Left Turns on Red at DDIs

[roadman65]

Some states currently allow left turns on red from one street that is one way to another one way street.

Being that turning left from a DDI ramp onto the connecting street can be that , do these LTOR states actually allow this?

According to the Goog its says yes, but I live in Florida,  where LTOR are legal, I haven't seen anyone attempt this.

So is it legal or not.

[Great Lakes Roads]

In Indiana, left turns on a red light after coming to a stop is legal, as long as there is no sign saying, "NO LEFT TURN ON RED".

[Dirt Roads]

I originally posted on this topic under the <I-85 North Carolina> a few years ago.  Back then, there were still eight (8) states (plus New York City and Washington, D.C.) that do not permit left turn on red onto one-way streets; with North Carolina being one of them.  (Ducky is currently reporting eight, but it just gave me some Roadgeek hallucinations so I will refrain from listing here for now). 

My understanding is that if you live in a state that specifically allows LTOR onto one-way streets, such movements are considered legal (when safe to do so).  The so-called "inventor" of the DDI assumed that all DDIs would allow such manuevers, keeping with the philosophy that all left turns would have optimal traffic flow rates.  But even then, some DOTs (or local highway agencies) still post individual DDIs with "No Left Turn on Red" signage.

[Revive 755]

For Illinois, only the DDI at the I-57/The Hill Avenue in Marion allows it.  All the other DDI's have signs prohibited the left turn on red.
Northbound
Southbound

Most of the Illinois ones also appear to prohibit right on red from the exit ramps as well (SB I-55 to NB IL 59 and NB I-39 to EB US 20 appear to be exceptions).

[1995hoo]

The DDIs I've been through in Virginia all have either "no turn on red" or red arrow lights posted for left turns. Some, such as the one on US-15 near Haymarket, have both (and if you move the camera viewpoint to the right-turn movement from the same ramp, you'll see they don't allow right on red there either). I suspect, but I don't know for certain, that maybe it's a function of someone thinking that turns on red might be hazardous if people don't understand the traffic pattern.

Speaking of Florida, incidentally, the new DDI in Viera doesn't allow lefts on red.

[Dirt Roads]

From what I can tell, the number of states that do not permit LTOR onto one-way streets hasn't changed since 2023: 

• Connecticut
• Maine
• Missouri
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota

Here's the map in Wikimedia (2023).  Looks like Wikimedia is blocking the reposting of its images.

Additionally, there were four states that allow LTOR from two-way streets onto one-way streets (as of 2023): 

• Idaho
• Michigan
• Oregon
• Washington state

Alaska has also been added to the list of states that allow LTOR from two-way streets onto one-way streets; it appears that this change was made in May 2025.  In a unique twist, the traffic regulation allows RTOR and LTOR "except that no person may turn left onto a two-way street when facing a steady red indication".

[The_Ginger]

Here's the map in Wikimedia (2023).  Looks like Wikimedia is blocking the reposting of its images.

What makes you say that? From your link, all I had to do was click the blue View on Commons button, and select the first Use this File on the menu under the title. At that point, all I had to do was select the BBCode button and I get this:

Summary of left-on-red laws for US states
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Citynoise, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

You could just get the image link from that page, that would also work.

[ElishaGOtis]

Some states currently allow left turns on red from one street that is one way to another one way street.

Being that turning left from a DDI ramp onto the connecting street can be that , do these LTOR states actually allow this?

According to the Goog its says yes, but I live in Florida,  where LTOR are legal, I haven't seen anyone attempt this.

So is it legal or not.

FUNNY ENOUGH, even though Florida allows this (even on red arrows) without a sign stating prohibited, FDOT reaaaaaaly doesn't like to allow it. It's preferable that NTOR be placed for ALL off-ramp turning movements that are signalized on a DDI.

https://fdotwww.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/docs/default-source/roadway/fdm/ddc/2026fdmd217ddi.pdf?sfvrsn=1659b77a_4#page=10

Due to the driver expectancy issue, right-turn-on-red (RTOR) and left-turn-on-red (LTOR) should be prohibited at locations where the left and right turn exit ramp movements are signalized.

Although signalizing the off-ramp right turn movement and prohibiting turns-on red is beneficial for the operation and safety of the crossover intersection, it also increases the risk of queue spillback. Queue lengths must be evaluated to ensure that ramp storage is sufficient to prevent spillback onto the freeway.

Look at me actually implementing the quote portion of my signature's disclaimer lol 

[Dirt Roads]

You could just get the image link from that page, that would also work.

No it didn't.  Reposted below as an IMG command instead of a URL command:

Original IMG link is between here:             and here.  I'm not seeing the image on AARoads/forum, but it works fine when entered into my browser.
Click reply to see the IMG link above.  No need to repost.

But I do wish to thank you for reposting the image.  It gives me a nice workaround the next time I want to post a Wikimedia image.

[jlam]

None of the DDIs in Colorado allow turns on red, not even right turns. You're required to wait for the green arrow for both left and right turns.

Examples:
US 36 at McCaslin Blvd in Superior
I-25 at SH 60 in Loveland
I-25 at Fillmore St in Colorado Springs

Are there any other states that do this?

[The_Ginger]

You could just get the image link from that page, that would also work.

No it didn't.  Reposted below as an IMG command instead of a URL command:

Original IMG link is between here:            and here.  I'm not seeing the image on AARoads/forum, but it works fine when entered into my browser.
Click reply to see the IMG link above.  No need to repost.

But I do wish to thank you for reposting the image.  It gives me a nice workaround the next time I want to post a Wikimedia image.

No problem! Your image link actually seems to be the file page on Commons, and not the actual file. To get that, simply click on the image preview in the center of the page, and use that. Linking to the file description page won't work.

[kphoger]

Code Select Expand

No it didn't.  Reposted below as an IMG command instead of a URL command:

Original IMG link is between here:[img]https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Left_on_red_US_2023.png[/img]            and here.  I'm not seeing the image on AARoads/forum, but it works fine when entered into my browser.
Click reply to see the IMG link above.  No need to repost.

But I do wish to thank you for reposting the image.  It gives me a nice workaround the next time I want to post a Wikimedia image.

Your image link actually seems to be the file page on Commons, and not the actual file. To get that, simply click on the image preview in the center of the page, and use that. Linking to the file description page won't work.

This is the correct answer.

Should be:

Code Select Expand

No it didn't.  Reposted below as an IMG command instead of a URL command:

Original IMG link is between here:[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Left_on_red_US_2023.png/960px-Left_on_red_US_2023.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=index&utm_content=thumbnail&_=20230913170722[/img]            and here.  I'm not seeing the image on AARoads/forum, but it works fine when entered into my browser.
Click reply to see the IMG link above.  No need to repost.

But I do wish to thank you for reposting the image.  It gives me a nice workaround the next time I want to post a Wikimedia image.

[doorknob60]

Utah seems to allow/encourage it, at least at the one I checked.

Idaho only has 1 DDI unless I'm brain farting, and it does not allow it, by virtue of the red arrow signal. I don't like when they ban turns on red with a red arrow only, with no accompanying sign. Because in some states (including Oregon where I learned to drive) red arrows don't ban turns on red. Adding the sign makes it clear and unambiguous.

[kphoger]

I don't like when they ban turns on red with a red arrow only, with no accompanying sign. Because in some states (including Oregon where I learned to drive) red arrows don't ban turns on red. Adding the sign makes it clear and unambiguous.

In my state, right turn on red arrow is legal.  When there was a new turn lane added at an intersection near me due to a high volume of right-turning traffic, the accompanying signal got a red right turn arrow.  But I noticed that, within just a few weeks, it was replaced with a red ball instead.  My assumption is that too many drivers thought they weren't allowed to turn.

[1995hoo]

Utah seems to allow/encourage it, at least at the one I checked.

Idaho only has 1 DDI unless I'm brain farting, and it does not allow it, by virtue of the red arrow signal. I don't like when they ban turns on red with a red arrow only, with no accompanying sign. Because in some states (including Oregon where I learned to drive) red arrows don't ban turns on red. Adding the sign makes it clear and unambiguous.

Heh. And then you have a situation where your state bans turns on red arrows, but puts up a sign that conflicts with the red arrow (look to the far right above the black Mazda SUV). That's not a DDI, of course, but still—if I were to get a ticket for going right on red there, I'd fight it on the basis that the sign says it's OK. I suppose the safer proposition is to assume that the most restrictive traffic-control device prevails in the event of a conflict, though. (Pretty much everybody turns right on red there.)

[doorknob60]

I don't like when they ban turns on red with a red arrow only, with no accompanying sign. Because in some states (including Oregon where I learned to drive) red arrows don't ban turns on red. Adding the sign makes it clear and unambiguous.

In my state, right turn on red arrow is legal.  When there was a new turn lane added at an intersection near me due to a high volume of right-turning traffic, the accompanying signal got a red right turn arrow.  But I noticed that, within just a few weeks, it was replaced with a red ball instead.  My assumption is that too many drivers thought they weren't allowed to turn.

Near where I live, they recently replaced this right turn signal ball with a red arrow (too new for GSV). But they didn't add any NTOR signage. I'm not sure if they made a conscious choice to ban RTOR there, or if they just replaced the light and didn't consider the side effect.

Just a few blocks away from there, this intersection prohibits RTOR with only a sign, no red arrow (though it is an option lane so a red arrow wouldn't be appropriate I suppose).

I routinely see people ignore the second one, though I follow it. A majority of the traffic is turning left anyways to be fair.

The first one, I ignore that and will continue do so unless they put up a sign. Can't just make a subtle change to the traffic pattern like that (switching a ball to an arrow) without some kind of extra warning and expect people's behavior to change. I haven't driven through often enough to see if other people are also ignoring that, I assume they are.