Which states' traffic light design do you like best, and why?

[roadman65]

I actually like California mast arms the best as far as looks. New York City, is the worst as the Double Guys are so old.  Even California removed the double guys for the modern look.


I grew up in NJ where mast arms and side mounts were often interchangeable and mixed up, so variety was a thing I was accustomed to.  However visiting states like California where things were standard (except SF as they were not into overheads and back plates) with the same bent arms, back plates, and side mounts were interesting as well as it was different from NJ.

[US 89]

The thing I don't like about New Mexico is that at least in Albuquerque, the vast majority of left turn signals are post mounted at the far median or far left corner, and rarely ever overhead. Those are great as supplemental signals but there really should be a primary overhead in my opinion. More than once I've nearly run a red on a left turn in ABQ because I was looking only at the overhead green thru signals and almost missed the red arrow on the far median post.

Interesting. Many protected-only left turns in British Columbia are post-mounted only, including an eye-level near-side signal. So in this way, I'm very used to seeing left turn signals mounted only on posts and don't find it unusual. So there may be some bias here, but in both ways, as Utah and Georgia almost never use post-mounted signals (except at SPUIs in Utah) and so you may be less likely to watch for them. Maybe. Don't want to assume anything, of course.

Perhaps. It's certainly not an ingrained habit of mine to look for them. I will say  though that I've done a fair amount of driving in much of the western/central/southern US and I can't recall another jurisdiction that regularly omitted left turn signals from the overhead wires/mast arms the way ABQ does.

Although the effect on drivers is probably less, this is even more true of right turns in NM. I have never seen a horizontal 5-section right turn signal in NM despite that state's almost exclusive use of horizontal signals. Usually the only indication of a protected right is on one 5-section signal on the far right post.

[Amtrakprod]

I'm biased, but I think MA has the best signal design. Lots of right turn on red restrictions, pedestrian friendly phasing with either LPIs, concurrent protected phases, or exclusive pedestrian phases. Lots of bicycle traffic signals as well. They're also big in FYAs, which I also think is great.

Aesthetically, the signals are almost always all black with a reflective border. Personally, I think all black without the reflective border is the best looking, but the reflective border doesn't take away from that.


iPhone

[jakeroot]

The thing I don't like about New Mexico is that at least in Albuquerque, the vast majority of left turn signals are post mounted at the far median or far left corner, and rarely ever overhead. Those are great as supplemental signals but there really should be a primary overhead in my opinion. More than once I've nearly run a red on a left turn in ABQ because I was looking only at the overhead green thru signals and almost missed the red arrow on the far median post.

Interesting. Many protected-only left turns in British Columbia are post-mounted only, including an eye-level near-side signal. So in this way, I'm very used to seeing left turn signals mounted only on posts and don't find it unusual. So there may be some bias here, but in both ways, as Utah and Georgia almost never use post-mounted signals (except at SPUIs in Utah) and so you may be less likely to watch for them. Maybe. Don't want to assume anything, of course.

Perhaps. It's certainly not an ingrained habit of mine to look for them. I will say  though that I've done a fair amount of driving in much of the western/central/southern US and I can't recall another jurisdiction that regularly omitted left turn signals from the overhead wires/mast arms the way ABQ does.

I would say, genuinely, that the closest comparison would be British Columbia, and maybe Wisconsin. It would have to be a jurisdiction that regularly employs medians. So like here in WA, they would have to be rare simply because medians at intersections are really rare. But in BC, WI, and NM, they're much more common. Ergo, much easier to use/rely on post-mounted signals in the median. Although in British Columbia, it's mostly reserved for protected-only left turns.

Although the effect on drivers is probably less, this is even more true of right turns in NM. I have never seen a horizontal 5-section right turn signal in NM despite that state's almost exclusive use of horizontal signals. Usually the only indication of a protected right is on one 5-section signal on the far right post.

I know in California, it's pretty rare to see 5-section right turn signals placed anywhere but on the signal mast, or post-mounted. Overhead-mounted 5-section right turn signals are virtually unheard of. May also be true in Arizona. Also true for a couple cities here in Washington.