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3M PV Traffic Signals

Started by blue.cable82, September 07, 2017, 08:52:20 PM

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blue.cable82

3M's PV Traffic signals used be everywhere in the US especially in California. Now Mccain's  PV Traffic signals are replacing 3M.

LGMS210



Pink Jazz

Quote from: blue.cable82 on September 07, 2017, 08:52:20 PM
3M's PV Traffic signals used be everywhere in the US especially in California. Now Mccain's  PV Traffic signals are replacing 3M.

LGMS210


There are a few of these in Tempe, AZ.  Once 3M's patents expired McCain was able to make a less expensive model that most DOTs switched to.

plain

#2
Last time I checked, Washington DC still had 3M models in numerous locations.

Newport News, VA still has theirs at both places:
US 258 just north of VA 143
https://goo.gl/maps/4VHHCvQiQUF2
Oyster Point Rd just west of I-64 (left turn signal)
https://goo.gl/maps/1WwXjH8SXj12

Virginia Beach and Henrico County, VA used to use the 3M models for left turn signals (mostly on US 58 in VB's case) but they've all been replaced by standard LED signals with red arrows, in both localities.

When the initial section of Henrico's John Rolfe Pkwy opened, it's left turn signals used the McCain model (I'm guessing this is when 3M's patents expired), which were also replaced.

Richmond has the McCain model on two signals, one here and the other at the intersection just to the north. It's the only place in this city to ever have a PV
14th St at Canal St
https://goo.gl/maps/rNMp7rrSihQ2
Newark born, Richmond bred

TheArkansasRoadgeek

Quote from: blue.cable82 on September 07, 2017, 08:52:20 PM
3M's PV Traffic signals used be everywhere in the US especially in California. Now Mccain's  PV Traffic signals are replacing 3M.

LGMS210
Tunnel Visors are king in Arkansas, and most likely won't be changing anytime soon!
Well, that's just like your opinion man...

JMAN_WiS&S

A question just came to mind regarding using masked signals. How does the multiple signal per movement rule apply here? If you are using masked signals and the one for your lane goes out, how are you supposed to see if the light is red?
Youtube, Twitter, Flickr Username: JMAN.WiS&S
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I am not an official representative or spokesperson for WisDOT. Any views or opinions expressed are purely my own based on my work experiences and do not represent WisDOTs views or opinions.

roadman

In the late 1960s, one of the first signal installations put in on Highland Avenue (MA 107) in Salem MA was at the strip mall containing the First National supermarket, Salem Savings Bank, and Rich's Department Store.  The left turn lane from Highland Avenue northbound into the strip mall had an early 3M PV signal head.  I still recall, as a kid, how you could easily see the signal indication from the other lanes after dusk.
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jeffandnicole

Quote from: JMAN12343610 on October 02, 2017, 10:42:00 PM
A question just came to mind regarding using masked signals. How does the multiple signal per movement rule apply here? If you are using masked signals and the one for your lane goes out, how are you supposed to see if the light is red?

The way it should work is if you don't see a green or yellow, you should stop.  Of course, people would rather use the excuse "Well it wasn't red so I hit the gas.  It's everyone else's fault but mine!"

jakeroot

Quote from: jeffandnicole on October 03, 2017, 01:13:36 PM
Quote from: JMAN12343610 on October 02, 2017, 10:42:00 PM
A question just came to mind regarding using masked signals. How does the multiple signal per movement rule apply here? If you are using masked signals and the one for your lane goes out, how are you supposed to see if the light is red?

The way it should work is if you don't see a green or yellow, you should stop.  Of course, people would rather use the excuse "Well it wasn't red so I hit the gas.  It's everyone else's fault but mine!"

Coming to a full stop when all other traffic is proceeding at-speed would likely prove to be more dangerous than proceeding through, especially since cars [roughly] three or more back can see the green signals for the parallel lanes, and wouldn't be expecting traffic to stop.

Revive 755

Quote from: JMAN12343610 on October 02, 2017, 10:42:00 PM
A question just came to mind regarding using masked signals. How does the multiple signal per movement rule apply here? If you are using masked signals and the one for your lane goes out, how are you supposed to see if the light is red?

Sounds like the signal in this hypothetical case might be masked a bit too much?  I thought normally these signals were set to allow some visibility from the adjacent lane if the adjacent lane was making the same movement.

Although if this was that great of concern, just use a double red indication - the MUTCD does allow two circular reds to be used in the same head - see Figure 4D-2.

index

AFAIK, Morehead City is the only place in North Carolina that still has 3M M-131s left. These days, NCDOT prefers louvers or McCains, both of which I hate with a burning passion. (especially louvers)   :banghead:

https://goo.gl/z7uVbQ
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Counties traveled

kylebnjmnross

I seem to recall that the Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township, PA had this type of traffic signal at an intersection with Lambs Gap Rd, but I'm not 100% certain. My parents used to do paper routes for the Patriot-News in the late 90s to mid-2000s. They would take me with them in the car, and we would drive westbound on the Carlisle Pike to get to the center to pick up the newspapers. I distinctly remember seeing those square-shaped traffic lights, which were very different from the round ones all the others were. Over the years, the signals disappeared, and I never really knew why until now. According to some surprisingly helpful research on Google, Lambs Gap Road was relocated, which eliminated the old intersection with the Carlisle Pike, and by extension the 3M traffic signals that I think it had.

I always thought those signals looked really cool.

steviep24


kylebnjmnross

#12
Quote from: kylebnjmnross on January 02, 2018, 02:56:29 PM
I seem to recall that the Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township, PA had this type of traffic signal at an intersection with Lambs Gap Rd, but I'm not 100% certain. My parents used to do paper routes for the Patriot-News in the late 90s to mid-2000s. They would take me with them in the car, and we would drive westbound on the Carlisle Pike to get to the center to pick up the newspapers. I distinctly remember seeing those square-shaped traffic lights, which were very different from the round ones all the others were. Over the years, the signals disappeared, and I never really knew why until now. According to some surprisingly helpful research on Google, Lambs Gap Road was relocated, which eliminated the old intersection with the Carlisle Pike, and by extension the 3M traffic signals that I think it had.

I always thought those signals looked really cool.

Well, it took a LOT of digging, but I found this image of what I was talking about. The image came from a PennDot PDF file and was rather squeezed, so I stretched it out a little. If you look closely, you can see the square-shaped 3M traffic lights. It appears they were for Silver Spring Road rather than Lambs Gap Road, but I'm still pleased that I found a photo and my memory was correct for once.



EDIT: I just found some 3M signals that are actually in use. These are at the intersection of westbound Camp Hill Bypass and N 21st Street. https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2499887,-76.9212593,3a,60y,250.27h,83.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssjraVDnluBv3FLv3ONF96g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

traffic light guy

Theres isn't a single 3M left in Philly

traffic light guy

There's quite a few 3M traffic lights left in my area, I'll dig up my flickr photos later

kylebnjmnross

I never knew this before until I was driving on 2nd Street in Harrisburg the other day, but Forster Street has four of them. I thought they may have somehow been a new installation, but I just never noticed them before.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2651843,-76.8890287,3a,75y,13.93h,90.84t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sZ0Kq38HdfkT3EMT6hxWhBg!2e0!5s20170701T000000!7i13312!8i6656

traffic light guy


traffic light guy

Quote from: kylebnjmnross on January 03, 2018, 09:52:02 PM
Quote from: kylebnjmnross on January 02, 2018, 02:56:29 PM
I seem to recall that the Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township, PA had this type of traffic signal at an intersection with Lambs Gap Rd, but I'm not 100% certain. My parents used to do paper routes for the Patriot-News in the late 90s to mid-2000s. They would take me with them in the car, and we would drive westbound on the Carlisle Pike to get to the center to pick up the newspapers. I distinctly remember seeing those square-shaped traffic lights, which were very different from the round ones all the others were. Over the years, the signals disappeared, and I never really knew why until now. According to some surprisingly helpful research on Google, Lambs Gap Road was relocated, which eliminated the old intersection with the Carlisle Pike, and by extension the 3M traffic signals that I think it had.

I always thought those signals looked really cool.

Well, it took a LOT of digging, but I found this image of what I was talking about. The image came from a PennDot PDF file and was rather squeezed, so I stretched it out a little. If you look closely, you can see the square-shaped 3M traffic lights. It appears they were for Silver Spring Road rather than Lambs Gap Road, but I'm still pleased that I found a photo and my memory was correct for once.



EDIT: I just found some 3M signals that are actually in use. These are at the intersection of westbound Camp Hill Bypass and N 21st Street. https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2499887,-76.9212593,3a,60y,250.27h,83.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssjraVDnluBv3FLv3ONF96g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

If you want to see 3Ms, look in the Delaware valley side of PA, there's at least twenty of them left in Philly's surrounding counties. Philly itself has no 3Ms left, they got rid of all them over a decade ago, although the city once had a ton of them according to old city photos that I found that were taken during the 1970s. New Jersey also has a hell load of 3Ms left, 3M traffic lights are way more common than you guys think.

traffic light guy

Philadelphia used to have a ton of 3Ms back in the 70s & 80s (ALL of them were replaced by louvered signals around the early-2000s):


PHILADELPHIA--2099 at Erie/Broad/Germantown EB by Peter Ehrlich, on Flickr

Pete Erich owns the photo

Signal man619

3M signals are cool and unique looking, but they are heavy and very bulky, they take up way to much room. I've sold all mine off except for a set of 8in adapters I have on a Marbalite. 
Cameron

traffic light guy


ErmineNotyours

In Renton, Washington, this is a retrofit on a standard round 8" signal.  Street View  It is placed here because entering the intersection a bit in front of it is a minor street controlled by a stop sign.  This light is for guiding traffic around the corner.  The intersection has recently been reengineered and the masked light removed, but until then there were four identical lights, one over each lane, and then the two around the corner that matched the status of the four others.  This was also where the new style of side-mounted traffic lights for a 1973 downtown redesign clashes with the standard design of overhead lights.

Here's another one on Broadway at the Arbutus railway, Vancouver BC.  Street View  For some reason, this railway crossing was controlled with a traffic light instead of regular railway crossing signals.  The rail line has since been replaced by a trail, and a new light has been put up for pedestrian crossing.

ErmineNotyours

Beacon on Lake Samammish Parkway at Northup Way, Bellevue, Washington.  It may be unusual to make a beacon directional, but the cross street comes in at an angle that might see the yellow beacon.  That cross street does not itself get a flashing red beacon, just a stop sign.


paulthemapguy

Yeah, all the 3Ms in Illinois are steadily being replaced by McCains as well.  Look no further than US30 in Joliet (but also go ahead and look further if you want to find more lol)

Check out this six-way intersection at US30, Raynor, and Black Road:  https://goo.gl/maps/aG9TrSrMSeA2

The corner of US30 and Ingalls Ave is interesting because each mast arm employs half-usage of 3Ms, alongside regular IDOT signals.  Google also happened to catch this light during a yellow phase so you can see a yellow composite LED alongside a yellow 3M indication:  https://goo.gl/maps/HXjy395d8QB2

And further up the road, at Caton Farm Rd, you can see some post-mounted (or mast-mounted) McCains, installed either 2016 or 2017 (I forget).  This intersection had no PV signals at all until the last couple years--then IDOT decided they wanted to use them.  https://goo.gl/maps/xbUxmAhsCSk

Here's a nice side-view of a 3M, that was once used for the left arrow at US34 and North Aurora Road going eastbound.  If you click around, you'll see that this signal head was replaced in the last couple years with a normal signal, as IDOT no longer recognized the need for only partial visibility.  https://goo.gl/maps/HxCU3Asap9y
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Quote from: ErmineNotyours on May 29, 2018, 09:46:22 AM
Beacon on Lake Samammish Parkway at Northup Way, Bellevue, Washington.  It may be unusual to make a beacon directional, but the cross street comes in at an angle that might see the yellow beacon.  That cross street does not itself get a flashing red beacon, just a stop sign.


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