this interchange classified as a SPUI" suggests that this stoplight setup is prohibited my MUTCD (ref: Row 6 "Free-flow T Interection" and notes).  Is that right?

[realjd]

This website, which was shared in the "Is this interchange classified as a SPUI" suggests that this stoplight setup is prohibited my MUTCD (ref: Row 6 "Free-flow T Interection" and notes).  Is that right?

They do things like that regularly here in Florida at T intersections. I have no clue if it was recently banned. I hope not.

http://goo.gl/maps/cVu3C
http://goo.gl/maps/lpTBz

If you really want to talk about unusual signal uses, check out this intersection from Fort Myers that has a separate pair of signal heads for each lane:

http://goo.gl/maps/90TYk

EDIT: Fixed link for Fort Myers signal. The old link pointed in the wrong direction.

[US71]

Van Buren, AR
http://goo.gl/maps/wKEWd

[kphoger]

This website, which was shared in the "Is this interchange classified as a SPUI" suggests that this stoplight setup is prohibited my MUTCD (ref: Row 6 "Free-flow T Interection" and notes).  Is that right?

They do things like that regularly here in Florida at T intersections. I have no clue if it was recently banned. I hope not.

http://goo.gl/maps/cVu3C
http://goo.gl/maps/lpTBz

No, those are different.  They use arrows rather than green balls.  I think that's where the difference lies.

[realjd]

This website, which was shared in the "Is this interchange classified as a SPUI" suggests that this stoplight setup is prohibited my MUTCD (ref: Row 6 "Free-flow T Interection" and notes).  Is that right?

They do things like that regularly here in Florida at T intersections. I have no clue if it was recently banned. I hope not.

http://goo.gl/maps/cVu3C
http://goo.gl/maps/lpTBz

No, those are different.  They use arrows rather than green balls.  I think that's where the difference lies.

I just checked the MUTCD. The only approved signal head for a thru movement that never conflicts is a signal segment green arrow. Good call.