Stangest Traffic Lights

[Revive 755]

Yes.  Exactly.  This and the use of flimsy cables make me shake my head any time I drive through Indiana, or almost any other state in the Eastern time zone.  It's like they don't care if the turn arrow burns out, no matter how important the turning movement is to traffic flow at an intersection.  Illinois ALWAYS has two arrows visible for any turn movement, except in extremely rare cases where a mistake was made.

Except for District 8 (Collinsville), where I can find plenty of intersections which have only one 5-section head for left turns.

IL 13/IL 158 at IL 159
IL 157 at Triple Lakes Road
IL 3 at Sand Bank Road
IL 159 at IL 162
US 67 at IL 16

It does appear they always have two heads for protected-only lefts.

[jakeroot]

Yes.  Exactly.  This and the use of flimsy cables make me shake my head any time I drive through Indiana, or almost any other state in the Eastern time zone.  It's like they don't care if the turn arrow burns out, no matter how important the turning movement is to traffic flow at an intersection.  Illinois ALWAYS has two arrows visible for any turn movement, except in extremely rare cases where a mistake was made.

Except for District 8 (Collinsville), where I can find plenty of intersections which have only one 5-section head for left turns.

IL 13/IL 158 at IL 159
IL 157 at Triple Lakes Road
IL 3 at Sand Bank Road
IL 159 at IL 162
US 67 at IL 16

It does appear they always have two heads for protected-only lefts.

Woah, that's nuts. Those first and last examples are particularly interesting. I would have never guessed those to be in Illinois based on what I see. Very uncharacteristic to have such few signals. In fact, minus the overhead towers, they remind me more of something that Missouri would install.

[freebrickproductions]

Yes.  Exactly.  This and the use of flimsy cables make me shake my head any time I drive through Indiana, or almost any other state in the Eastern time zone.  It's like they don't care if the turn arrow burns out, no matter how important the turning movement is to traffic flow at an intersection.  Illinois ALWAYS has two arrows visible for any turn movement, except in extremely rare cases where a mistake was made.

Except for District 8 (Collinsville), where I can find plenty of intersections which have only one 5-section head for left turns.

IL 13/IL 158 at IL 159
IL 157 at Triple Lakes Road
IL 3 at Sand Bank Road
IL 159 at IL 162
US 67 at IL 16

It does appear they always have two heads for protected-only lefts.

Woah, that's nuts. Those first and last examples are particularly interesting. I would have never guessed those to be in Illinois based on what I see. Very uncharacteristic to have such few signals. In fact, minus the overhead towers, they remind me more of something that Missouri would install.

This signal in particular looks very northeastern, IMO:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5493493,-90.1599979,3a,15y,250.06h,96.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suoj71q6umdv_cya35-lKsw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

[Brandon]

Yes.  Exactly.  This and the use of flimsy cables make me shake my head any time I drive through Indiana, or almost any other state in the Eastern time zone.  It's like they don't care if the turn arrow burns out, no matter how important the turning movement is to traffic flow at an intersection.  Illinois ALWAYS has two arrows visible for any turn movement, except in extremely rare cases where a mistake was made.

Except for District 8 (Collinsville), where I can find plenty of intersections which have only one 5-section head for left turns.

IL 13/IL 158 at IL 159
IL 157 at Triple Lakes Road
IL 3 at Sand Bank Road
IL 159 at IL 162
US 67 at IL 16

It does appear they always have two heads for protected-only lefts.

Woah, that's nuts. Those first and last examples are particularly interesting. I would have never guessed those to be in Illinois based on what I see. Very uncharacteristic to have such few signals. In fact, minus the overhead towers, they remind me more of something that Missouri would install.

Seems like D-8 needs a swift kick in the ass from Springfield.

For some contrast, here's D-1's standards: http://apps.dot.illinois.gov/eplan/desenv/standards/District%201/D1MiscManuals/D1%20TS%20Design%20Guidelines%202009.pdf

Section 2.4 Signal Heads
2.4.1 General

When  left-turn  or  right-turn  arrows  are  used  in  the  Sequence  of  Operation, 
there shall be a minimum of two green and two yellow turn arrow sections per
approach except for the following conditions:
-    When   a   left-turn   GREEN   ARROW   clears   concurrently   with   a   
CIRCULAR   GREEN   (for   all   phase   
changes),   then   the   left-turn   
YELLOW  ARROW  shall  be  omitted.    (Example:  a  split  phase  type  of 
operation).
-    When green right arrows clear concurrently with green through arrows,
then yellow right turn arrows shall be omitted.  (Example:  At diamond
interchange  intersections  where  there  is  no  right  turn  overlap  or  no 
pedestrian conflicts).
-    When  right  turn  movement  is  continuous  and  the  green  right  turn 
arrows  that  control  this  movement  do 
not  clear,  then  yellow  right  turn 
arrows shall be omitted.

A  minimum  of  three  signal  faces  displaying  through  indications  shall  be 
provided on the far side of the intersection.

Not all districts are as thorough as D-1.  Here's the link to IDOT and each district's standards: http://idot.illinois.gov/doing-business/procurements/engineering-architectural-professional-services/Consultants-Resources/highway-standards-and-district-specific-standards

[paulthemapguy]

Except for District 8 (Collinsville), where I can find plenty of intersections which have only one 5-section head for left turns.

IL 13/IL 158 at IL 159
IL 157 at Triple Lakes Road
IL 3 at Sand Bank Road
IL 159 at IL 162
US 67 at IL 16

It does appear they always have two heads for protected-only lefts.

Seems like D-8 needs a swift kick in the ass from Springfield.

You're absolutely right.  Wow, District 8 is failsauce.  Maybe they're trying to balance things out in the wake of District 3's overachieving.    I know IDOT mandates at least two indications for each movement represented.  There are some elements of the standards you posted I didn't know about though.  It looks like most of the exceptions deal with yellow arrows and don't take anything away from the weird breach of standards here.

Another egregious signal is here on Arsenal Road in Will County.  At Elwood Port Rd., the southbound movement has only one green ball indication.  This is not only strange--it's unacceptable.  Seriously, who do I talk to about IDOT about this?  (will try to grab a photo later today)

[Revive 755]

Per Streetview, the temporary signal for widening IL 3 at IL 156 in Waterloo only had one set of left turn arrows as well

[Revive 755]

From a recent trip, the temporary span wire signals for WI 158 at 22nd Street in Kenosha only have one arrow for eastbound and westbound.  IIRC the signal is running EB and WB split phased with one far side four section ( R, Y, G, left green arrow), a far side three section (R,Y,G), and a near side three section (R,Y,G).

[jay8g]

Walking around today, I found a bizarre abandoned pedestrian signal (at 6th Ave NW and NW 47th St, between Fremont and Ballard in Seattle). As you can see from Street View, this is an intersection of two very minor streets -- it's not even enough of an intersection to warrant stop signs these days, let alone a traffic signal.


Here's the front of the pedestrian signal head. It's got symbolic indications (though Seattle has been using symbolic indications since at least the 80s, long before most other jurisdictions, so that doesn't mean it's that recent).


The signal cabinet is also still present. I don't know of any signal in Seattle that is still in use that has a cabinet that looks remotely like this -- even the really old signals elsewhere don't have pole-mounted cabinets. I have to wonder what's inside this thing...


It doesn't really show up in the picture, but each signal section had a large embossed Eagle logo on it. The signal head itself isn't too unusual for Seattle, but I haven't ever seen a bracket like this before. The conduit-less wiring is also rather strange.

I have absolutely no idea why there would have ever been a signal at this intersection. It's possible that it was just a pedestrian half signal, 6th Ave NW is far to minor of a street to warrant any sort of pedestrian crossing improvement at this time, and I doubt it ever was. Looking through historic aerials, it looks like neither of the streets were ever anything important. There's a City Light facility on the corner with the cabinet and signal, so it's possible that it was related to that for some reason, but the signal seems too old for that. About the only logical thing I can think of is that maybe it was a temporary installation for some project a long time ago, but even that would be weird...

[freebrickproductions]

That's an old mechanical controller there, nice find!

Also, that is a strange mount for the Eagle Flat-back pedestrian signal, with the slip fitter (meant for mounting on top of a mast/post) being on a small platform. Maybe a neighbor there complained about the road being "too dangerous for their kids to cross", and eventually the city caved and installed a pedestrian crossing there?

[mrsman]

Always looks odd when the Bullseyes don't have frames: https://goo.gl/DxNCiz

That's the round-door variant. They came out before the square-door ones (which came out in 1963, whereas the "round-door" ones came out in the late 50s after Econolite took over GE's signal line, IIRC). Both were produced side-by-side for a while, IIRC.

Thanks for the info. There's quite a few round doors in my area, but almost all have backplates.

In the next town over, there's quite a few signals that appear to be round doors from the back, but have frames on the front. What up with that? https://goo.gl/WXkNaM (you'll need to click around)

Those are square-doors with backgrounds on them.

The bullseyes are my favorite type of signal.  There were many used in Los Angeles as the overhead light for many signals that I saw growing up in the 70s and 80s.  (I believe most were installed in the 60s and 70s.)  Was there ever an 8 inch variant of the bullseye or do they only come in 12 inch?

[freebrickproductions]

Always looks odd when the Bullseyes don't have frames: https://goo.gl/DxNCiz

That's the round-door variant. They came out before the square-door ones (which came out in 1963, whereas the "round-door" ones came out in the late 50s after Econolite took over GE's signal line, IIRC). Both were produced side-by-side for a while, IIRC.

Thanks for the info. There's quite a few round doors in my area, but almost all have backplates.

In the next town over, there's quite a few signals that appear to be round doors from the back, but have frames on the front. What up with that? https://goo.gl/WXkNaM (you'll need to click around)

Those are square-doors with backgrounds on them.

The bullseyes are my favorite type of signal.  There were many used in Los Angeles as the overhead light for many signals that I saw growing up in the 70s and 80s.  (I believe most were installed in the 60s and 70s.)  Was there ever an 8 inch variant of the bullseye or do they only come in 12 inch?

Only 12 inch. The 8 inch signals that Econolite sold at the time were the Econolite "Groove-back" signals. There was an 8 inch round-body signal that was made a few years prior and may have inspired the Econolite Bullseye, the GE Streamline, but I'm not entirely sure if the two signals' sections could be mounted together to make an all round-body 12-8-8.

[Mark68]

I've always wondered about these lights that seem to be in the Sacramento area, but nowhere else (at least not that I've seen). These are using what are typical (for California) mast arms except they bend downward toward the center with the left turn signal maybe about ten feet above the ground. It seems these are older installations (early 70s?), as newer ones look to be typical of what is seen elsewhere in CA.

https://goo.gl/maps/tFvvkXvSoYk

[jakeroot]

I've always wondered about these lights that seem to be in the Sacramento area, but nowhere else (at least not that I've seen). These are using what sare typical (for California) mast arms except they bend downward toward the center with the left turn signal maybe about ten feet above the ground. It seems these are older installations (early 70s?), as newer ones look to be typical of what is seen elsewhere in CA.

https://goo.gl/maps/tFvvkXvSoYk

Juneau, AK is the only other place I've seen mast arms like that: https://goo.gl/P5yDLa -- very odd look.

That whole intersection that you linked is strange. Odd 5-section through signal, three different types of mast arms, including two of a very strange type, and two of the left turn pole-mounted signals on the far left mast instead of on a pole (as is the norm in CA).

[CJResotko]

An interesting setup in Lansing, Michigan, near the Old Town district, at the intersection of Cesar E Chavez Avenue and High Street. https://goo.gl/maps/9gW93pwQ4X12 Whenever the crosswalk signal is activated for crossing High Street, the box turns on and says, RIGHT TURN ONLY. I have yet to make a video on this intersection.

[jakeroot]

Can someone help me identify this signal's manufacturer? It was installed in Spokane Valley, WA a few years ago. It's not a manufacturer that I see in WA hardly at all:



Unrelated: two of the original four overhead signals were moved to post-mounted positions when the left-most signal for each approach became FYAs. You can see how much older they are in the street view link.

[bcroadguy]

Can someone help me identify this signal's manufacturer? It was installed in Spokane Valley, WA a few years ago. It's not a manufacturer that I see in WA hardly at all:



Unrelated: two of the original four overhead signals were moved to post-mounted positions when the left-most signal for each approach became FYAs. You can see how much older they are in the street view link.

There are tons of these near my house. I'll try and get a better look at them if I go on a quarantine walk in the next few days.

[jakeroot]

There are tons of these near my house. I'll try and get a better look at them if I go on a quarantine walk in the next few days.

Awesome, thank you. I was thinking I'd seen them In BC more than anywhere, but not in WA.

[bcroadguy]

There are tons of these near my house. I'll try and get a better look at them if I go on a quarantine walk in the next few days.

Awesome, thank you. I was thinking I'd seen them In BC more than anywhere, but not in WA.

So it looks like they're LFE signals.

I found a website with some info about them:
http://www.kbrhorse.net/signals/lfe01.html
The next page about doghouses has photos of their newer style of signals / the ones you posted.

[jakeroot]

There are tons of these near my house. I'll try and get a better look at them if I go on a quarantine walk in the next few days.

Awesome, thank you. I was thinking I'd seen them In BC more than anywhere, but not in WA.

So it looks like they're LFE signals.

I found a website with some info about them:
http://www.kbrhorse.net/signals/lfe01.html
The next page about doghouses has photos of their newer style of signals / the ones you posted.

Awesome work, mate! Really appreciate you taking a look.

The aluminum version is one that I've definitely seen around, but the polycarbonate version (as seen in my image, and fairly often around BC as you noted) is one that I see far, far less.  I like their look. Pretty clean and slim.

Apparently they're now made by Eagle. These that were installed at BC-99 and 16 Ave use them. Wonder if they're branded as Eagles?

[bcroadguy]

There are tons of these near my house. I'll try and get a better look at them if I go on a quarantine walk in the next few days.

Awesome, thank you. I was thinking I'd seen them In BC more than anywhere, but not in WA.

So it looks like they're LFE signals.

I found a website with some info about them:
http://www.kbrhorse.net/signals/lfe01.html
The next page about doghouses has photos of their newer style of signals / the ones you posted.

Awesome work, mate! Really appreciate you taking a look.

The aluminum version is one that I've definitely seen around, but the polycarbonate version (as seen in my image, and fairly often around BC as you noted) is one that I see far, far less.  I like their look. Pretty clean and slim.

Apparently they're now made by Eagle. These that were installed at BC-99 and 16 Ave use them. Wonder if they're branded as Eagles?

Probably not. The signals I looked at earlier today were only installed about 3 years ago.

I don't think I've ever seen the aluminum version in BC, but I often see pedestrian signals that look very similar from the back and are pretty much only installed alongside LFE vehicle signals, which makes me wonder if LFE makes those too.

Edit: Nevermind. I know DC uses those same pedestrian signals but it looks like the backs of their newer vehicle signals look the same as the pedestrian ones.

[STLmapboy]

And we also have this garbage in Mexico, which normally uses standard US signals.


https://www.google.com/maps/@21.1741349,-86.8266527,3a,66.1y,53.6h,103.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1st7CvsVrNFlPHYAwwz0iqew!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@21.1742144,-86.826881,3a,75y,234.43h,98.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sv_TMoIkBuls8HAKcgSNvsw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I know I'm very late, but look what this has been "upgraded" to: https://www.google.com/maps/@21.1740929,-86.8266676,3a,65.7y,34.32h,107.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svQwSns7QwQMBak1T3K5Lpg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[KEK Inc.]

https://www.google.com/maps/@46.2386523,-119.2440689,3a,75y,286.88h,84.99t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s0_4W3_kCNz-H4bKhgDjVKQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D0_4W3_kCNz-H4bKhgDjVKQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D98.8421%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Not sure if this counts, but there's a meter light in the Tri-Cities of Washington right before a roundabout. 

[mrsman]

https://www.google.com/maps/@46.2386523,-119.2440689,3a,75y,286.88h,84.99t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s0_4W3_kCNz-H4bKhgDjVKQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D0_4W3_kCNz-H4bKhgDjVKQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D98.8421%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Not sure if this counts, but there's a meter light in the Tri-Cities of Washington right before a roundabout.

I believe this may have been mentioned somewhere else, because I remember seeing it posted somewhere.  But all in all, a good idea to meter access to a roundabout to avoid it getting too congested.

[STLmapboy]

Four t-shaped straight-ahead signals in Lexington, KY, with two red balls each:
https://www.google.pl/maps/@37.9948992,-84.5221116,3a,27.3y,23.85h,97.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sEDtg2yx8wR7aw91ZSRWdOQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The pairs of balls are even more visible from a side street:
https://www.google.pl/maps/@37.9947564,-84.5219337,3a,26.2y,348.79h,92.06t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sI6cesr6Pp67idulcwvSvig!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Another one across KY-4, with a standard left turn signal, right before a variable-lane config on US-27:
https://www.google.pl/maps/@37.9975729,-84.5214192,3a,28.8y,19.16h,90.09t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6WpqQ8pCQ-LynPvXAOy_wA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Also, does anyone have a clue about this a bit further north? I think it has to do with the variable-lanes configuration.

[CardInLex]

Also, does anyone have a clue about this a bit further north? I think it has to do with the variable-lanes configuration.

Yeah, that's the last left turn signal before the lanes change back to non reversible. The reversible lanes in the street view are in their "non-rush hour"  configuration.