Red flashing beacons with STOP signs

[cpzilliacus]

How common are these? 

I am not sure I have seen them until recently, when I found several on county-maintained roads in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. 

[kphoger]

Pretty common, in my experience, especially in rural locations.

I grew up near this one.

[webny99]

Pretty common, in my experience, especially in rural locations.

Yeah, they're very common. Here are a few examples that I found off-hand. I could probably find a dozen plus with a more thorough search.

(Edited to clarify: I was referring to beacons overhead, not attached to the Stop sign assembly.)

[hotdogPi]

Pretty common, in my experience, especially in rural locations.

Yeah, they're very common. Here are a few examples that I found off-hand. I could probably find a dozen plus with a more thorough search.

The link in the OP has the flashing red as part of the sign, not overhead.

[webny99]

The link in the OP has the flashing red as part of the sign, not overhead.

Whoops. That's what I get for not viewing the link. Those are less common, although there are a few around.

[ran4sh]

Those things are everywhere in South Carolina, at least in the areas that I often visit.

There's also a few in north Georgia, although we don't use them as much.

[Bitmapped]

WV and OH use them sometimes.

There is (was?) a set on either side of WV 93 southbound at its intersection with WV 42 near Scherr. Since GMSV went through, WVDOH installed overhead flashers here as well. I'm not sure if the stop sign-mounted flashers are still there or not.

ODOT uses them where US 250 and SR 800 split at the eastern end of the Uhrichsville/Dennison bypass: https://goo.gl/maps/M2auwAPs5vLxGfTN8

[hbelkins]

WV and OH use them sometimes.

There is (was?) a set on either side of WV 93 southbound at its intersection with WV 42 near Scherr. Since GMSV went through, WVDOH installed overhead flashers here as well. I'm not sure if the stop sign-mounted flashers are still there or not.

I'd think the amount of traffic at that intersection has decreased drastically since US 48 opened.

[1995hoo]

I haven't been to McKenney, Virginia, in many years (passed by on I-85, but haven't been into town since the 1990s). I see that Street View shows that they still have the flashing red lights on top of the stop signs on VA-40 at US-1. A college friend lived in that town, which is why I used to pass through occasionally. I always thought these were an effective alternative to a traffic light in a small town like that.

https://goo.gl/maps/Nr7hgwKThSMeMHqu9

[roadfro]

Post-mounted stop beacons are pretty common in Nevada in recent years.

NDOT tends to install them in many rural locations, especially where a rural highway ends at a stop sign "T" intersection. But they'll also use them in other applications. NDOT now seems to favor these instead of overhead beacons...such that within the last decade they have removed most of the overhead multi-way-way stop beacons I'm aware of in favor of a post-mounted stop beacon above each stop sign.

Also, local municipalities in the Vegas area seem to like them at all-way stop locations along major collectors & minor arterials. These can be found in developing areas where such streets are busy, but not yet busy enough for a traffic signal.

[Caps81943]

I haven't been to McKenney, Virginia, in many years (passed by on I-85, but haven't been into town since the 1990s). I see that Street View shows that they still have the flashing red lights on top of the stop signs on VA-40 at US-1. A college friend lived in that town, which is why I used to pass through occasionally. I always thought these were an effective alternative to a traffic light in a small town like that.

https://goo.gl/maps/Nr7hgwKThSMeMHqu9

Interesting, I've found they are not too common in Virginia (though they exist), and are much less common than overheads (which are still rarer than normal in VA imo). Wisconsin has stopsign mounted beacons everywhere though, and overheads are pretty rare.

[CoreySamson]

Linden, TX took this to another level; the signs themselves light up!
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.1349805,-94.163778,3a,15y,216.13h,92.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sui-ook6FKxXnBHB1CpIL9g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[kphoger]

Linden, TX took this to another level; the signs themselves light up!
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.1349805,-94.163778,3a,15y,216.13h,92.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sui-ook6FKxXnBHB1CpIL9g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Oh, I've seen those in other places too.  It's a thing.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Linden, TX took this to another level; the signs themselves light up!
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.1349805,-94.163778,3a,15y,216.13h,92.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sui-ook6FKxXnBHB1CpIL9g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Oh, I've seen those in other places too.  It's a thing.

Yeah, in my old town I think one flashing stop sign even had a sensor so it would only blink when it detected a car approaching.

[fwydriver405]

Close but not exactly as orginally posted, but the beacons at this intersection in Malden MA are not attached to the STOP sign, but instead, the curve sign.

[kphoger]

Close but not exactly as orginally posted, but the beacons at this intersection in Malden MA are not attached to the STOP sign, but instead, the curve sign.

Looks like the flashing beacons pre-date the warning sign.

[MCRoads]

This Intersection used to have them. The intersection is a roundabout now, but I don't know why there was even a stop sign there, or why this intersection needs a roundabout.

[US71]

Linden, TX took this to another level; the signs themselves light up!
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.1349805,-94.163778,3a,15y,216.13h,92.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sui-ook6FKxXnBHB1CpIL9g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I've never seen the whole sign light up, but Texas (and others) use flashing LED's on their stop signs. Mostly at the comers,  but I've seen a few where the whole border is LED,

[interstatefan990]

How common are these? 

I am not sure I have seen them until recently, when I found several on county-maintained roads in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Wait, a Stop Ahead sign and a flashing red beacon? In a 35 MPH zone on a flat, slightly curved approach? I'm trying to figure out what's so dangerous about this intersection that they had to take those extra measures.

[US71]

How common are these? 

I am not sure I have seen them until recently, when I found several on county-maintained roads in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Wait, a Stop Ahead sign and a flashing red beacon? In a 35 MPH zone on a flat, slightly curved approach? I'm trying to figure out what's so dangerous about this intersection that they had to take those extra measures.

STOP signs with flashing beacons are common in Kansas

[US 89]

They certainly exist in Utah. Not the most common thing in the world to find, but they're out there and they're almost certainly more common than overhead beacons.

Here's a rather unique one west of Ogden with two alternating flashing red beacons. Is that MUTCD kosher? Seems like alternating red lights should be reserved for railroad crossing applications, but I guess that hasn't stopped HAWKs...

[roadfro]

Here's a rather unique one west of Ogden with two alternating flashing red beacons. Is that MUTCD kosher? Seems like alternating red lights should be reserved for railroad crossing applications, but I guess that hasn't stopped HAWKs...

No, that's not MUTCD kosher (2009 MUTCD Section 4L.02 and Section 4L.05, depending on application). For an approach with multiple beacon faces, multiple horizontally-aligned beacons must flash simultaneously to avoid being confused for a grade crossing signal. If the two beacon faces are vertically-aligned, then they flash alternately. You usually see two horizontal beacons overhead, but the MUTCD has an option allowing the beacons to be placed at other suitable locations.

[US71]

A little overkill here: US 62 at US 83 near Childress, TX

[epzik8]

Another county in Maryland, Harford, has them at MD 136 at MD 440 and MD 155 at MD 161. Also previously at MD 24 and Jarrettsville Road in Forest Hill until this became a full signal around 1997.

[index]

Linden, TX took this to another level; the signs themselves light up!
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.1349805,-94.163778,3a,15y,216.13h,92.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sui-ook6FKxXnBHB1CpIL9g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

LED flasher signs are pretty rare in North Carolina. Only one I've ever seen is in the link below. I've never seen NCDOT do anything like this, including the striped pole to increase conspicuity, so I'm inclined to believe it's private maintenance. The fact it's at a shopping plaza further supports that. The date stickers on the back of the signs also don't look like the ones NCDOT typically uses.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1347652,-80.7088284,3a,75y,95.89h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sInC7kh-1OhrqSbLNjDEGAA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DInC7kh-1OhrqSbLNjDEGAA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D63.56425%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192