Traffic signal

[hotdogPi]

Falling signal! https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Jersey+City,+NJ&hl=en&ll=40.716657,-74.151099&spn=0.001268,0.00191&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=8.494959,15.644531&oq=jers&t=h&hnear=Jersey+City,+Hudson,+New+Jersey&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.716657,-74.151099&panoid=L5b_Dw2Gxfq6sgEIonm5AA&cbp=12,289.12,,0,0

Image date: August 2012.

[thenetwork]

Falling signal! https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Jersey+City,+NJ&hl=en&ll=40.716657,-74.151099&spn=0.001268,0.00191&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=8.494959,15.644531&oq=jers&t=h&hnear=Jersey+City,+Hudson,+New+Jersey&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.716657,-74.151099&panoid=L5b_Dw2Gxfq6sgEIonm5AA&cbp=12,289.12,,0,0

That and one of the telephone poles across the street looks to be in a precarious position.

[The High Plains Traveler]

Signal head isn't falling as much as it's rotated downward. Looks like an Astro-Brac wasn't tightened enough on the mastarm.

[Mr. Matté]

Falling signal! https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Jersey+City,+NJ&hl=en&ll=40.716657,-74.151099&spn=0.001268,0.00191&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=8.494959,15.644531&oq=jers&t=h&hnear=Jersey+City,+Hudson,+New+Jersey&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.716657,-74.151099&panoid=L5b_Dw2Gxfq6sgEIonm5AA&cbp=12,289.12,,0,0

Image date: August 2012.

I'll bite, what does that date have to do with this signal? If you're referring to one of the hurricanes, Irene was August 2011 and Sandy was October 2012.

[hotdogPi]

Falling signal! https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Jersey+City,+NJ&hl=en&ll=40.716657,-74.151099&spn=0.001268,0.00191&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=8.494959,15.644531&oq=jers&t=h&hnear=Jersey+City,+Hudson,+New+Jersey&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.716657,-74.151099&panoid=L5b_Dw2Gxfq6sgEIonm5AA&cbp=12,289.12,,0,0

Image date: August 2012.

I'll bite, what does that date have to do with this signal? If you're referring to one of the hurricanes, Irene was August 2011 and Sandy was October 2012.

I meant it's not current. It has probably been fixed by now.

[NE2]

No shit, Sherlock?

[DaBigE]

No shit, Sherlock?

Dig deeper, Watson.

[M3019C LPS20]

One of the last Mercury signals in service on 5th Av. in Manhattan. Circa 1968. To the left in the photograph shows merely one portion of the well-known 5th Av. Donald Deskey twin-lamp fixture with the attachment for a three-section traffic signal, in which would be installed sooner or later at this time.

[jakeroot]

I'm sure a similar setup has popped up in this thread already:

http://goo.gl/4R5xvL

I don't live in CO Springs, but my grandparents do and when I visit them, all visible lights have greens/arrows at once (split phase right?). I'm not sure why 2 doghouses are necessary. Maybe just a 3-head arrow setup? If lets say both directions had greens at once, would this lead to a 2-left turn-yield to oncoming vehicles setup, which I believe to be against MUTCD regulations? I honestly have no idea, I just thought it was an odd setup of lights the few times we went through it.

[roadfro]

I'm sure a similar setup has popped up in this thread already:

http://goo.gl/4R5xvL

I don't live in CO Springs, but my grandparents do and when I visit them, all visible lights have greens/arrows at once (split phase right?). I'm not sure why 2 doghouses are necessary. Maybe just a 3-head arrow setup? If lets say both directions had greens at once, would this lead to a 2-left turn-yield to oncoming vehicles setup, which I believe to be against MUTCD regulations? I honestly have no idea, I just thought it was an odd setup of lights the few times we went through it.

Yes, you're describing a split phase operation.

These two turn lanes are not option lanes, so the doghouses are completely unnecessary.

Two left turn lanes with permitted lefts (yield to oncoming vehicles) isn't unheard of, and isn't against the MUTCD to my knowledge. However, it's not really a recommended practice and is usually avoided.

[The High Plains Traveler]

Two left turn lanes with permitted lefts (yield to oncoming vehicles) isn't unheard of, and isn't against the MUTCD to my knowledge. However, it's not really a recommended practice and is usually avoided.

There are at least two in my area. The first of these is a FYA: http://goo.gl/maps/f0RYI

Since there is a T-intersection and thus no protected left turn by opposing traffic, nor is the signal ever operated in protected left-only mode, the FYAs are unnecessary. There were previously doghouse signal heads for each turn lane. This is on a busy enough road that the two-lane, permissive left turn makes me uneasy.

The second of these was converted from a protected-only to a FRA. http://goo.gl/maps/yok27

[Mdcastle]

Those are starting to show up on new installations in Minnesota too, Broadway at I-35 in Forest Lake being one example.

[Revive 755]

Two left turn lanes with permitted lefts (yield to oncoming vehicles) isn't unheard of, and isn't against the MUTCD to my knowledge. However, it's not really a recommended practice and is usually avoided.

There was a thread listing locations for those a while back.

I'm beginning to wonder if having permissive double lefts is always problematic (particularly at T-intersections or one-way streets), or if automatically going to protected-only phasing for double lefts is overkill and there should be a bit more study before making the decision.

[jakeroot]

From the lists I've read, it appears that Colorado likes the permissive double left. Interesting. I'd imagine if you suggested that here in Washington you would be promptly laughed at and then told to bugger off, citing insanity. Seriously, they just rebuilt a section of roadway near my house, upgraded from two to five, 12-foot lanes, outside lanes 14 feet with a flush median in the center. As usual for old Pierce County, the two new lights installed were one-lane protected-only lefts. The Pierce County site indicated that turn lights are only used when the VPH (vehicle per hour) rate is over something like 240. I drive this road every single day and there is no way in hell it's near 240 turning vehicles. And that number is only to suggest when a turn light should be considered, not necessarily a protected-only light.

Nearby however, the county replaced a signal with an FYA. Weird they did not install a guide indicating what to do on a flashing yellow arrow. Best of luck to the populace I guess.

[PColumbus73]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=los+angeles&ll=34.152226,-118.465903&spn=0.000002,0.00066&hnear=Los+Angeles,+Los+Angeles+County,+California&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=34.152226,-118.466159&panoid=HcDTs1rN8boNcGXL4BhwsQ&cbp=12,7.46,,2,-5.33

While fiddling around with GSV, I found this interesting traffic light in Los Angeles near Sepulveda and Ventura, the 5 section tower on the mast arm has the red arrow pointing right, but the green arrow pointing left. I understand why this signal is how it is, but I haven't seen anything like it.

[Alps]

From the lists I've read, it appears that Colorado likes the permissive double left. Interesting. I'd imagine if you suggested that here in Washington you would be promptly laughed at and then told to bugger off, citing insanity. Seriously, they just rebuilt a section of roadway near my house, upgraded from two to five, 12-foot lanes, outside lanes 14 feet with a flush median in the center. As usual for old Pierce County, the two new lights installed were one-lane protected-only lefts. The Pierce County site indicated that turn lights are only used when the VPH (vehicle per hour) rate is over something like 240. I drive this road every single day and there is no way in hell it's near 240 turning vehicles. And that number is only to suggest when a turn light should be considered, not necessarily a protected-only light.

240 vehicles is one every 15 seconds. It only seems like a lot until you stand out there and realize that's only 4 cars during a 60 second cycle.

[mrsman]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=los+angeles&ll=34.152226,-118.465903&spn=0.000002,0.00066&hnear=Los+Angeles,+Los+Angeles+County,+California&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=34.152226,-118.466159&panoid=HcDTs1rN8boNcGXL4BhwsQ&cbp=12,7.46,,2,-5.33

While fiddling around with GSV, I found this interesting traffic light in Los Angeles near Sepulveda and Ventura, the 5 section tower on the mast arm has the red arrow pointing right, but the green arrow pointing left. I understand why this signal is how it is, but I haven't seen anything like it.

The right red arrow seems superfluous.  The no turn on red sign is very clearly posted.

[signalman]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=los+angeles&ll=34.152226,-118.465903&spn=0.000002,0.00066&hnear=Los+Angeles,+Los+Angeles+County,+California&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=34.152226,-118.466159&panoid=HcDTs1rN8boNcGXL4BhwsQ&cbp=12,7.46,,2,-5.33

While fiddling around with GSV, I found this interesting traffic light in Los Angeles near Sepulveda and Ventura, the 5 section tower on the mast arm has the red arrow pointing right, but the green arrow pointing left. I understand why this signal is how it is, but I haven't seen anything like it.

The right red arrow seems superfluous.  The no turn on red sign is very clearly posted.

Not necessarily.  That depends on how California defines red arrows (if they do at all, some states have no definition of what a red arrow means).  In some states, a red arrow is no different than a red ball; where turns are permittied against a red arrow.  In other states, a red arrow means you are not permittied to turn.  I don't know offhand where California stands in regards to red arrows (and no, I'm not going to bother looking it up).  For the record, I personally feel that a red arrow should mean that one isn't permitted to turn.

[myosh_tino]

Not necessarily.  That depends on how California defines red arrows (if they do at all, some states have no definition of what a red arrow means).

They do.  A red arrow means you're not permitted to turn until you get a green light or green arrow.

Before the advent of the red arrows, California used signals with red and yellow balls and a green arrow supplemented with a "LEFT OR U-TURN ON GREEN ARROW ONLY" sign posted below the signal.

[Indyroads]

Not necessarily.  That depends on how California defines red arrows (if they do at all, some states have no definition of what a red arrow means).

They do.  A red arrow means you're not permitted to turn until you get a green light or green arrow.

Before the advent of the red arrows, California used signals with red and yellow balls and a green arrow supplemented with a "LEFT OR U-TURN ON GREEN ARROW ONLY" sign posted below the signal.

Also before the advent of the red and yellow arrows on California roads Caltrans and City /County DOT's  used programmable signals (like the 3M programmable signals or louvers to prevent the wrong lane from seeing the signal face

quoting ~S

[ARMOURERERIC]

Here is an installation from back near my former residence in Ramona CA, it was installed around 1999 and I always thought, in this approach to be overkill.  Straight ahead is a private residential driveway, you only have 2 lanes, one going only right, one going only left.  The signal on the far left of the mast arm is just to indicate that you have full permitted left turning.

This is Warnock Road approaching San Vincente, 2/3 of the volume goes right after using the Dye/Warnock combination to bypass Ramona to get to the large San Diego Country Estates subdivision, about 4 miles to the right.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=ramona+ca&ll=33.014832,-116.866896&spn=0.00093,0.001321&hnear=Ramona,+San+Diego+County,+California&gl=us&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=33.014832,-116.866777&panoid=ji52PUWIszevfdSALrd03Q&cbp=12,112.53,,0,0

[FreewayDan]

Not necessarily.  That depends on how California defines red arrows (if they do at all, some states have no definition of what a red arrow means).

They do.  A red arrow means you're not permitted to turn until you get a green light or green arrow.

Before the advent of the red arrows, California used signals with red and yellow balls and a green arrow supplemented with a "LEFT OR U-TURN ON GREEN ARROW ONLY" sign posted below the signal.

Also before the advent of the red and yellow arrows on California roads Caltrans and City /County DOT's  used programmable signals (like the 3M programmable signals or louvers to prevent the wrong lane from seeing the signal face

quoting ~S

An example of left turn signals in West Covina, CA that use a 3M programmable signal at the end of the mast and a 8-8-12 louver signal at the corner:
http://goo.gl/maps/GnDfB

However, there's an intersection in Bay Point, CA, that uses a McCain programmable signal at the end of the mast and a louver signal at the corner (no red arrows there):
http://goo.gl/maps/Xj2ft

[jakeroot]

This is a new signal installation in Puyallup, Wash. Don't know exactly why there is a signal facing the wrong way. I wonder if it's permanent or some sort of transit signal. You would think if it was permanent they would make sure it doesn't block the street blade.

Also, Puyallup's first FYAs (they always used doghouses). FYI, the road is being widened to 5 lanes from 4: http://goo.gl/szgBfp.

They just built a massive warehouse due west of the signal. Puyallup and neighbouring Fife seem to be doing lots of work in preperation for the WA SR 167 extension: http://goo.gl/gxU6Cn

[NE2]

Puyallup and neighbouring Fife seem to be doing lots of work in preperation for the WA SR 167 extension: http://goo.gl/gxU6Cn

I'm confused. Why would you use the Goog as a URL shortener? It makes me think it's a link to Google Maps.

[Big John]

^^ A signal like that is used where approaching traffic may not be able to see the main signals at design speed.  They are most common where there is a horizontal curve at or near the intersection.