When I drive into the Baltimore suburb of Towson, Maryland every other Friday evening, I can never help but notice that traffic turning right from Route 146 south onto the outer loop of I-695 (the Baltimore Beltway) must wait for a long time to yield to those turning left from Route 146 north out of Towson and onto the outer loop. Even though the latter drivers do get a red light during that signal's cycle, I feel like there must be a way that would allow the drivers going onto the outer loop from 146 south to always enter the Beltway as promptly as they're supposed to be able to, with minimal yielding. That's why I can imagine a flashing red signal similar to a four-way stop at this junction. Basically, this signal would allow alternate entry and alternate yielding, if you understand what I'm trying to say. What I mean is that a driver going from 146 south onto the outer loop of 695 would merge onto the onramp while a driver intending to turn left onto the same ramp from 146 north would yield, and then that driver would turn left onto the ramp while the next driver entering the Beltway toward Towson would yield, and so on. Meanwhile, the light next to the flasher on 146 north would still be wired as a full light, so that drivers exiting the outer loop and drivers going straight on 146 north would still get extended green periods. Anyone understand what I'm saying? And how insane does everyone think I am for this proposal?
What I forgot to mention is that the ramp from the outer loop of the Beltway empties onto a street called Hampton Lane, which goes a short distance to Route 146, and drivers can go straight from Hampton Lane onto that same outer loop onramp. So that means the entire intersection would probably have to be a four-way stop instead, or Hampton Lane would'nt be able to have a red flasher, or something like that. Also, there's a separate cloverleaf from the outer loop to 146 south. Would a four-way stop still work like that or just make it worse?
Well! It turns out one of these types of freeway entries already exists in the Baltimore area at I-83 and Middletown Road in the Parkton area in northern Baltimore County!
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F2kmEnhY.jpg&hash=4f394ec99957d32d221ed8f96c3d8556e36171c7)
I don't get it.
Do you just mean a four-way stop at the entrance/exit ramps?
So you want to put an all-way stop here, just after traffic turning left with a green light has entered the ramp?
https://goo.gl/maps/6Nry9SwZgwF2
Insane is being kind.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 23, 2016, 09:54:25 PM
So you want to put an all-way stop here, just after traffic turning left with a green light has entered the ramp?
https://goo.gl/maps/6Nry9SwZgwF2
Insane is being kind.
You're right, I do think that's what he's saying. Egad, that would make for daily accidents.
If there isn't a copious amount of northbound traffic volume making the left turn, you could eliminate one of the northbound left turn lanes and allow southbound traffic turning right to have a continuous green right arrow, meaning they would just merge onto the entrance ramp without having to stop.
When the left turn from the 146 to the 695 (outer) is red, and the s/b traffic gets its green, the right turn should be able to proceed freely, regardless of the yield sign (there shouldn't be any conflicting traffic). If there's a serious amount of traffic turning right from the 146 to the 695 (outer), such that even the green phase can't handle the amount of turning traffic, I'd suggest installing a second right turn yield, like this:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FT4oA57A.png&hash=b401afb3b6fe8780bdf387cea44523382c2dc532)