Idea to keep cars moving at a stoplight

[hotdogPi]

On a road where both sides are 2 or more lanes, and there is a traffic light that is there because of only one side of the road, here is an idea:

The side that doesn't have the street or business can have the right lane continue, ignoring the traffic light. If someone on the street wants to turn left, he can go onto the left lane of the road.

Example where this could happen (with business) here. The business is on the left, so the right side would have the right lane continue freely.

[kj3400]

This isn't exactly a new idea. Most important roads do it to minimize stopping.
Example

Notice the entire northbound side doesn't have to stop at all, just left turning traffic.

[corco]

Most

I've never seen this before in my life, and I've been at several intersections.

[NE2]

It happens.

They also tried a straight on red experiment in Illinois. Apparently it failed. (Searching turns up a recent law allowing you to go straight if the detector loop is borked, which is not what was in the report I read.)

[kj3400]

Most

I've never seen this before in my life, and I've been at several intersections.

Ok, some. Maryland must just be one of those states. Also seen it in Virginia and Colorado.

[Big John]

I've seen those in a couple intersections in WI and GA.

[hbelkins]

Also seen in KY, OH and WV.

[akotchi]

New Jersey has at least one that comes to mind.

[Takumi]

We visited one of these at the Richmond meet last year (where the white-border VA 197 shields are).

[jeffandnicole]

Florida has/had several intersections like this.

[vdeane]

Here's something similar, though it breaks full movement: http://goo.gl/maps/o5Xqu

[kj3400]

Actually, isn't this idea similar to a superstreet?

[Alps]

New Jersey has at least one that comes to mind.

Several here, but used to be more. Chestnut St. in Union used to do it between the Parkway and 22, but was modified into a standard signal. Walker Rd. at CR 508/Northfield Rd. in West Orange was also modified to a standard signal. For a current example, US 1 south of I-278. Note that of these three examples, both Chestnut and US 1 still have a traffic light there, to allow pedestrians to cross if there's any demand (unlikely in the latter, plausible in the former).

[froggie]

Actually, isn't this idea similar to a superstreet?

The superstreet, as NCDOT envisioned it, would have the median closed at the side street intersection, with all left/cross turns being done at a median crossing downstream.  The superstreet is closer in concept to a streamlined Michigan Left than it is to this.

[KEK Inc.]

Your "innovation" is actually pretty old and has been applied already to multiple areas.





http://goo.gl/maps/qOFCm

[Alps]

Your "innovation" is actually pretty old and has been applied already to multiple areas.

False, you have to stop on the far side for entering traffic.

[roadfro]

On a road where both sides are 2 or more lanes, and there is a traffic light that is there because of only one side of the road, here is an idea:

The side that doesn't have the street or business can have the right lane continue, ignoring the traffic light. If someone on the street wants to turn left, he can go onto the left lane of the road.

As has been mentioned, this is not a new concept. There are few of these types on intersections in Nevada.

I've heard these referred to as "High-T Intersections".

[1995hoo]

Here's one in Springfield, Virginia. The two signals for thru traffic consist solely of permanent green arrows. This seems like a place where a flashing yellow arrow might be ideal for the left turn.

http://goo.gl/maps/hhoOG

[Mr_Northside]

Can't say that I've seen many examples in PA.  In fact, the only one coming to mind at the moment is US-220 @ PA-287 near Jersey Shore

http://goo.gl/maps/CHk1b

I think the first place I consciously noticed this set up is just outside of Morgantown on US-19/WV-7

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)

[deathtopumpkins]

The difference between several examples posted in this thread (1995hoo's, for example), and what I think the OP was getting at is that these examples involve onramps or one way roads, where traffic is only turning left off the main artery, rather than both turning off of and onto it.

[roadfro]

On a road where both sides are 2 or more lanes, and there is a traffic light that is there because of only one side of the road, here is an idea:

The side that doesn't have the street or business can have the right lane continue, ignoring the traffic light. If someone on the street wants to turn left, he can go onto the left lane of the road.

Some Nevada examples that I think fit with what you're describing:

• Lake Mead Blvd & Best in the West shopping center driveway in Las Vegas. Lake Mead has three through lanes eastbound. The right two lanes are separated from the left turn lane and a left through lane by a small median. The right two lanes receive a constant green (louvered, so not visible from other lanes) and do not stop.
  
• Cheyenne Ave & Hualapai Way in Las Vegas. Cheyenne eastbound has three through lanes. The right lane is separated by a really narrow median and receives a constant green. The left two through lanes are subject to stopped traffic, as there are two left turn lanes coming in from Hualapai. This warning sign assembly informs drivers of the lane layout. This is one of the four intersections out of five total signalized intersections along this segment of Cheyenne Avenue with this arrangement--this makes it so eastbound drivers may only stop at a red light maybe once in about 2.5 miles if they are in the right lane.
  
• US 395 at Johnson Lane, between Carson City & Minden. This is a more rural example on a divided highway. US 395 is divided in this stretch with two lanes each way and a high speed limit (I *think* it's either 55 or 70), but Johnson Lane is a simple two-laner. At this intersection, a left turn pocket opens up for SB turns to Johnson Lane, and an island separates the turning traffic from the through traffic so that SB traffic doesn't stop (no signals indications over these lanes). Traffic turning onto SB US 395 from Johnson Lane has an acceleration lane that allow vehicles to attain highway speeds before merging into the highway traffic. There are a couple other similar intersections along this stretch of US 395.
  
  I think the thing that makes these examples work is that there is a clear divider between lanes that are signal controlled and lanes that do not stop at the signal. If this were not present, there would be confusion between the lanes and the concept wouldn't be as effective.

[colinstu]

They've done this to the slight reconfiguration of WI-794 and Oklahoma Ave http://goo.gl/maps/so2j4 (look at 45 degree mode to see it, turn that off to see the previous configuration).

Also where WI-145 turns into a freeway http://goo.gl/maps/rpzox

[Signal]

Your "innovation" is actually pretty old and has been applied already to multiple areas.

False, you have to stop on the far side for entering traffic.

No, you don't...
top light on thru signals is a yellow ball for flash mode. Other than that, they are always green. Entering traffic can only turn right.



These are very common in VA and MD. There are too many examples to list, just of ones I've seen.

[vdeane]

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

[1995hoo]

The difference between several examples posted in this thread (1995hoo's, for example), and what I think the OP was getting at is that these examples involve onramps or one way roads, where traffic is only turning left off the main artery, rather than both turning off of and onto it.

Maybe, but that's not what he said, no matter how many times I re-read it.