AARoads Forum

My favorite installation type is mast-arm, mainly the 1970s-era Pennsylvania Eagle installs, the '70s are in between not too modern and not too primitive.

I always liked the installations along JFK Parkway in Millburn, NJ at the entrances to the Mall at Shorthills. 

To me I was always fascinated by them as unlike typical intersection signals with just two straight through heads and maybe one side mount, they were clustered.  This gave me a challenge to figure out which of the many scattered heads went for each direction. 

Its a shame, though, that NJDOT made Essex County who maintained the signals to abandon the green color for the current statewide yellow, as they looked much cooler in green.  Now I believe they might be either all yellow or some heads yellow and some green.  Anyway I always loved the previous green heads that NJ used to use especially the ones installed in the late 70's and early 80's as they had the best shade of green of em all.

Pole/post mounted.

(https://www.lysator.liu.se/~riiga/Bilder/Foton/P1020389.jpg)

I've always been fond of the mast-arm/guy wire setup in New York City.

I like seeing span-wire set-ups. Helps that I'm from Alabama where that's usually the norm outside of some major cities.

I like mast arms more, but a lot of the time, they seem to come at the expense of number of signals, and I'd prefer a signal per lane for the far side, plus one close side head for each protected only signal, which I see a lot more of on span wires.

I've always been fond of the post mounted signals, however I do like span wire as well.

Here are some of my personal favorites from both the past and the present.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Auburn,+IN/@41.3658486,-85.0558028,3a,75y,245.75h,87.04t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sZHd76vTLsZ5J8XY2ratQkw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DZHd76vTLsZ5J8XY2ratQkw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D63.89592%26pitch%3D0!7i3328!8i1664!4m2!3m1!1s0x88161b05fbe06b05:0x8881253859443beb!6m1!1e1

Art Deco signals with smiley lenses still in service as of last year. These will be around for a while as its part of the historic district. All of the other signals in town are LED with electronic controllers while these are still incandescent with a mechanical controller.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5149253,-87.4277187,3a,75y,266.35h,73.86t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sQ-fbTvkvwtNaSKJ6ONVPXQ!2e0!5s20131001T000000!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

This at one time was one of the Indiana standards for traffic signals. Mast arms for the main street, and post mounted signals for the side street. These signals are still in service. This is also the only install in Indiana to my knowledge that has ICC worded Walk/Don't Walk signals.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5974253,-87.4615905,3a,75y,267.95h,79.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sry8ZokkhI5jKjx9w52IaWw!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

Again, this at one time was the Indiana standard. These signals were in the process of being replaced when this street view picture was taken in July 2009, and were replaced with all mast arms by August of 2009.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6170245,-87.5220536,3a,75y,162.71h,84.01t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s6S2cAVtiUtw1L7Mh_4eYuQ!2e0!5s20090701T000000!7i13312!8i6656

All post mounted install that at one time had the older leading arrow without the yellow arrow phase. The install remains the same with the exception of new signals with a now added yellow arrow instead of the arrow just going dark.

Last but not least, my favorite (now replaced) span wire setup.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5955791,-87.5001783,3a,44.5y,92.15h,92.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sdEtkO0xeLCwsSSejD8OjSg!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

All singer signals with a 4 section right turn signal and a left turn signal that had a the R-Y-GA configuration. Signals were replaced with modern signals in 2009.

Here is the next intersection showing the left turn signal with the yellow ball illuminated.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5956046,-87.4979277,3a,75y,59.85h,95.32t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sQYmKV1NFzqke6a9JU2f2ew!2e0!5s20080801T000000!7i3328!8i1664

First and foremost for me would be post-mounted, especially the older ones with more ornate features: finials, decorative bases, etc. While they're slowly being replaced in Wisconsin, I also still like the look of a signal mounted horizontally in a truss/trombone arm. There's something about them that looks cleaner to me... everything is in-line with the support structure. I have to give creativity props to Madison for using oversized street light arms (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.134363,-89.2929331,3a,75y,67.01h,89.83t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1seo4i7SN7i2rzEMtFXfKSPw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) to mount their horizontal signals for a time, but some of the installations looked a bit sloppy, IMO, with the auxiliary piping needed (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0838105,-89.3250789,3a,75y,128.02h,89.19t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sI0ARyxI0c_vUtALwJR6sbw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DI0ARyxI0c_vUtALwJR6sbw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D44.516216%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656) to connect the signals to the arm.

Top three for me (click each for a Street View example):

1) UK pole-mounted signals (https://goo.gl/Uvqrkm) (I like the white border and I prefer pole-mounts) -- I prefer the UK signals to the rest of europe because the borders are squarer.
2) New Zealand side/overhead signals (https://goo.gl/mbqI1N). Always a side-mounted signal and they use 3x2 signals (like Australia) for left turns to protect pedestrians (red arrow disappears after a while). I like the white border and the color combination with the yellow and silver poles.
3) British Columbia black mast-arm with yellow signal heads (https://goo.gl/uPfGWb). Always a side-mounted signal (of the 8-inch variety, even for arrows) and I like the Clearview street blades. The contrast between the pole and signal head does seem to aid in seeing the signal.

Quote from: jakeroot on October 01, 2015, 01:30:23 AM1) UK pole-mounted signals (https://goo.gl/Uvqrkm)

Lu*on? Really?
I nearly threw up my breakfast. I guess the traffic lights are numerous enough to almost hide that hideous town, and you are heading towards the airport (the place where you can run away at the fastest speed) but still! Trigger warnings, next time, please! ;)

My all-time favorite signal installation is Springfield, MO's truss arm setups.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FXbCxF7j.jpg&hash=b109d3ee936700c878a432c7dd964b77cdeb6a08)

Quote from: Mohkfry on October 01, 2015, 12:38:36 AM
Again, this at one time was the Indiana standard. These signals were in the process of being replaced when this street view picture was taken in July 2009, and were replaced with all mast arms by August of 2009.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6169328,-87.5220529,3a,75y,155.55h,71.8t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1slTU7HBX_d2HOyIb9MijcKg!2e0!5s20110801T000000!7i13312!8i6656

The 2013 photo show the new signals are also post mounted in the same configuration.  Also odd to see stop bar signals in Indiana. That and your first link still employ an old Wisconsin standard where the far-side right signal or overhead signal was optional. Though there is a MUTCD violation as there are left-turn arrows on the right-side stop bar signal.

Quote from: english si on October 01, 2015, 04:11:43 AM

Quote from: jakeroot on October 01, 2015, 01:30:23 AM1) UK pole-mounted signals (https://goo.gl/Uvqrkm)

Lu*on? Really?
I nearly threw up my breakfast. I guess the traffic lights are numerous enough to almost hide that hideous town, and you are heading towards the airport (the place where you can run away at the fastest speed) but still! Trigger warnings, next time, please! ;)

I just zoomed in on a random place. Sorry for any harm caused.  :-D

Quote from: Big John on October 01, 2015, 10:51:22 AM

Quote from: Mohkfry on October 01, 2015, 12:38:36 AM
Again, this at one time was the Indiana standard. These signals were in the process of being replaced when this street view picture was taken in July 2009, and were replaced with all mast arms by August of 2009.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6169328,-87.5220529,3a,75y,155.55h,71.8t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1slTU7HBX_d2HOyIb9MijcKg!2e0!5s20110801T000000!7i13312!8i6656

The 2013 photo show the new signals are also post mounted in the same configuration.  Also odd to see stop bar signals in Indiana. That and your first link still employ an old Wisconsin standard where the far-side right signal or overhead signal was optional. Though there is a MUTCD violation as there are left-turn arrows on the right-side stop bar signal.

Sorry about that. I had two links switched up. This is the link that should have been posted there.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5974253,-87.4615905,3a,75y,270.89h,80.12t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sry8ZokkhI5jKjx9w52IaWw!2e0!5s20090701T000000!7i3328!8i1664