Idea to keep cars moving at a stoplight

[hotdogPi]

There are no one-way streets involved. The side road is ending at the main road, though.

[jeffandnicole]

Not exactly what the OP was referring to, but somewhat similar.  It's a good design, but idiot drivers make it fail on occasion though: http://goo.gl/maps/zyDVG

The main road is Quakerbridge Rd. The lane to the right is the end of the ramp from US 1 South to Quakerbridge Rd.  Designed so that traffic doesn't have to stop at the intersection. But yet, there's the occasional motorist on the ramp that'll strain to look at the light and will stop on the ramp anyway, even though there's clearly no reason to stop.

[Alps]

There are no one-way streets involved. The side road is ending at the main road, though.

Please don't change the topic line to something inane. It messes with the topic.

[1995hoo]

There are no one-way streets involved. The side road is ending at the main road, though.

Please don't change the topic line to something inane. It messes with the topic.

If he wants to keep cars moving at a penguin, just put #87 out there and people will floor it to rid the league of that scourge!

[NE2]

Not a penguin, but maybe a seagull: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seagull_intersection

[roadfro]

Here's the other side.  Doesn't look "always green" to me.
http://goo.gl/maps/HNUFq

The "other side" is a separate intersection a 1/4 mile away...not a good comparison...

[NE2]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Star+City,+WV&hl=en&ll=39.647113,-79.977502&spn=0.003709,0.005681&sll=41.218767,-77.221978&sspn=0.001281,0.00284&t=h&hnear=Star+City,+Monongalia,+West+Virginia&z=18&layer=c&cbll=39.647274,-79.977726&panoid=dxkaS0T8Ng3wMrcd9IN9gA&cbp=12,146.88,,0,11.47

I think this one most closely exemplifies (though maybe not entirely) the OP's idea, as this case has one of two "straight ahead" lanes subject to a possible RED signal, while the other is free-flowing.  (Note: I'm not really sure why the signal over the Straight-Only lane has dual-top-signal heads)

Yes, this is the first one posted that actually fits.

Here's a sign that shows even more clearly what's going on: http://maps.google.com/?ll=28.721416,-81.319111&spn=0.003618,0.007086&t=h&layer=c&cbll=28.721483,-81.318924&panoid=ryCbZ9DCVKPErr-TtLamXQ&cbp=12,108.6,,2,2.6&z=18

[Kacie Jane]

Why limit it to traffic lights?

[kj3400]

Yes, this is the first one posted that actually fits.

Here's a sign that shows even more clearly what's going on: http://maps.google.com/?ll=28.721416,-81.319111&spn=0.003618,0.007086&t=h&layer=c&cbll=28.721483,-81.318924&panoid=ryCbZ9DCVKPErr-TtLamXQ&cbp=12,108.6,,2,2.6&z=18

I'm pretty sure mine fit too, and it was the first one.

[NE2]

I'm pretty sure mine fit too, and it was the first one.

Nope. Yours doesn't have either northbound lane stopping.

[kj3400]

Then I suppose I don't know of any in my state. That was my only ace.

[doorknob60]

Near Burlington, WA on WA-20. This is an expressway, and not an urban arterial, but it still applies: https://maps.google.com/?ll=48.446145,-122.431576&spn=0.003156,0.008106&t=h&z=18

Same highway, a little farther west: https://maps.google.com/?ll=48.463457,-122.581088&spn=0.003155,0.008106&t=h&z=18

Not quite the same, but similar, at Eagle Rd. and I-84 in Meridian, ID. The freeway ramp, which is still on the same pavement as the through route, passes the stoplight. Turning left off the other ramp onto Eagle Rd. and seeing cars zooming by in that lane at 50 MPH can feel a bit weird (first time, my dad thought someone was running the red), but it works well: https://maps.google.com/?ll=43.592735,-116.354047&spn=0.002437,0.004053&t=h&z=19

[NE2]

You guys. He's talking about where the left straight lane does have to stop, but the right straight lane can bypass the light.

[froggie]

If that's really what he's talking about, there's one on-base on Naval Station Mayport, FL.

[Kacie Jane]

You guys. He's talking about where the left straight lane does have to stop, but the right straight lane can bypass the light.

That seems to be the correct interpretation of the OP, but that's a pretty poor innovation, as I don't see any advantage to still requiring one (but only one) of the thru lanes to stop.

[froggie]

It's not an operational advantage, but there is one small advantage:  this could be used in scenarios where right-of-way is limited enough to preclude building separate decel/accel lanes for the turning movements.  It can also be retrofitted onto intersections on existing multilane streets/roads without significant construction.  But again, as you imply, there isn't really an operational advantage to this.

[Kacie Jane]

That I thought of, and it's a valid point.  But I'm curious if that design is significantly advantageous as opposed to simply converting the thru lane subject to stopping to a left turn only lane.  That is, if there's no room for an added accel/decel lane, then just convert one.

[1995hoo]

It's not quite the same, but this intersection near Fort Myers Beach regulates the two "beach-bound" lanes separately. They both do get red lights, though.

....

If you really want to talk about unusual signal uses, check out this intersection from Fort Myers that has a separate pair of signal heads for each lane:

http://goo.gl/maps/90TYk

EDIT: Fixed link for Fort Myers signal. The old link pointed in the wrong direction.

The point of the design is to control the traffic on the approach to the bridge up ahead, where it narrows to a single lane.

[hotdogPi]

(I am the OP.)

Even if the left lane doesn't have to stop, it's okay. I didn't realize that was possible.



10 minutes later

This picture has the left lane stopping (to turn) and only the left lane.

[kj3400]

Yay, my example is valid again.

[1995hoo]

Yay, my example is valid again.

Mine as well. I find it amusing that other posters felt the need to tell us what the OP supposedly meant and that our examples were wrong.

[NE2]

Your examples were wrong.

[hbelkins]

We didn't see this on the Ashland meet tour, but I think here is an example of what the OP is talking about on northbound US 23 in Russell.

http://goo.gl/maps/abB1H

[Alps]

Your examples were wrong.

The OP was wrong

[tradephoric]

When the side-street is a 2-way street, the signal would most likely require 3-phases:
-phase for drivers turning left from major arterial onto the side-street.
-phase for drivers turning left from side-street onto the major arterial.
-phase for thru arterial traffic (for the direction that is required to stop).

A superstreet design would cut it down to a simple 2-phase signal.  However, with a superstreet the side-street traffic would no longer be allowed to make a direct left onto the arterial so pick your poison.  Neither design is perfect.  The OP's design makes a lot more sense when the side-street is only one direction.  This leads to the best of both worlds.... a simple and efficient 2-phase traffic signal and all movements are made directly at the intersection (no traffic movements rerouted).