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[CovalenceSTU]

Found this interesting but it didn't really fit in an existing thread: at the intersection of WA-502 (Main St/219th St) and 92nd Av, there are 2 u-turn lanes - a left/u-turn lane on the left, and a truck-only u-turn lane on the right (which looks like it will be a right turn lane following future development):


From the minor road there's a blackout "no right turn on red" sign, which does not light up when the left turn lane has a green (so it's presumably for the truck lane only):


There's a sign before that mentions the U-turn lane, but not that you can U-turn from the left lane:


I've seen a fair share of left turn lanes marked as U-turn only (also waiting for future development) but haven't seen another road with two from the same direction, or one on the right side of the road. Are either of those common elsewhere?

[mrsman]

This is highly unusual.  Are there a significant number of trucks making u-turns here.

[webny99]

Interesting find. Even the red arrow for that lane appears to be U-shaped instead of a traditional arrow. I have seen U-turns which specifically ban trucks, and U-turns specifically for trucks, but never on the right side of the road. It's sort of like a jug handle with the handle attached. It actually makes sense though, and I'm surprised it's not done more. The one big downside would be that it would presumably need its own signal phase.

[CovalenceSTU]

This is highly unusual.  Are there a significant number of trucks making u-turns here.

There's a center barrier on the road that blocks left turns to/from very minor streets and driveways, including a few businesses and farms that could see truck traffic (so the potential for use is there). I haven't personally seen it in use, but just noticed there's a truck heading into the lane on satellite view:

[interstatefan990]

Wait, so would the opposing direction get a green right turn arrow during the other direction's left-lane truck U-turn phase? Or would it remain red because of the possibility that a truck's turning radius is too large and would take up the space?


Also, am I seeing things, or is this light red and green at the same time?!

EDIT: Nevermind.

Found what appears to be one signal perfectly captured between red and green:
https://goo.gl/maps/DChTbQqapiBKCPCu9

[roadfro]

Wait, so would the opposing direction get a green right turn arrow during the other direction's left-lane truck U-turn phase? Or would it remain red because of the possibility that a truck's turning radius is too large and would take up the space?

I could foresee that the opposing right turn could have a green arrow concurrent with the truck U-turn phase, assuming that right turn is a separate phase. I wouldn't think the turn radius would be that large.

[jakeroot]

I remember when this road was upgraded about eight years ago. The first thing that caught my attention was actually the Dollar Corner intersection (WA-502 / NE 72 Ave) where WSDOT installed slip lanes on all four corners (they don't install them very often, much less on every corner). And, rather than using yield signs, they are signalized with two post-mounted right turn signals on either side of the crosswalk, but didn't paint any kind of stop line. All told, very odd setup...rather complimentary to the equally odd signalized right-lane U-turn just down the way.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.7801359,-122.600165,109m/data=!3m1!1e3

[mrsman]

The only thing I could think of that is somewhat equivalent is this unique situation in Queens, NY:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7161675,-73.8332533,3a,37.5y,306.53h,87.05t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSh_dc0bRGzEaXPmZbwUReQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

This is Queens Blvd at 77 Av.   Queens Blvd is a divided street with service roads, basically islands divide the road into two westbound roadways and two eastbound roadways.  Thru traffic uses the inner roadways, and the outer roadways are more local, having both bike lanes and parking lanes.

The Q46 bus connects the nearby subway station with Union Turnpike.  Buses come off Union Turnpike (which travels under Queens Blvd two blocks away) and uses a ramp to reach Queens Blvd.  The bus pulls into the Queens Blvd service road, where the bus stop is.  The bus unloads its passengers and picks up new passengers on its way back to Union Turnpike.  To do that the bus proceeds further down the service road to 77 Av, enters the bus lane, and upon getting a green arrow will make a u-turn back to the eastbound inner roadway and then make a left at Union Turnpike (to reach UT's eastbound service road).  So even though signaled as a bus only left turn lane, the buses that use it actually make u-turns.  It is at the same phase as the regular left from the inner roadway to 77Av, so the buses have to be careful to negotiate their turn with the turning cars who also have the right of way. 

[kphoger]

It's somewhat normal in Mexico for left turns and U-turns to be accomplished from the frontage road or shoulder.

Here are some frontage road examples that I've personally used:
https://goo.gl/maps/ZXj15qceKtcjRrEL7
https://goo.gl/maps/dfRUqNqTbt1i54TLA

As for examples that don't have frontage roads...

I've noticed that some of them are being redone to have standard left-side turn lanes:

This one was later reconfigured to have a standard left-side turn lane.

This one was later reconfigured to have a standard left-side turn lane, and then reconfigured again to be a roundabout.

But not all of them have been redone in that way:

This one was recently widened to include a paved right-side left-turn lane.  Previously, traffic heading into town would pull off the paved portion of the highway and then turn left across both lanes.  I've personally done so at this location, back in 2006.

This one appears to be basically the same as when I was there in 2006.  Left turns and U-turns are both handled from the left lane of the frontage road on the same signal phase.  I've done a U-turn here.

I think the general thinking has been, Traffic that needs to wait for a gap should just get out of everyone's way.  Absent a wide spot in the road for a turn lane, this has meant pulling off onto the side of the road.

Actually, when driving in Mexico, it's a good idea to always keep this idea in mind, because sometimes you'll encounter it even in contexts where you might not expect to.  For example, I once encountered a truck that was completely stopped in the right lane here because the driver had just left the gas station and was waiting for a chance to make a U-turn onto the other side of the divided highway.  With no shoulders and no turn lane, that's what he should have done, rather than stopping in the fast lane.

[jakeroot]

This one was recently widened to include a paved right-side left-turn lane.  Previously, traffic heading into town would pull off the paved portion of the highway and then turn left across both lanes.  I've personally done so at this location, back in 2006.

Surprised that they wouldn't rebuild the road in such a way as to put the left turn lane in the center. Obviously that's what they do in most cases, so I know it's not like a policy thing. I guess it is interesting to see them building it in accordance with how it's used, even if how it's used is less than ideal (compared to using a dedicated left turn lane ... I get the idea when there is no left turn lane).

...and then reconfigured again to be a roundabout.

Unrelated: wouldn't be a Mexican roundabout without stop signs!

[Troubleshooter]

This one was recently widened to include a paved right-side left-turn lane.  Previously, traffic heading into town would pull off the paved portion of the highway and then turn left across both lanes.  I've personally done so at this location, back in 2006.

Surprised that they wouldn't rebuild the road in such a way as to put the left turn lane in the center. Obviously that's what they do in most cases, so I know it's not like a policy thing. I guess it is interesting to see them building it in accordance with how it's used, even if how it's used is less than ideal (compared to using a dedicated left turn lane ... I get the idea when there is no left turn lane).

...and then reconfigured again to be a roundabout.

Unrelated: wouldn't be a Mexican roundabout without stop signs!

It was done so the trucks could actually make the U-turn. The truck's turning radius is too large for the left lane U-turn. Otherwise they would have to put a lune on the left side of the road for the truck to finish the turn.

[kphoger]

This one was recently widened to include a paved right-side left-turn lane.  Previously, traffic heading into town would pull off the paved portion of the highway and then turn left across both lanes.  I've personally done so at this location, back in 2006.

Surprised that they wouldn't rebuild the road in such a way as to put the left turn lane in the center. Obviously that's what they do in most cases, so I know it's not like a policy thing. I guess it is interesting to see them building it in accordance with how it's used, even if how it's used is less than ideal (compared to using a dedicated left turn lane ... I get the idea when there is no left turn lane).

...and then reconfigured again to be a roundabout.

Unrelated: wouldn't be a Mexican roundabout without stop signs!

It was done so the trucks could actually make the U-turn. The truck's turning radius is too large for the left lane U-turn. Otherwise they would have to put a lune on the left side of the road for the truck to finish the turn.

Which of the two locations in Mexico that I linked to are you talking about?  I wasn't aware that either one had a high volume of U-turning traffic.

[CovalenceSTU]

Double U-turn lanes on OH-4 Bypass, Hamilton, Ohio: It's essentially a two-lane Michigan left, as there's a triple right turn leading up to here and one U-turn leads into a right turn lane.

[kphoger]

During road construction on Kellogg a few years, we had this:  https://goo.gl/maps/uvo84KWYhqbAtmn99

All traffic exiting the turnpike was funneled onto eastbound Kellogg.  Westbound traffic was handled by a two-lane U-turn a ways downstream.

[Troubleshooter]

This one was recently widened to include a paved right-side left-turn lane.  Previously, traffic heading into town would pull off the paved portion of the highway and then turn left across both lanes.  I've personally done so at this location, back in 2006.

Surprised that they wouldn't rebuild the road in such a way as to put the left turn lane in the center. Obviously that's what they do in most cases, so I know it's not like a policy thing. I guess it is interesting to see them building it in accordance with how it's used, even if how it's used is less than ideal (compared to using a dedicated left turn lane ... I get the idea when there is no left turn lane).

...and then reconfigured again to be a roundabout.

Unrelated: wouldn't be a Mexican roundabout without stop signs!

It was done so the trucks could actually make the U-turn. The truck's turning radius is too large for the left lane U-turn. Otherwise they would have to put a lune on the left side of the road for the truck to finish the turn.

Which of the two locations in Mexico that I linked to are you talking about?  I wasn't aware that either one had a high volume of U-turning traffic.

I was referring to the original post.

[kphoger]

Which of the two locations in Mexico that I linked to are you talking about?  I wasn't aware that either one had a high volume of U-turning traffic.

I was referring to the original post.

Then why did you quote me?

[Troubleshooter]

Which of the two locations in Mexico that I linked to are you talking about?  I wasn't aware that either one had a high volume of U-turning traffic.

I was referring to the original post.

Then why did you quote me?

I don't know what happened. I thought I went to the top to quote, but apparently I didn't.

[lepidopteran]

One location in NJ with a signalized jughandle for U-turns only.  The advance sign which reads "All Turns From Right Lane" for most jughandles reads "U Turn From Right Lane" here.

[webny99]

Double U-turn lanes on OH-4 Bypass, Hamilton, Ohio: It's essentially a two-lane Michigan left, as there's a triple right turn leading up to here and one U-turn leads into a right turn lane.

Interesting setup. Even the light on the signal is U-shaped: https://goo.gl/maps/gW8gxhd1CbtJCnrk6

[jakeroot]

Double U-turn lanes on OH-4 Bypass, Hamilton, Ohio: It's essentially a two-lane Michigan left, as there's a triple right turn leading up to here and one U-turn leads into a right turn lane.

Interesting setup. Even the light on the signal is U-shaped: https://goo.gl/maps/gW8gxhd1CbtJCnrk6

And the other direction gets a totally different U-turn arrow shape: https://goo.gl/maps/3GUC96yV3qgEXUe18

[Big John]

Double U-turn lanes on OH-4 Bypass, Hamilton, Ohio: It's essentially a two-lane Michigan left, as there's a triple right turn leading up to here and one U-turn leads into a right turn lane.

Interesting setup. Even the light on the signal is U-shaped: https://goo.gl/maps/gW8gxhd1CbtJCnrk6

Option was added in the 2009 MUTCD.

[Troubleshooter]

One location in NJ with a signalized jughandle for U-turns only.  The advance sign which reads "All Turns From Right Lane" for most jughandles reads "U Turn From Right Lane" here.

NJ has many of those. On one in Union NJ, the u-turn makes the pretzel interchange west of it a complete interchange.

https://goo.gl/maps/HiaKwcTh4m7CbdMn8

[Troubleshooter]

Double U-turn lanes on OH-4 Bypass, Hamilton, Ohio: It's essentially a two-lane Michigan left, as there's a triple right turn leading up to here and one U-turn leads into a right turn lane.

Interesting setup. Even the light on the signal is U-shaped: https://goo.gl/maps/gW8gxhd1CbtJCnrk6

This one has a lune to accommodate big trucks making U-turns (top view of same U-turn).

https://goo.gl/maps/zasAMoCdKFEqvWLw8