Dashed yellow lines on multi lane roads

[Ketchup99]

Has anyone ever seen a dashed middle line - i.e. passing is allowed - on a road with more than two lanes? For instance, on a 2+1 road, is there an instance where the traffic on the "1" lane can still pass in the middle lane, but must yield? Or is there an instance on a four-lane undivided road where a slow car in the left lane can be passed in the left lane of traffic going the other way?

[Truvelo]

I know what you mean but I haven't seen any in North America. They were popular here and a few still remain. It must be remembered that our central striping is white not yellow. This example shows a Land Rover in the middle lane which can be used by either direction to pass. Neither direction has priority so if vehicles were using that lane in opposite directions approaching each other there is potential for a nasty collision.

https://goo.gl/maps/9ZtDY6JXu3MYHnzS6

[deathtopumpkins]

Some western and midwestern states allow opposing traffic to pass when there's a passing lane in one direction.

Here's an example on US 36 in western Kansas: https://goo.gl/maps/bHqMe3Nan1gce9eH9

[Truvelo]

^^ That example is fairly typical but do any exist or have existed in the past without the solid yellow line?

[1995hoo]

Has anyone ever seen a dashed middle line - i.e. passing is allowed - on a road with more than two lanes? For instance, on a 2+1 road, is there an instance where the traffic on the "1" lane can still pass in the middle lane, but must yield? Or is there an instance on a four-lane undivided road where a slow car in the left lane can be passed in the left lane of traffic going the other way?

See this post Takumi made in 2011–in this case, traffic coming from the other direction in his photo would have to yield if they wanted to pass.

[Roadrunner75]

I know what you mean but I haven't seen any in North America. They were popular here and a few still remain. It must be remembered that our central striping is white not yellow. This example shows a Land Rover in the middle lane which can be used by either direction to pass. Neither direction has priority so if vehicles were using that lane in opposite directions approaching each other there is potential for a nasty collision.

https://goo.gl/maps/9ZtDY6JXu3MYHnzS6

Off-topic here, and there's probably another thread on this, but I've wondered how with all white striping (outside North America) like shown in the above GSV link, confusion is avoided on direction of travel for each lane.

[deathtopumpkins]

Has anyone ever seen a dashed middle line - i.e. passing is allowed - on a road with more than two lanes? For instance, on a 2+1 road, is there an instance where the traffic on the "1" lane can still pass in the middle lane, but must yield? Or is there an instance on a four-lane undivided road where a slow car in the left lane can be passed in the left lane of traffic going the other way?

See this post Takumi made in 2011–in this case, traffic coming from the other direction in his photo would have to yield if they wanted to pass.

Here's a google maps link to that location, for anyone curious: https://goo.gl/maps/tptCxA7GpThp4epV6

[Truvelo]

Off-topic here, and there's probably another thread on this, but I've wondered how with all white striping (outside North America) like shown in the above GSV link, confusion is avoided on direction of travel for each lane.

A 2-lane road will look identical to one half of a divided road. Our medians are however much narrower, like the PA Turnpike, so there really isn't much confusion. On the rare occasion where there is a wide median there are ways of informing drivers such as this https://goo.gl/maps/2jvWPoJfCvCmYQ4E9

There's also this when emerging from a side road https://goo.gl/maps/PaCdhNRHW1noZfyL8

[Mapmikey]

Virginia's suicide lanes were double dashed yellow lines...

Here is a Gribblenation photo of the last one, US 1 south of US 58 someplace, that lasted to about 2004:

[Roadrunner75]

Off-topic here, and there's probably another thread on this, but I've wondered how with all white striping (outside North America) like shown in the above GSV link, confusion is avoided on direction of travel for each lane.

A 2-lane road will look identical to one half of a divided road. Our medians are however much narrower, like the PA Turnpike, so there really isn't much confusion. On the rare occasion where there is a wide median there are ways of informing drivers such as this https://goo.gl/maps/2jvWPoJfCvCmYQ4E9

There's also this when emerging from a side road https://goo.gl/maps/PaCdhNRHW1noZfyL8

What about multilane undivided roads?   Just a solid white stripe separating directions?  I noticed just scrolling around the standard on many local streets seems to be just a dashed white stripe, for which the yellow US equivalent would allow passing and is typically not used in a local/residential street setting.

[CtrlAltDel]

Off-topic here, and there's probably another thread on this, but I've wondered how with all white striping (outside North America) like shown in the above GSV link, confusion is avoided on direction of travel for each lane.

A 2-lane road will look identical to one half of a divided road. Our medians are however much narrower, like the PA Turnpike, so there really isn't much confusion.

Well, it depends on the country, of course. In France, center lines are dashed differently from lane lines. Lane lines are dashed pretty loosely, while center lines are more tightly spaced together when passing is allowed (and solid if it's not). Finally, edge lines are much longer dashes. 

[webny99]

This definitely happens both in Ontario (Canada) and in some western US states. I know it has been discussed here on the forum, although I am not sure if there has ever been a thread devoted to it.

[kphoger]

Probably not exactly what the OP had in mind, but Mexico's A2 highways are often striped in such a way:

GSV example

The shoulder is intended to be used for slower vehicles to allow passing down the center line.

I've personally been part of the following scenario on such a highway in Mexico:

Far right (shoulder / slower traffic lane), slightly straddling the dashed edge line – Two truckers
Middle, slightly straddling the dashed center line – Me, passing the truckers
Far left (oncoming lane), slightly straddling the opposite dashed edge line – Pickup, passing me
Far left (oncoming lane), slightly straddling the opposite dashed edge line – Trucker coming toward us

[Truvelo]

Ireland does it exactly the same as the Mexican example above but with yellow for the shoulder markings. Like Mexico, slower vehicles will use the shoulder to let faster traffic pass.

https://goo.gl/maps/6RnbUPxmUv6XShcE8

[kendancy66]

I think they have this on US-191 in Utah.  There are frequent 3 lane sections, where two lanes are in one direction delineated with a dashed white line, and in the other direction that has yellow dashed line where the sight line is far enough enough to pass.  Also single lane is not supposed to pass when there is car in either lane in the other direction.

[Scott5114]

Chickasaw Turnpike.

[DJ Particle]

Cretin Ave.  St. Paul, MN.

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.952347,-93.19251,3a,75y,27.26h,71.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sat9zfc7hpqfOML1vFYxxpA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dat9zfc7hpqfOML1vFYxxpA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D181.47015%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

[jakeroot]

Approximately two blocks of Electron Way in Fircrest, WA (south of Seattle) are painted this way:

[jakeroot]

Cretin Ave.  St. Paul, MN.

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.952347,-93.19251,3a,75y,27.26h,71.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sat9zfc7hpqfOML1vFYxxpA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dat9zfc7hpqfOML1vFYxxpA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D181.47015%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

This has to be the most extreme example so far, and reminds me a lot of the UK's four-lane undivided roads.

[Truvelo]

Cretin Ave.  St. Paul, MN.

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.952347,-93.19251,3a,75y,27.26h,71.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sat9zfc7hpqfOML1vFYxxpA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dat9zfc7hpqfOML1vFYxxpA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D181.47015%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

This has to be the most extreme example so far, and reminds me a lot of the UK's four-lane undivided roads.

The centre line is usually heavier. Four-lane undivided rural roads are rare over here due to poor safety records. This photo shows the only example I can think of where the centre line is still broken. All the others now have solid lines like this https://goo.gl/maps/QZBnVJfbnBoVm9197

[jakeroot]

Cretin Ave.  St. Paul, MN.

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.952347,-93.19251,3a,75y,27.26h,71.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sat9zfc7hpqfOML1vFYxxpA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dat9zfc7hpqfOML1vFYxxpA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D181.47015%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

This has to be the most extreme example so far, and reminds me a lot of the UK's four-lane undivided roads.

The centre line is usually heavier. Four-lane undivided rural roads are rare over here due to poor safety records. This photo shows the only example I can think of where the centre line is still broken. All the others now have solid lines like this https://goo.gl/maps/QZBnVJfbnBoVm9197

http://www.speedcam.uk/d70/fourlaness.jpg

Thanks for the photo. I thought that design was more common! I guess it was but not anymore.

Not far up the road, it looks like there still is some ambiguity around, if only for short distances.

[sprjus4]

This one in Norfolk, VA used to have one lane in each direction with the center turn being a two-way left turn. In the past couple years though, it was restriped to this configuration. Not sure of its intended usage.

[Truvelo]

This one in Norfolk, VA used to have one lane in each direction with the center turn being a two-way left turn. In the past couple years though, it was restriped to this configuration. Not sure of its intended usage.

It looks consistent with tidal flow but none of the signage or signals seem to be in place yet.

Regarding three lane undivided roads I have also seen them in France. This one is in an urban 30mph limit so I don't really see the point of it.

[deathtopumpkins]

This one in Norfolk, VA used to have one lane in each direction with the center turn being a two-way left turn. In the past couple years though, it was restriped to this configuration. Not sure of its intended usage.

Maybe they'll use it to help with traffic leaving Tides games? It is one of the logical connections from Harbor Park to 264.

[jakeroot]

This one in Norfolk, VA used to have one lane in each direction with the center turn being a two-way left turn. In the past couple years though, it was restriped to this configuration. Not sure of its intended usage.

It looks consistent with tidal flow but none of the signage or signals seem to be in place yet.

Definitely, or what might be referred to as a "contraflow lane".

Some in the US do not operate with signals, but instead with flippable signage, such as here (until it was restriped with a center lane).

As for that Norfolk example, I'm guessing the "center lane closed" sign would be bagged when contraflow is in effect, and extra signs or cones placed as necessary. Still, it's weird not to see any extra signage.