Five arrow light

[Tom895]

I found a five light signal with all arrows at far left corner. In Sacramento Ca on the corner of Freeport Blvd and Meer way.
https://goo.gl/maps/4PK1iJswytjPMC2j8

[pderocco]

For some reason, that link isn't entering into Street View. But it's the left turn signal from Freeport Blvd, in front of the Sinclair station. In historic imagery, it looks like it was put up in 2020.

But I can only see what the top three lights are: left green, left yellow, left red. What are the bottom two? When I zoom in on various GSV images of the dark lights, I think I can faintly see right arrows, but what could those be for?

[Big John]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YchoVxULDCR7VS4U6

Is it that only the top 3 aspects are currently used, but installed that way in case there is a call for a permissive unprotected left turn in the future?

[Henry]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YchoVxULDCR7VS4U6

Is it that only the top 3 aspects are currently used, but installed that way in case there is a call for a permissive unprotected left turn in the future?

The problem is, that intersection is a Michigan left, or in MUTCD terms, an intercepted crossroad where you can't turn left from Meer Way onto Freeport Blvd in either direction. So I don't see why such a signal would be warranted here, especially when you can only turn right and there's a regular red circle on top suggesting a NO TURN ON RED situation.

[paulthemapguy]

I'm more bothered by the powerpole they put right in front of the signal head so that the relevant drivers can't even see it. An interesting find nonetheless!

[fwydriver405]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YchoVxULDCR7VS4U6

Is it that only the top 3 aspects are currently used, but installed that way in case there is a call for a permissive unprotected left turn in the future?

The problem is, that intersection is a Michigan left, or in MUTCD terms, an intercepted crossroad where you can't turn left from Meer Way onto Freeport Blvd in either direction.

Isn't this setup more like a Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) situation rather than a true Michigan left (FHWA: Median U-turn)? You can still make all possible movements on Freeport St (main road), but if you wanted to continue on the thru movement onto Meer Way or left from Meer to Freeport, you'd need to make a U-turn somewhere, either at a median crossing or a signalised intersection, as no thru or left movements from the minor road are permitted.

So I don't see why such a signal would be warranted here, especially when you can only turn right and there's a regular red circle on top suggesting a NO TURN ON RED situation.

Regular red circle, you mean on the minor road (Meer Way) approaches? Only red arrows (no sign required in CA), as well as NO TURN ON RED signage would only prohibit right turns on red, and I'm not seeing either of that on any of the Meer Way approaches. Do keep in mind though, that if you flip back thru earlier GSVs, this intersection did function as an unsignlised RCUT until very recently.

I'm also curious about the 5-section signals on Meer as well, as if you look at this GSV, you can see when the left turn on Freeport is green, there is no right turn overlap, and that is because the left turns on Freeport can also U-turn as well - there would be a conflict if there was an overlap. Wondering if there's a special phase with the pedestrians where when active, it would go red ball + green arrow to allow non-conflicting traffic to go (example of what I mean), but if it's just the right turn phases with no pedestrian call, it goes green ball only. Kinda doubting that first theory, because one approach of Meer has two 5-section signals, but the other approach only has 1 5-section and 1 circular RYG 3-section signals, so more likely something changed between design and install?

[CovalenceSTU]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YchoVxULDCR7VS4U6

Is it that only the top 3 aspects are currently used, but installed that way in case there is a call for a permissive unprotected left turn in the future?

Even stranger is that the (unused?) heads indicate right when there are no other right turn signals:

[freebrickproductions]

I wonder if it was intended to operate with a protected right turn overlap?

[pderocco]

I wonder if they needed a three left arrow light, but had this assembly lying around from some previous installation, and just decided to use it and leave the bottom two disconnected.