Yield signs without acceleration lanes

[papaT10932]

Does anyone agree with me that posting the same sign (yield) on on-ramps in both situations, with or without an acceleration lane, is dangerous? A highway entry point without an acceleration lane, I think, should have stop signs to warn the entering driver of immediate merging traffic. Any thoughts?

[agentsteel53]

Does anyone agree with me that posting the same sign (yield) on on-ramps in both situations, with or without an acceleration lane, is dangerous? A highway entry point without an acceleration lane, I think, should have stop signs to warn the entering driver of immediate merging traffic. Any thoughts?

I think a "SHORT MERGE" sign, combined with the YIELD is the way to go.  If one can ascertain, on a slow roll, that traffic is amenable to joining - and therefore, without stopping, can come up to speed that much quicker - he should be allowed to.

[roadfro]

Let me see if I'm understanding the question correctly. You're asking whether posting a yield sign at the end of a highway on-ramp, either with or without an acceleration lane, is dangerous.


A high percentage of freeway entrance ramps don't have acceleration lanes on the mainline, so that doesn't mean that stop signs should be used. However, if you're talking about a merging area as opposed to an acceleration lane, that would make a bit more sense. Even still, a stop sign should not be used on an on-ramp except in the most extreme of circumstances--especially if not all drivers would need to stop. If there is a short merging area at the end of the ramp, Agentsteel's suggestion of a "Short Merge" warning sign combined with a "Yield" sign near the end of the ramp is probably the best way to sign the situation for drivers.

[Bryant5493]

Here are two dangerous intersections around the Atlanta Airport, where no one seems to want to yield.

U.S. 29 exit ramp to S.R. 6 East

* This ramp is a block away from I-85 and two blocks away from the Atlanta Airport.

I-85 North exit ramp to S.R. 6 West

* In the video, the ramp to the left has two yield ahead signs, yield on the pavement, yield bars on the pavement, and two yield signs. The ramp that's supposed (the ramp I'm on) to keep moving has two keep moving signs.


Be well,

Bryant

[froggie]

Following up on Jake's comment, Maryland utilizes "NO MERGE AREA" in their situations.

[KillerTux]

Those are pretty useful signs. I will get a picture of one in the wild today, but they are black on yellow and mount under the Yield sign.

[papaT10932]

This, I think, is a huge problem along most of New York's Parkways. I had a pretty close call on the Palisades Parkway recently, which got me thinking about this problem.

I agree that a simple yield is not effective in distinguishing between a long or short merges. I like the idea of a sign that says, "short merge." Or, perhaps, a yield should only be used on short merges. Are yield signs necessary on acceleration lanes that are 1/5 mile long?

[WillWeaverRVA]

Virginia uses "NO MERGE LANE" on occasion.

There's a particularly dangerous example of this (that isn't signed with "NO MERGE LANE" signs) on I-95 in Richmond, where the on-ramp from Robin Hood Road meets the freeway. There's no acceleration lane. This area frequently backs up during rush hour because people boldly try to force their way into traffic, causing traffic on I-95 to slow down and let them in.

[Bryant5493]

Those are pretty useful signs. I will get a picture of one in the wild today, but they are black on yellow and mount under the Yield sign.

My mom went to Maryland last month, and she did a bit of roadgeeking for me with her video camera. I saw that sign in the video, coming from MD 650 South to U.S. 29 South in Silver Spring. First time I'd seen that, though.


Be well,

Bryant

[Bryant5493]

Here's an interchange that would benefit greatly from one of those "No Merge Area" ahead signs a "Short Merge Area" sign.

I-285 South to S.R. 14 Conn. West


Be well,

Bryant

[The Premier]

Or one on I-76 WB before Exit 22A (Main St/Broadway). The on-ramp from Wolf Ledges is way too close to the off-ramp to Main St. It is no different traveling eastbound.

[vdeane]

This, I think, is a huge problem along most of New York's Parkways. I had a pretty close call on the Palisades Parkway recently, which got me thinking about this problem.

I agree that a simple yield is not effective in distinguishing between a long or short merges. I like the idea of a sign that says, "short merge." Or, perhaps, a yield should only be used on short merges. Are yield signs necessary on acceleration lanes that are 1/5 mile long?

Upstate we don't have yield signs on ramps.

I agree that stop signs should never be used on ramps except in extreme cases.  If the merge is short, that makes it even more important to be at highway speed when you merge into traffic.

[Revive 755]

There's an entrance onto NB I-81 around Carlisle, PA, that has a short acceleration lane sign.

As for the original topic, here's a couple for the C-D lane at the I-270 interchange with IL 203:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.758175,-90.091581&spn=0,0.020599&z=17&layer=c&cbll=38.758096,-90.091839&panoid=fU5TDWCQ0vv__gdOuRpp2w&cbp=12,55.67,,0,4.16
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.759346,-90.092944&spn=0,0.020599&z=17&layer=c&cbll=38.76122,-90.09799&panoid=pjgam1rMMIbX7HPkOhC9vQ&cbp=12,276.07,,0,14.42

- Wait, that second one doesn't have yield signs, yet has no merging area.

[Brian556]

In my opinion, it should be illegal to have a less than adequate length merge. This has to be the most unsafe highway feature that is still allowed. There is no reason that such an unsafe and non-functional condition such as this should be allowed to exist, especially when every other design element of a controlled acess highway has to meet very high design standards.

In construction zones, if a full length merge cannot be maintained, the ramp shold be required to be closed.

[agentsteel53]

the worst feature I've ever seen was, in a construction zone in New Jersey on an expressway on-ramp to US-46: the obligatory stop sign at the end of a short on-ramp, and then, just before the on-ramp on the mainline, in the gore point, a 36" "BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ZONE" sign that effectively blocked your view of oncoming traffic on the expressway!

I got out of the car and moved the sign over about five feet.  Luckily it was on an easily movable stand.  Yes, cars behind me on the on-ramp honked at me.  Presumably, about 3 seconds after I departed the interchange, they figured it out.