Highway Oddities

[Voyager]

I thought it was like that in every state.

[roadfro]

Actually and surprisingly, it's not.  Discussions I've read on a roadgeek group indicate that some states specifically allow a right turn on red arrow after stop unless a sign prohibits it.  This, of course, seems contradictory to the intent of a right red arrow.  IIRC, the current MUTCD does not provide specific guidance on this.

Nevada's statutes don't specifically define a meaning for red arrows and only prescribe the status of a red indication (the nature of green arrows is defined, however).  In most cases where a red right arrow is used, the signal head is supplemented with "no turn on red" signs which legally establish the fact that right turns on a red arrow are not permitted.  Even if no sign is present, I tend to wait for the green arrow cause (as a budding traffic engineer) I understand the intent of the red arrow.

[Voyager]

It's been a long time since I was in another state.

[74/171FAN]

The remaining states (including Virginia) apparently don't have language regarding red arrows.

Virginia plans to specify the rule on the red arrow now that this incident has occured, but most of the cases involving this have been thrown out anyhow.

[mightyace]

I don't know how it is now.  But, when I was learning to drive in 1981, Pennsylvania's right turn on red law prohibited turns on red if there is ANY right turn arrow.

[74/171FAN]

Update: Right turn on red with a red arrow is NOT ALLOWED in VA(reported by NBC 12 in Richmond, VA).  The situation with US 301 at Wagner Rd is that Petersburg has replaced the red arrow with a red ball and has added a NO TURN ON RED sign.

[froggie]

Update: Right turn on red with a red arrow is NOT ALLOWED in VA(reported by NBC 12 in Richmond, VA).  The situation with US 301 at Wagner Rd is that Petersburg has replaced the red arrow with a red ball and has added a NO TURN ON RED sign.

Where did NBC 12 get this from?  I dug through the Code of Virginia and did not find anything specifically referencing red arrows.

[74/171FAN]

Where did NBC 12 get this from?  I dug through the Code of Virginia and did not find anything specifically referencing red arrows.

They did say that it was not specifically mentioned in the code but that is supposedly state law somehow. .  Maybe in a few months when my sister takes her test for her learner's that it will be added.

[njroadhorse]

I think this is allowed in New Jersey at certain intersections.

[deathtopumpkins]

74/171: I just took mine back in December and they didn't tell us anything along those lines... (in fact I just got my provisional license tuesday)

[74/171FAN]

74/171: I just took mine back in December and they didn't tell us anything along those lines... (in fact I just got my provisional license tuesday)

There's no way that its the law either.  There are normal speed limit signs on VA 156 in two different school zones in my county and the Speed Limit on VA 156 north of US 301(except for the first 1000 ft) is all 45-55 mph(except when the lights are FLASHING at the schools).

[deathtopumpkins]

Where did speed limits come from? 

[74/171FAN]

 

Where did speed limits come from? 

My driving instructor, who thinks that 35 is the limit in a school zone no matter what for some reason, and of course the real ones came from VDOT.

[froggie]

Of course...because per state law, VDOT has the authority to set speed limits on the roads it maintains.

Back to the red arrow thing...because Virginia Code doesn't even mention red arrows, and because right-turn-on-red IS allowed (unless signed otherwise), those who claim that right turn on a right red arrow is illegal (such as what was reported on NBC 12) are in the wrong.  And it's a pretty good bet that this is why those who were ticketed are getting their tickets dismissed (also reported on NBC 12).

Though there's nothing stopping the General Assembly from amending the law to include such.

[ComputerGuy]

Changing the subject to: WSDOT goofs on map!!!!



The U.S. Route 104 shield is supposed to be SR 104...image by WSDOTand Tele Atlas

[yanksfan6129]

^ Not to mention, those US shields look kinda funky . . .

[ComputerGuy]

That's how WSDOTand Tele Atlas draws them.

[74/171FAN]

Back to the red arrow thing...because Virginia Code doesn't even mention red arrows, and because right-turn-on-red IS allowed (unless signed otherwise), those who claim that right turn on a right red arrow is illegal (such as what was reported on NBC 12) are in the wrong.  And it's a pretty good bet that this is why those who were ticketed are getting their tickets dismissed (also reported on NBC 12).

I'll have to go with that for now but I'm sure that the red arrow thing will come up again in a different portion of VA before something happens.

[mightyace]

In a different vein, if you take the New York State Thruway between the end of I-88 (Exit 25A) and Exit 26 - Schenectady (I-890, NY 5S) to the west or to exits 25 ( Schenectady I-890, NY 146, NY 7) and 24 (Albany, I-87, I-90) to the east, you pay no toll.

And if you go farther to the east or west, your toll is calculated as if you got on at Exit 24 (EB) or Exit 26 (WB).

Does this have something to do with not having to build I-88 all the way to Schenectady  or Albany?

[74/171FAN]

 

An SR 2 in Gloucester County ??????? Not really it's actually SR 1219 but the ink must have fallen off the sign somehow??

[roadfro]

An SR 2 in Gloucester County ??????? Not really it's actually SR 1219 but the ink must have fallen off the sign somehow??

Sometimes, certain elements of a sign (text) are pressed/rolled on and may peel off over time, which is what I suspect happened here.

[CL]

Here's one from Utah - UDOT refuses to recognize concurrencies, whether it be signing them or codifying them into Utah state law. US-89 through the state is really seven separate routes. Concurrencies are very sporadically signed, if at all. US-50 is occasionally recognized while it piggy-backs on I-70, and there is one I-15/US-89 shield near the Salt Lake County/Utah County line. But that's about it.

[roadfro]

^  I understand the reason for designating one route as the "official" route for concurrencies (especially in states where routes are codified into law).  However, I do not understand why some states only sign one route when multiple routes overlap.  For the sake and convenience of the traveling public, if there are multiple routes following a stretch of pavement, they should all be signed--especially where national routes are involved.

[CL]

The US 6/US 191 duplex is very well signed.  The US 6/US 89 duplex is also signed.

Oh yeah... I personally have never been along the US-6/89 portion but I do remember US-6/191 being better signed than most routes. Yep.

[74/171FAN]

Anyhow the "TO I-64 West" shield at the ramp from VA 171 West to I-64 West.  I know that technically this is correct but normally VDOT does not have a "TO" banner there