Surface-Level Doghouses

[Hobart]

So I decided to make a thread dedicated to one of the most unpleasant looking signal configurations I have seen: Ground-mounted doghouse signals!

I hate them, because they not only look bad, but they also lose a lot of benefits that they would have on a span wire or mast arm; height doesn't matter here, and ungainliness on a span wire doesn't matter here.

Here's a ripe looking one in Muenster, Indiana:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5343162,-87.5091547,3a,75y,190.78h,93.21t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sftFLqwhRt_bQ-AYdxHf7rA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DftFLqwhRt_bQ-AYdxHf7rA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D65.66834%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Do you guys have any examples of these sorts of ground mounted doghouses? How much do you dislike them? I am legitimately curious now.

[Rothman]

No...don't like that.. don't like that one bit.

[Revive 755]

Previous similar thread:  https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=23026.0

But anyways:

* EB Longmeadow Parkway at IL 62 near Algonquin IL (one of the very few doghouses in Illinois)

* One for the NB left turn and another for the SB right turn at the Madison Street - Iowa Street intersection in Iowa City, Iowa.

[MATraveler128]

We have some of these here in Massachusetts. I don’t like them. Here’s a unique one on Endicott St in Danvers at the Liberty Tree Mall. Looks to be Dallas phasing.


https://www.google.com/maps/@42.5482875,-70.9425741,3a,75y,64.92h,81.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_cFgSvWyeOoAEcy3sc0LiQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[jmacswimmer]

Here's one from I-795 (MD)'s northern terminus, at the intersection between MD 140 & the connector to MD 30/MD 128.

I'll note that this is common practice at semi-protected left turns in MD to place an additional ground-mounted signal like the example above (to aid left-turners already pulled forward into the intersection waiting for a gap), but usually it's a simple 5-stack with the bottom 2 (i.e. the arrows) a larger size - here's one such example from US 15 at MD 28.

[kphoger]

I hate them

No...don't like that.. don't like that one bit.

I don't like them.

Am I the only one who doesn't mind them one bit?

[Rothman]

I hate them

No...don't like that.. don't like that one bit.

I don't like them.

Am I the only one who doesn't mind them one bit?

Yes.

[BrianP]

There were a couple ground-mounted doghouse signal heads added near me a couple of years ago when a signal had a left turn arrow added.  They are ground-mounted but at a higher elevation. It actually feels like it would work better if they were turned around.  Because when you get to the stop line you can no longer see the signal head for your turn.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1920921,-77.2718137,3a,75y,202.03h,83.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJIbm72UDvx1SBcOYuG7xhA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[7/8]

I hate them

No...don't like that.. don't like that one bit.

I don't like them.

Am I the only one who doesn't mind them one bit?

Yeah I don't get the hate either.

[GaryV]

The first thing I thought of when I read this thread title was that Fido would need to take a flying leap if his doghouse was not surface-level.

[kphoger]

And I first imagined a doghouse signal that was literally at ground level–not up on a post at all.

[CtrlAltDel]

I hate them

No...don't like that.. don't like that one bit.

I don't like them.

Am I the only one who doesn't mind them one bit?

I don't really care for doghouse signals at all, but that doesn't depend on the mounting location.

[SkyPesos]

Here's one in my area: https://goo.gl/maps/U5XAkJ2HjRKf2Xgv7

[skluth]

I only care if signals are understandable and not confusing. No idea why anyone would not like these signals.

[fwydriver405]

"Surface-level doghouses" are somewhat rare in Maine, as we either use 4-section bimodal heads for the right turns (and formerly for PPLT's) and FYA's for the left turns, but a few come up to mind below. Post mounted signals are also less common around here as well. Occasionally you have examples like this with the inline 4-section signals as well (on the side streets).

Biddeford: ME Route 111 @ Biddeford Gateway Center

Portland:
Rand Rd @ Maine Turnpike Exit 47 (GSV isn't updated, but signals were replaced recently)
Riverside St at Warren Ave
Forest Ave, Stevens Ave and Bishop St

Falmouth: US Route 1 and Depot Rd, as well as Clearwater Ave

[Ned Weasel]

I hate them

No...don't like that.. don't like that one bit.

I don't like them.

Am I the only one who doesn't mind them one bit?

I don't see what's so offensive about them, either.

[Hobart]

Found another travesty in Evansville!

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9767545,-87.5641841,3a,55.1y,215.21h,85.36t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s_JlzqYJy4W5g4WIX7v-bug!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3D_JlzqYJy4W5g4WIX7v-bug%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D317.13687%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Me to INDOT after refusing to use a tower of 5 instead of a doghouse on a pedestal signal: 
(I'm sorry, I just wanted a good excuse to use that emoji.)

The main reason I don't like this is because the doghouse was made to overcome the ungainliness of mounting towers of 5 onto span wires. This issue simply doesn't exist on a pedestal, so it makes no sense to me why they would spend money on unneeded brackets to make the doghouse shape.

[RobbieL2415]

Pole-mounted doghouses are a MA specialty.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6928093,-69.9549594,3a,75y,29.84h,88.59t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1snVEih-dl3A73BxMks1UViA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DnVEih-dl3A73BxMks1UViA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D24.631208%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6667109,-70.185061,3a,75y,159.29h,87.51t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sKcPbemZ0Kj_zhHaZ38lCOQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DKcPbemZ0Kj_zhHaZ38lCOQ%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D91.43229%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6554349,-70.2078753,3a,47.2y,175.06h,90.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sw0pWmUr7EYMI7eIFfpnuDA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
These all date to the early 80s.

[kphoger]

Found another travesty in Evansville!

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9767545,-87.5641841,3a,55.1y,215.21h,85.36t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s_JlzqYJy4W5g4WIX7v-bug!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3D_JlzqYJy4W5g4WIX7v-bug%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D317.13687%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Me to INDOT after refusing to use a tower of 5 instead of a doghouse on a pedestal signal:
(I'm sorry, I just wanted a good excuse to use that emoji.)

The main reason I don't like this is because the doghouse was made to overcome the ungainliness of mounting towers of 5 onto span wires. This issue simply doesn't exist on a pedestal, so it makes no sense to me why they would spend money on unneeded brackets to make the doghouse shape.

Visibility?  The red light would be higher otherwise, and that GSV is just after coming out from under a bridge.

[jjakucyk]

Here's one in my area: https://goo.gl/maps/U5XAkJ2HjRKf2Xgv7

Is it lame that I recognized it immediately without even looking at the location at the top left? 

[andrepoiy]

Yeah I don't get the hate either.

That's probably because 98% of non-construction-zone signals in Ontario are pole/ground-mounted, so it doesn't seem that weird to us

[interstatefan990]

Here's one in my area: https://goo.gl/maps/U5XAkJ2HjRKf2Xgv7

I think ground-mounted doghouses in the median are fine for left turn movements such as in this example, but other than that I'm not a fan.