Flashing red in all directions at an intersection

[MNHighwayMan]

This one on CT 364 was put here to supplement the stop signs after a fatal accident about 40 years ago.

https://goo.gl/maps/L5qGUKKtUqu

That's a beacon. This thread is about full three-color signals being set to flash red.

[roadman65]

That is pretty common to have a four way red flashers.  Caltrans uses them a lot.  In Florida many big intersections uses them to avoid long waits on one or more of the sides.

Flashing beacons are almost everywhere that have three or four way stops.

One that is interesting is Central Florida Parkway at John Young Parkway in Orlando used to flash yellow on JYP and red on Central FL, but in recent years Orange County changed that to all red when flashing.

[kphoger]

I've always wondered if a signal were to go on permanent flash mode, wouldn't it make sense to just put in stop signs and remove the signal.  Use the signal hardware and equipment at other intersections or simply just recycle the equipment.

But then there's the risk that "permanent flash mode" would end up being not-so-permanent.  If they needed to switch the signal back to regular cycles, then where would they be?

[mrsman]

I've always wondered if a signal were to go on permanent flash mode, wouldn't it make sense to just put in stop signs and remove the signal.  Use the signal hardware and equipment at other intersections or simply just recycle the equipment.

But then there's the risk that "permanent flash mode" would end up being not-so-permanent.  If they needed to switch the signal back to regular cycles, then where would they be?

I would say that what you say is possible.  But there are many that I see where the chances of that happening are negligible.  The examples in Capitol Hill are done for security.  A signal is no longer justified and it is nearly 95% chance that regular traffic will never be able to drive in front of the Congressional buildings.  Secutiry only seems to get more severe.  (See what happens at airports.)

There are also some intersections where it seems that there was never enough traffic to ever justify a signal in the first place, and given the configuration of the streets, unlikely to ever receive such traffic in the first place.

Again, it is shameful when in many jurisdictions there are busy 4-way stops that can't be converted to signals becuase of cost issues, yet a few blocks away, there are these wasteful all flashing reds.  Wasting electricity.  Utilizing light bulbs, sockets, timing hardware, etc.  [Heck there are many unjustified functional signals as well, but when you see a permanent flash, you know that even the DOT understands that a  signal is no longer justified.]

[CJResotko]

I've always wondered if a signal were to go on permanent flash mode, wouldn't it make sense to just put in stop signs and remove the signal.  Use the signal hardware and equipment at other intersections or simply just recycle the equipment.
[/quote]
Sometimes, it's cheaper to just keep the signal there to let people know that they have to stop. Or, they replace the signal with beacons.

[kphoger]

That's just it, though.  mrsman is talking about a defunct signal left to serve no purpose, and then a new signal gets installed down the street.  It can't be cheaper to install all new equipment for the new signal than it would be to move the old stuff over.

[Flint1979]

It's not uncommon in Michigan especially in rural areas for there to be a light like that.

The intersection of M-13 and M-57 has one, so does the intersection of M-52 and M-57. I use M-13 quite a bit south of Saginaw and you can see the red blinker at M-13 and M-57 from about 3 miles away.

[Flint1979]

This is one at the corner of Center and Washington in downtown Bay City, MI

[CJResotko]

This is one at the corner of Center and Washington in downtown Bay City, MI

Those are just beacons. The prompt in this thread is talking about RYG signals that have been placed into flash mode in red in all 4 directions. (However, this intersection was controlled by a traffic signal at one point).

[Flint1979]

M-83 and M-46

[Flint1979]

This is one at the corner of Center and Washington in downtown Bay City, MI

Those are just beacons. The prompt in this thread is talking about RYG signals that have been placed into flash mode in red in all 4 directions. (However, this intersection was controlled by a traffic signal at one point).

Ok well it did make me think that there are several in Michigan like that. I can think of one that is a RYG during the day but a four way stop at night and that is the corner of M-52 and Swan Creek Road in Saginaw County. There are some in Saginaw that are four way stop's at night but RYG during the day, one is at Mackinaw and Weiss on the NW corner of the city of Saginaw.

[CJResotko]

https://youtu.be/HXx2-YZsbDU
Here are some signals at an intersection in Arcanum, Ohio. The intersection is a 4-way stop and the lights are flashing red in all 4 directions. Arcanum is a village, and the intersection the lights are at doesn't get a lot of traffic, so you can see why it's like this.

[Flint1979]

Arcanum, Ohio: https://youtu.be/HXx2-YZsbDU

It looks like a ghost town.

[CJResotko]

Arcanum, Ohio: https://youtu.be/HXx2-YZsbDU

It looks like a ghost town.

Arcanum isn't really busy. When I was in Arcanum observing these signals, there weren't a lot of cars in the area at the time, but I saw a good amount of cars passing through on OH-49. Heck, I got some pics of these grand old signals by standing on the road near the intersection! That's how quiet the town was.

[fillup420]

South Carolina has plenty of these. This one on US 21 is a good example. They really want you to stop

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6270326,-80.8844507,3a,38y,330.33h,88.59t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgfO6HMDC9V0rS_cl0ZUT0Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Flint1979]

Arcanum, Ohio: https://youtu.be/HXx2-YZsbDU

It looks like a ghost town.

Arcanum isn't really busy. When I was in Arcanum observing these signals, there weren't a lot of cars in the area at the time, but I saw a good amount of cars passing through on OH-49. Heck, I got some pics of these grand old signals by standing on the road near the intersection! That's how quiet the town was.

I love small towns like that.

[CJResotko]

Sevierville, Tennessee

[US71]

Denison, Texas

[jeffandnicole]

The GSVs do it no justice, but the intersection linked below at Sumter Landing, The Villages, FL is in permanent all-red flash mode. The significance is that it's the only intersection in The Villages that I've encountered that has a traffic light in flash mode to begin with, is the only intersection with a traffic light where there's no overhead lights, and it has always been in all-red flash mode.  As you can see, there's no Stop signs.  It even has a dog-house style light on the far left, if you zoom in.  Some of me wonders if this was the intended theme to this particular intersection, especially as it's such an unusual occurrence in this area.

While the lights almost seem hidden in the picture, I've never had an issue seeing them when I'm down there flashing red, so I think, again, it's an issue of the GSV not really showing the lights properly (especially as it was probably taken when the lights were flashing with nothing showing).

https://goo.gl/maps/sSxAMQZ6RS8FWpLNA

For fun, scroll around this area and see all the golf carts on the roads and parked in the parallel parking spots! 

[Brian556]

Interesting

[jakeroot]

As you can see, there's no Stop signs.  It even has a dog-house style light on the far left, if you zoom in.  Some of me wonders if this was the intended theme to this particular intersection, especially as it's such an unusual occurrence in this area.

I'm thinking this is part of a theme. A few blocks away, there is another similar signal with all 8-inch signals with four doghouses, all of which were just installed as part of an upgrade of the signal:

https://goo.gl/maps/rjjTn6jbnoKyUzaF8

[jeffandnicole]

As you can see, there's no Stop signs.  It even has a dog-house style light on the far left, if you zoom in.  Some of me wonders if this was the intended theme to this particular intersection, especially as it's such an unusual occurrence in this area.

I'm thinking this is part of a theme. A few blocks away, there is another similar signal with all 8-inch signals with four doghouses, all of which were just installed as part of an upgrade of the signal:

https://goo.gl/maps/rjjTn6jbnoKyUzaF8

Ha...completely forgot about that intersection...been thru it many times on a golf cart too!

[CJResotko]

Seattle, WA

[andrepoiy]

Where I live, when there's a malfunction or whatever, at intersections where neither road is more "major" than the other, all directions flash red to signal a 4-way-stop.