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[Roadsguy]

I know of one in Harrisburg.

I've seen more. What others are there? Better yet, any others that aren't that way for an obvious reason (such as being right after a bridge)?

[Alps]

Common in New Jersey, especially Essex County. By which I mean the norm and not the exception. Yet I think we've had this discussion - but I can't find it, so carry on.

[pianocello]

Better yet, any others that aren't that way for an obvious reason (such as being right after a bridge)?

See the entire state of Wisconsin (except for the new lights, apparently), as well as the city of New Orleans

[Big John]

Better yet, any others that aren't that way for an obvious reason (such as being right after a bridge)?

See the entire state of Wisconsin (except for the new lights, apparently), as well as the city of New Orleans

And New Mexico and parts of Nebraska, Florida and Texas.

[Ian]

In places other than Florida or Texas where horizontal signals are common, they're usually used when the signals face a low clearance bridge, so the coming cars can see the signals without the bridge obstructing the view. The Harrisburg street view in the original post is a perfect example.

[huskeroadgeek]

Better yet, any others that aren't that way for an obvious reason (such as being right after a bridge)?

See the entire state of Wisconsin (except for the new lights, apparently), as well as the city of New Orleans

And New Mexico and parts of Nebraska, Florida and Texas.

Yep-here in Lincoln, horizontal traffic lights greatly outnumber vertical ones. All new lights are horizontal, and vertical ones are changed to horizontal ones when they need to be replaced.

[Scott5114]

There are a few new ones in downtown Oklahoma City for some reason.

Lawton has a somewhat regular practice of mounting the left-turn signal horizontal and everything else vertical:

[Brandon]

There are a few new ones in downtown Oklahoma City for some reason.

Lawton has a somewhat regular practice of mounting the left-turn signal horizontal and everything else vertical:

Now that is different and distinctly something I've never seen before.  At least it makes you notice that the left turn signal is different than the others.

[roadfro]

Lawton has a somewhat regular practice of mounting the left-turn signal horizontal and everything else vertical:

Now that is different and distinctly something I've never seen before.  At least it makes you notice that the left turn signal is different than the others.

Using a red arrow would make you notice the left turn signal is for turns, too 

[Brandon]

Lawton has a somewhat regular practice of mounting the left-turn signal horizontal and everything else vertical:

Now that is different and distinctly something I've never seen before.  At least it makes you notice that the left turn signal is different than the others.

Using a red arrow would make you notice the left turn signal is for turns, too 

From a distance, a red arrow and a red ball are difficult to distinguish.

[kphoger]

From a distance, a red arrow and a red ball are difficult to distinguish.

From a distance, though, so are horizontal and vertical assemblies.

[roadfro]

From a distance, a red arrow and a red ball are difficult to distinguish.

From that far of a distance, the difference wouldn't really matter...

[Dr Frankenstein]

Standard practice in Québec. See any signal on any MTQ road; it's the norm rather than the exception.

[PHLBOS]

Ian/PennDOTfan,

I'm surprised that you didn't mention the signals at the Bishop Ave./Westpark Dr./Palmer Mill Rd. intersection in Springfield/Upper Darby Township (Delaware County).  While the signalheads along Bishop Ave. were changed to the conventional vertical layout (to accomodate a Left-turn signal from Bishop to Westpark Dr.) roughly a decade ago; the signalheads facing Westpark Dr. & Palmer Mill Rd. are still the original horizontally-arranged signalheads.

[Ian]

Ian/PennDOTfan,

I'm surprised that you didn't mention the signals at the Bishop Ave./Westpark Dr./Palmer Mill Rd. intersection in Springfield/Upper Darby Township (Delaware County).  While the signalheads along Bishop Ave. were changed to the conventional vertical layout (to accomodate a Left-turn signal from Bishop to Westpark Dr.) roughly a decade ago; the signalheads facing Westpark Dr. & Palmer Mill Rd. are still the original horizontally-arranged signalheads.

I totally forgot about those. I always enjoy seeing them still up and running every time I pass by them!

[Quillz]

For the record, I'm talking about these:



Has there ever been any studies that determined if horizontal traffic lights are easier to see from a distance than the standard vertical traffic lights? There doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason why some traffic lights are mounted horizontally, outside of perhaps vertical clearance requirements. The main argument I've heard against horizontal traffic lights is that they are more difficult to maintain than the standard vertical mounting and also considerably more expensive.

Do you prefer horizontal traffic lights? I have to say that I really like the (old?) style used in Quebec, that were horizontally mounted, book-ended with red lights and each color had its own shape (I think the reds were square, the yellow was a triangle and green was a circle.)

[roadman65]

I do not know if any study has been done, but they are good for hurricanes and where overpasses generally block the standard type mount. They are even used under bridges where you do not have headroom to hang a traditional signal like under elevated subway lines or in SPUI setups.

[Milepost61]

From what I've seen it's state preference. Texas, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Nebraska as far as I know are the only states to use them on a widespread basis.

The more expensive part doesn't make sense to me, a signal head is going to be the same price whether it's horizontal or vertical. The number of lenses is what drives the cost there. The pole and structure hardware is where a lot of the cost is in signals.

[roadman65]

Common in New Jersey, especially Essex County. By which I mean the norm and not the exception. Yet I think we've had this discussion - but I can't find it, so carry on.

Last time I was in Newark, a lot of signals along NJ 21 have been converted to verticle assemblies.  Even the new signals along Ferry Street in the Downtown Ironbound Section are now verticle.  Then many along South Orange Avenue in Vailsburg were changed as well.

Atlantic City its the norm except on Atlantic Avenue and Absecon Boulevard.  Then drawbridges seem to be converting to horizontal heads in Monmouth and Ocean Counties and even in Florida the new regular signals for drawbridges are horizontal as years ago they were flashing red lights.  There still are a few of the old way left, but most now have been replaced.

[roadman65]

From what I've seen it's state preference. Texas, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Nebraska as far as I know are the only states to use them on a widespread basis.

The more expensive part doesn't make sense to me, a signal head is going to be the same price whether it's horizontal or vertical. The number of lenses is what drives the cost there. The pole and structure hardware is where a lot of the cost is in signals.

I believe it has to do with mast arms verses span wire.  I know someone who repairs traffic lights in Orange County, FL and he told me that mast arms are a lot more than span wiring.  In fact, in two places along FL 535 in Kissimmee, FL there were mast arm signals at two of the intersections that have been replaced with span wire signal assemblies.  I do not know why exactly, but I am assuming it is cost.  When FDOT widened Orange Blossom Trail from Osceola Parkway in Kissimmee to Taft- Vineland Road in Orlando, all the lights except one was all converted to mast arms.  Steve Homan, FDOT Public Information Spokesman, told me that the one signal that was replaced with another span wire set up (OBT and Osceola Parkway) was due to the fact Osceola County did not want to pay the additional expense of contributing to mast arm upgrades as Orange County did.  That would be my guess why Osceola County did not upgrade the two signals on FL 535 with another mast arm assembly.

I guess then, California really must pay heavy for traffic lights as all signals in the Golden State are mast arms along with back plates on the overhead signal heads.  Also, New Jersey with its many mast arms at one particular intersection, especially on divided highways is the norm.  I have seen as many as eight arms at one intersection with two opposite each other on both sides and on the divided road you will have one mounted diagonally from the median or jersey barrier with the other on the corners with side mounted on all poles as well.  I do not know if NJ or CA has the most signal heads at an intersection, but even the Garden State is flipping such a bill then.

Check this one out on US 1 & 9 at North Avenue in Elizabeth, NJ.  It is an unusual large intersection with US 1 & 9 being so wide with four carriageways at this point.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Elizabeth,+NJ&hl=en&ll=40.677164,-74.197959&spn=0.003808,0.010353&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.097496,21.203613&oq=eli&t=h&hnear=Elizabeth,+Union,+New+Jersey&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.677356,-74.197083&panoid=Jjc_AeMzqPqCnsZ3gm_lig&cbp=12,276.33,,0,0

[tradephoric]

I don't like horizontal traffic signals because it can add to driver confusion to which signal head to follow (signal indications aren't always centered above the travel lane).  With a 5-sectional head a horizontal signal can hang nearly the entire width of the lane, leading to a signal indication being on near the edge of the next travel lane over. 

[Quillz]

Here's one that uses the shapes I was referring to:

[roadfro]

There is no reason why horizontally-mounted traffic signals would be more difficult to maintain or more expensive. For the most part, the use comes down to height/clearance limitations (as in mounting under a bridge) or state preference.

Mast arms versus span wire doesn't really have much to do with this topic...

[Scott5114]

Could be that since the horizontal-mount bracket hardware is less frequently used, it is more expensive, I guess.

[Ian]

Do you prefer horizontal traffic lights? I have to say that I really like the (old?) style used in Quebec, that were horizontally mounted, book-ended with red lights and each color had its own shape (I think the reds were square, the yellow was a triangle and green was a circle.)

I can say I have no preference over horizontal vs. vertical signals. As for the Quebec signals you speak of, as of a few years ago, they do not use the shaped lenses anymore. Here's what they look like now...