Cutaway vs tunnel visors by state/region

[roadman65]

Atlantic City has some new signals where the overhead signals use cutouts while the side mounted ones use tunnel visors.  I have one signal I took a picture of along US 30 and it shows one mast arm assembly having its overhead with a cutout and the side mounted signal head also attached to the same assembly as tunnel visors. 

I have to see if I can find the photo as it was taken back in 04 and everything I saved that year got deleted thanks to my old computer crashing.

Oh yes on another note, back to the original topic, Florida uses tunnel visors, but occasionally you will see a cutout here and there.  In fact Kissimmee, FL uses both on the same signal assemblies.  There are some that have a cutout red and then tunnels for both yellow and green.  Then you have at the  US 192 and John Young Parkway intersection that uses cutouts now southbound on JYP and EB US 192, but tunnels on NB JYP and WB US 192. 

[jeffandnicole]

Jersey uses tunnels.  The few infrequent older signals (mostly in cities) used cutaways.

Some newer traffic signals use cutaway visors, mind you. Though these are few and far between in New Jersey. I personally know of one outside of Toms River.

New Jersey's rules appear to require Tunnel Visors.  http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/eng/elec/TSS/english/pdf/EBts1a.pdf - See 2.5.

If a cutaway visor was used, it must have been installed in error, unless a rare exception was granted.

That guideline appears to be outdated, since it is from 2001. Some requirements mentioned I know are no longer practiced, such as the installment of plastic lenses, incandescent light bulbs, and Alzak reflectors. Additionally, polycarbonate heads are now installed along with aluminum traffic signals throughout most, if not all, parts of New Jersey.

Since then, N.J.D.O.T. perhaps made an exception to that requirement in particular. I also forgot about Atlantic City (as roadman65 mentioned), since cutaway visors are in use on both old and new traffic signals there. My guess is that the municipality itself determines what should be installed.

It would be a bit surprising, but 2001 may be the latest update they have regarding these traffic lights.  I can't think of anything within that document that would have changed since then.

AC may have their own guidelines regarding signals.  Maybe I should backtrack and say NJDOT uses Tunnel Visors...but if an individual municipality is in charge of their own transportation work, their guidelines may differ.

[roadman65]

That might be it jeff.  I also see Clark and Westfield using black signal heads on recently installed signals since 2001 instead of the yellow like the document says.

[6a]

Ohio uses cutaway visors, NC/SC both use tunnel visors

Maybe ODOT but in the cities it's whatever The Lord God Himself doth proclaim the day the signal's installed. Up to and including both types on the same signal.

Is that limited to Akron, or is the craziness found elsewhere?

It most definitely happens in the Columbus area.


iPhone

[freebrickproductions]

Some of the older signals in Michigan were installed with tunnels on the red and yellow and a cutaway on the green.
Kentucky also installs (or at least installed) signals with cutaways on the red and green with a tunnel on the yellow. Looks ugly, IMO.

[The High Plains Traveler]

Some of the older signals in Michigan were installed with tunnels on the red and yellow and a cutaway on the green.
Kentucky also installs (or at least installed) signals with cutaways on the red and green with a tunnel on the yellow. Looks ugly, IMO.

I saw those in Kentucky, and could not think of a single reason for the tunnel on the yellow only. It was consistently installed that way.

[hbelkins]

Some of the older signals in Michigan were installed with tunnels on the red and yellow and a cutaway on the green.
Kentucky also installs (or at least installed) signals with cutaways on the red and green with a tunnel on the yellow. Looks ugly, IMO.

I saw those in Kentucky, and could not think of a single reason for the tunnel on the yellow only. It was consistently installed that way.

I tried to get an explanation of why this is done a few years ago, but not sure that I got a logical answer.

Anyone want to ask?

[roadman65]

At one time when Florida used yellow signal heads all the visors were indeed cut outs.