Traffic signal

[TBKS1]

To add to this, here are some horizonitally hung wire spans just down the street on Capitol Ave.

Yup! I have that too. (Just not on Flickr)



And this photo quality is terrible because it was raining.

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

NY uses horizontal signals on span wire but only if there are visibility related issues. Sometimes they will even be in a cluster with regular vertical signals as seen here at an intersection by an overpass

https://goo.gl/maps/pLv5E4XnAzC2

[jakeroot]

NY uses horizontal signals on span wire but only if there are visibility related issues. Sometimes they will even be in a cluster with regular vertical signals as seen here at an intersection by an overpass

https://goo.gl/maps/pLv5E4XnAzC2

https://flic.kr/p/23QNM4Z

I saw this in downtown Little Rock today and I don't know what kind of signal this is. I thought it was pretty unique though!

I can't help but notice that, in these two images, the horizontal layout of the 5-section signal is different. In the NY example, the green orb is on the far right of the signal, with the two arrow displays to the left of it. But in the Arkansas example, the green orb is in the middle, effectively just a standard 5-section tower turned to one side (90 degrees anti-clockwise I assume).

IIRC, the Arkansas example is the one not following MUTCD guidelines. A guideline that I disagree with, I might add. Not sure why the green orb has to be on the far right edge, even with a pro/per signal.

[freebrickproductions]

NY uses horizontal signals on span wire but only if there are visibility related issues. Sometimes they will even be in a cluster with regular vertical signals as seen here at an intersection by an overpass

https://goo.gl/maps/pLv5E4XnAzC2

https://flic.kr/p/23QNM4Z

I saw this in downtown Little Rock today and I don't know what kind of signal this is. I thought it was pretty unique though!

I can't help but notice that, in these two images, the horizontal layout of the 5-section signal is different. In the NY example, the green orb is on the far right of the signal, with the two arrow displays to the left of it. But in the Arkansas example, the green orb is in the middle, effectively just a standard 5-section tower turned to one side (90 degrees anti-clockwise I assume).

IIRC, the Arkansas example is the one not following MUTCD guidelines. A guideline that I disagree with, I might add. Not sure why the green orb has to be on the far right edge, even with a pro/per signal.

I think it's because the FHWA wants left arrows to be left or below any green ball indications, and the arrows to be grouped together. Horizontal right turn signals have to have the green ball in the middle with the arrows on the right:
https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009r1r2/part4/fig4d_18_longdesc.htm

[jakeroot]

NY uses horizontal signals on span wire but only if there are visibility related issues. Sometimes they will even be in a cluster with regular vertical signals as seen here at an intersection by an overpass

https://goo.gl/maps/pLv5E4XnAzC2

https://flic.kr/p/23QNM4Z

I saw this in downtown Little Rock today and I don't know what kind of signal this is. I thought it was pretty unique though!

I can't help but notice that, in these two images, the horizontal layout of the 5-section signal is different. In the NY example, the green orb is on the far right of the signal, with the two arrow displays to the left of it. But in the Arkansas example, the green orb is in the middle, effectively just a standard 5-section tower turned to one side (90 degrees anti-clockwise I assume).

IIRC, the Arkansas example is the one not following MUTCD guidelines. A guideline that I disagree with, I might add. Not sure why the green orb has to be on the far right edge, even with a pro/per signal.

I think it's because the FHWA wants left arrows to be left or below any green ball indications, and the arrows to be grouped together. Horizontal right turn signals have to have the green ball in the middle with the arrows on the right:
https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009r1r2/part4/fig4d_18_longdesc.htm

Didn't realize that Arkansas signal was a pro/per right turn signal (thought it was for left turns). Nonetheless, an arrow pointing left or right should be enough to clue drivers in to which direction they are allowed to proceed. I don't see why horizontal left-turn pro/per signals need to have the left arrows positioned to the left of the green ball. The arrows still point left. The position of the green orb shouldn't be relevant.

[freebrickproductions]

NY uses horizontal signals on span wire but only if there are visibility related issues. Sometimes they will even be in a cluster with regular vertical signals as seen here at an intersection by an overpass

https://goo.gl/maps/pLv5E4XnAzC2

https://flic.kr/p/23QNM4Z

I saw this in downtown Little Rock today and I don't know what kind of signal this is. I thought it was pretty unique though!

I can't help but notice that, in these two images, the horizontal layout of the 5-section signal is different. In the NY example, the green orb is on the far right of the signal, with the two arrow displays to the left of it. But in the Arkansas example, the green orb is in the middle, effectively just a standard 5-section tower turned to one side (90 degrees anti-clockwise I assume).

IIRC, the Arkansas example is the one not following MUTCD guidelines. A guideline that I disagree with, I might add. Not sure why the green orb has to be on the far right edge, even with a pro/per signal.

I think it's because the FHWA wants left arrows to be left or below any green ball indications, and the arrows to be grouped together. Horizontal right turn signals have to have the green ball in the middle with the arrows on the right:
https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009r1r2/part4/fig4d_18_longdesc.htm

Didn't realize that Arkansas signal was a pro/per right turn signal (thought it was for left turns).

Actually, I'm not sure that the one in Arkansas has the indications past the green even functional, based on how they appear to lack visors.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

NY uses horizontal signals on span wire but only if there are visibility related issues. Sometimes they will even be in a cluster with regular vertical signals as seen here at an intersection by an overpass

https://goo.gl/maps/pLv5E4XnAzC2

https://flic.kr/p/23QNM4Z

I saw this in downtown Little Rock today and I don't know what kind of signal this is. I thought it was pretty unique though!

I can't help but notice that, in these two images, the horizontal layout of the 5-section signal is different. In the NY example, the green orb is on the far right of the signal, with the two arrow displays to the left of it. But in the Arkansas example, the green orb is in the middle, effectively just a standard 5-section tower turned to one side (90 degrees anti-clockwise I assume).

IIRC, the Arkansas example is the one not following MUTCD guidelines. A guideline that I disagree with, I might add. Not sure why the green orb has to be on the far right edge, even with a pro/per signal.

Oddly, I don't think those lenses have activated lights in them for the ones on W. Capitol Ave. I have been through there multiple times, and they don't seem to activate. I haven't seen an inductor or pressure plate.

[Rick1962]

A unique stoplight by TBKS1, on Flickr

I saw this in downtown Little Rock today and I don't know what kind of signal this is. I thought it was pretty unique though!

The original layout of this signal had double reds, and arrow indications for straight and turning traffic. I saw them in the late-1980s.

SM-G892A

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

Saw this very ugly "mast arm" setup today. Too many lights hanging from arms.

https://goo.gl/maps/K96emK5bPgC2

[jakeroot]

Saw this very ugly "mast arm" setup today. Too many lights hanging from arms.

https://goo.gl/maps/K96emK5bPgC2

Very rarely do I ever prefer wire-span to a mast-arm setup, but in this case, I definitely do.

[SignBridge]

Some mast-arm installations like that one are downright clumsy looking. I hate when the vertical piece of the mounting bracket sticks way up above the mast-arm. It looks so unprofessional.

[jakeroot]

Some mast-arm installations like that one are downright clumsy looking. I hate when the vertical piece of the mounting bracket sticks way up above the mast-arm. It looks so unprofessional.

It's definitely a "that'll do" look. Whoever designed that setup clearly doesn't have a lot of love for the profession.

[SignBridge]

Yeah well it happens a lot on Long Island in recent installations. Both NYSDOT and Suffolk County do it that way. Nassau County DPW does much better looking installations using their own unique mounting hardware, but they are deficient in other ways. Some other states like California and Nevada do so much more classy mast-arm signals than anyone in the Northeast. That includes appearance and functionality.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

Saw this very ugly "mast arm" setup today. Too many lights hanging from arms.

https://goo.gl/maps/K96emK5bPgC2

Very rarely do I ever prefer wire-span to a mast-arm setup, but in this case, I definitely do.

My brain exploded when I opened that GSV link!

[lordsutch]

Saw this very ugly "mast arm" setup today. Too many lights hanging from arms.

https://goo.gl/maps/K96emK5bPgC2

At least they could have had one horizontal pole connected between the two vertical poles to spread the signal heads out a bit better, if nothing else. I'm not a fan of trying to get away with using just two poles with one horizontal span each (wire-span or mast-arm) but if you're going to do it, the rarely-seen full-diagonal pole option is the best option.

[jakeroot]

Saw this very ugly "mast arm" setup today. Too many lights hanging from arms.

https://goo.gl/maps/K96emK5bPgC2

At least they could have had one horizontal pole connected between the two vertical poles to spread the signal heads out a bit better, if nothing else. I'm not a fan of trying to get away with using just two poles with one horizontal span each (wire-span or mast-arm) but if you're going to do it, the rarely-seen full-diagonal pole option is the best option.

A monotube gantry could have worked, as long as it was tall enough to pass over the telephone wires.

A better idea, that would have looked far cleaner, without interfering with the telephone wires, would have been to use only post-mounted signals. Outside of downtown areas, this style of installation has mostly been done away with in most (all?) states. But in 2006, a new one popped up just south of Bothell, WA. I can't quite figure out why only post-mounted signals were used here, but it gets the job done quite well:

[jakeroot]

Walking around downtown Seattle today. Snapped exactly two images of things I found interesting:

Anyone know what's going on with the green signal face? Sticks out much further than the red and amber faces. (3rd and Pike):



Not a particularly good photo, due to the nearby sidewalk being closed (and my failure to adjust the aperture), but here's an 8-8-8 signal head placed directly next to a 12-12-12-12 signal head. Seems so tiny in comparison. The Rainier Tower is in the background (5th & Union):

[cl94]

Walking around downtown Seattle today. Snapped exactly two images of things I found interesting:

Anyone know what's going on with the green signal face? Sticks out much further than the red and amber faces. (3rd and Pike):

That looks like a 3M PV retrofit lens. While dedicated PV units only came in 12-inch, they made 8-inch lenses for retrofits.

[SignBridge]

Jakeroot, that all pole-mount configuration in Bothell, Wa. is not that unusual. And it's common in California at similar intersections with narrow roads and only one lane in each direction. The driver's cone-of-vision from the stop-line is narrow enough that the MUTCD standards can be met with only post/pole mounts.

[jakeroot]

Walking around downtown Seattle today. Snapped exactly two images of things I found interesting:

Anyone know what's going on with the green signal face? Sticks out much further than the red and amber faces. (3rd and Pike):

That looks like a 3M PV retrofit lens. While dedicated PV units only came in 12-inch, they made 8-inch lenses for retrofits.

Very cool! Thanks for the info.

Jakeroot, that all pole-mount configuration in Bothell, Wa. is not that unusual. And it's common in California at similar intersections with narrow roads and only one lane in each direction. The driver's cone-of-vision from the stop-line is narrow enough that the MUTCD standards can be met with only post/pole mounts.

I should be more specific. Intersections with all-pole-mounted signals are not at all uncommon. But they aren't really installed anymore. Even in California, at new intersections, two of the four approaches will have a mast arm (almost always all four). It's difficult to find an example, due to California's love-affair with all-way stops, but this signal in Penngrove, which has one lane for three of the four approaches, still has mast arms. Those three single-lane approaches only have one overhead signal, but there's still mast arms being used.

With my Bothell example, the signal is relatively new. New setups with all-post-mounted signals (outside of downtown areas) seems to be very uncommon. The only state that might have used this setup would have been Wisconsin, and even they've moved on to a more California-esque setup with mast arms for all approaches.

[freebrickproductions]

this signal in Penngrove

That link don't work.

And nice find with that 3M 8 inch PV adapter on it! Not too many of those in service.

[jakeroot]

this signal in Penngrove

That link don't work.

And nice find with that 3M 8 inch PV adapter on it! Not too many of those in service.

Correct link: https://goo.gl/EtupMH (fixed in quote above). Thanks for the heads up.

I think that PV adapter is the only one in Seattle. Not aware of any others.

[freebrickproductions]

Also, RE: Post-mount signals, they're very rare here in Alabama, as we've been using mostly overhead mounts since the beginning of traffic signals down here (usually span wires though sometimes mast arms, especially in cities and on newer installs in a few places, also mostly cities). In fact, I can personally only think of only 5 intersections with only post-mount signals state-wide, four of which are in downtown Opelika, AL:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.6474879,-85.378239,3a,78.2y,227.43h,79.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJ-LUhZlGVJyi-Fi2lLIo4Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.6466289,-85.3793105,3a,50.9y,229.28h,85.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slduoYd0cGhLQcoIvYaauRQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.6455005,-85.3786016,3a,35.2y,54.37h,89.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWGwYebUZ6AFfA47oZixTyw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.646593,-85.3771822,3a,56.1y,226.72h,86.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1srgGBobIWt00RihmHbB9iWg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
The only other one that I'm aware of is this one on Moulton Street in downtown Decatur, AL (and it's the only one in my immediate area):
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.6039331,-86.9848175,3a,45.2y,265.28h,89.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swAOsr4g2_HXCCkIr1UpPZA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
There used to be two others on 2nd Avenue, but they were downgraded to 4-way stops years ago. Though in my experience with the remaining one in Decatur and the ones in Opelika, I can see why Decatur would want to remove two of their set-ups, as the signals can be kinda easy to miss, though it probably doesn't help that they all use 8 inch signals and the one in Decatur has 4-way clusters hung on span wires to either side of it.

The only other place I'm aware of in the southeast as a whole with only post mount signals in use at an intersection is Dayton, TN, which has a few intersections like this in their downtown:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4926569,-85.0141588,3a,50.1y,21.28h,85.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNBcGFqCoYrGY9M2yhhVP2A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4934716,-85.013522,3a,49.5y,41.04h,86.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRhIV2E_TIHOLaJNWoRZLxw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4942905,-85.0128175,3a,75y,36.29h,81.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKMhTibo8lASzajwKN9YRQQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4950308,-85.0121877,3a,56.2y,39.95h,81.56t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZk-onSdKYr0GAuhBqyk6pw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[traffic light guy]

Philly is the only area left in my area that still has post-mounted signals. But that's besides the fact. I know no one else really cares, but I found a few sets of old traffic signal equipment still standing along the Northernmost tip of Broad Street in Philadelphia. How are these signals undocumented!?!? These older installs have mast-arms along PA 611, and have side-posts mounted on the side streets. These installs include very old signal models, they have Crouse-Hinds Type M and Type R signals, Econolite Bullseyes, a Marbelite, Highway Signs & Signal Corporation heads, and the typical old Eagle signal. These photos are a treat for those of you who either live in PA, or love old signals






ASUS Chromebook C202SA

Why did I post this here, well...How were these left undocumented, I'm the only one who's ever mentioned these, how could so many old traffic signals go undocumented, especailly these, these are the only installs left that were left unaffected by Broad Street's 2008 Upgrades. And about the Econolite bullseyes, I don't think there are any others left within the Philadelphia area.

[jakeroot]

Philly is the only area left in my area that still has post-mounted signals. But that's besides the fact. I know no one else really cares, but I found a few sets of old traffic signal equipment still standing along the Northernmost tip of Broad Street in Philadelphia. How are these signals undocumented!?!?
....
Why did I post this here, well...How were these left undocumented, I'm the only one who's ever mentioned these, how could so many old traffic signals go undocumented, especailly these, these are the only installs left that were left unaffected by Broad Street's 2008 Upgrades.

What do you mean by "undocumented"? As in, not replaced in keeping with the traditional signal replacement schedules?