Only in this state....

[bassoon1986]

I've seen that sparingly in Texas and Louisiana. Usually a few miles in advance.

Bossier City, LA I-20 WB
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=shreveport&hl=en&ll=32.513942,-93.725433&spn=0.001212,0.001725&sll=33.23759,-97.145151&sspn=0.305535,0.441513&hnear=Shreveport,+Caddo,+Louisiana&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=32.513942,-93.725433&panoid=BkB8s7XbsdZA_8_EcboEUw&cbp=12,289.42,,0,12.49

[jp the roadgeek]

IIRC, I saw a leaving Hunterdon County, followed by an Entering Sussex County sign on NJ 94 between Blairstown and Newton.

[vdeane]

Seen them on East Main St. in Meriden too west of I-91/CT 15.  Always called them "suicide lanes"

Down here in GA and AL people use them as merge lanes. 

Last I checked, that's not only legal, but the correct way to make a left turn.

[Brandon]

Seen them on East Main St. in Meriden too west of I-91/CT 15.  Always called them "suicide lanes"

Down here in GA and AL people use them as merge lanes. 

Last I checked, that's not only legal, but the correct way to make a left turn.

I've always considered it more of a fuckup than a correct way to make a left turn.  The correct way to to floor it out of the street or driveway while using a break in traffic just big enough to get into the flow.  If you get stuck in the center turn lane, you fucked up your timing.

[roadfro]

Seen them on East Main St. in Meriden too west of I-91/CT 15.  Always called them "suicide lanes"

Down here in GA and AL people use them as merge lanes. 

Last I checked, that's not only legal, but the correct way to make a left turn.

I've always considered it more of a fuckup than a correct way to make a left turn.  The correct way to to floor it out of the street or driveway while using a break in traffic just big enough to get into the flow.  If you get stuck in the center turn lane, you fucked up your timing.

In Nevada, I believe the law is that you cannot travel more than 100 feet in a TWLTL when turning onto the main road in this manner. But I always learned to avoid making the turn in this manner and wait for the appropriate gap. I think it is works better for driver expectation on the main road--I only do this merge manuever if I've been waiting for a gap for a long time and it becomes evident that the only way I will be able to make my turn is to do it in stages.

[Kacie Jane]

Seen them on East Main St. in Meriden too west of I-91/CT 15.  Always called them "suicide lanes"

Down here in GA and AL people use them as merge lanes. 

Last I checked, that's not only legal, but the correct way to make a left turn.

I've always considered it more of a fuckup than a correct way to make a left turn.  The correct way to to floor it out of the street or driveway while using a break in traffic just big enough to get into the flow.  If you get stuck in the center turn lane, you fucked up your timing.

I'm pretty sure that flooring it and relying on gaps that are just big enough is not the correct way to perform any driving maneuver.

[vtk]

When I was learning to drive, I was told that using a TWLTL as a merge lane is not legal in Ohio, though it is in some nonspecific other states.  People around here do it anyway, and it annoys the crap out of me.

I'm pretty sure that flooring it and relying on gaps that are just big enough is not the correct way to perform any driving maneuver.

If you don't think you can perform the maneuver safely, then choose a different maneuver.  I personally prefer turning right, then turning around in the driveway/lot of a business on the left; I call this an 'Ohio Michigan Left'.

[vdeane]

Many roads have so much traffic that in order to do a left turn all at once you'll be waiting until midnight.

Seen them on East Main St. in Meriden too west of I-91/CT 15.  Always called them "suicide lanes"

Down here in GA and AL people use them as merge lanes. 

Last I checked, that's not only legal, but the correct way to make a left turn.

I've always considered it more of a fuckup than a correct way to make a left turn.  The correct way to to floor it out of the street or driveway while using a break in traffic just big enough to get into the flow.  If you get stuck in the center turn lane, you fucked up your timing.

I'm pretty sure that flooring it and relying on gaps that are just big enough is not the correct way to perform any driving maneuver.

I'm pretty sure that's a good way to get into an accident, in fact; also good for wearing out the parts of your car sooner.

[agentsteel53]

TWLTL

what does this acronym stand for?  I'm assuming it is the formal name for a shared turn lane.

[Big John]

TWLTL

what does this acronym stand for?  I'm assuming it is the formal name for a shared turn lane.

Two Way Left Turn Lane

[NE2]

'Center turn lane' works better because it applies equally well to left-side drive countries.

[roadman65]

Only in Texas do they have that shield assembly that looks like a goalpost where multiple shields are assembled.

[thenetwork]

Only in Texas do they have that shield assembly that looks like a goalpost where multiple shields are assembled.

Nope, the Texas Goalpoasts are used in Colorado as well.

[xcellntbuy]

I thought they looked like "longhorns."

[hbelkins]

I did not know that a TWLTL (or center turn lane) could or should be used as an intermediate stop when turning left across traffic until I saw an informational brochure published by the state of Kansas a few years ago. Since then, I frequently make left turns this way. Cross the lane coming from left to right and get in the center turn lane, then either stop or drive slowly until there's a safe opening in the right-to-left lane and merge in.

Only in Texas do they have that shield assembly that looks like a goalpost where multiple shields are assembled.

I've seen Texas goalposts used in West Virginia and other states.

[vtk]

Ohio DOT has started using goalposts for exit gore signs lately; also, they use the narrow style even when horizontal clearance isn't an issue.  I've seen quite a few turned sideways by the wind...

[agentsteel53]

I did not know that a TWLTL (or center turn lane) could or should be used as an intermediate stop when turning left across traffic until I saw an informational brochure published by the state of Kansas a few years ago. Since then, I frequently make left turns this way. Cross the lane coming from left to right and get in the center turn lane, then either stop or drive slowly until there's a safe opening in the right-to-left lane and merge in.

I would like to know more about the legality of this maneuver.  it is very, very common here in California.  in fact, I generally know that I don't have to move over to the right if someone is turning left into my direction, and has a shared turn lane.  they will stop and wait, as opposed to barreling forward.

[hbelkins]

Something's not right about this document, but you get the gist of it. It's from FHWA and acknowledges Kansas DOT.

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/docs/b_2way.pdf

Here's the Kansas page, with a link to a bi-fold brochure:

http://www.ksdot.org/burtrafficsaf/brochures/turnlanes.asp

[PurdueBill]

Ohio DOT has started using goalposts for exit gore signs lately; also, they use the narrow style even when horizontal clearance isn't an issue.  I've seen quite a few turned sideways by the wind...

I don't get why the goalposts are used on so many new gore signs; the new signage on I-71 north of Columbus includes narrow gore signs on goalposts, and there is no space issue whatsoever.  The previous normal Exit 151 gore signs in both directions were only up for a couple years (due to the bridge widening there) and then they were replaced with narrow ones on goalposts.  In Akron on I-77, the Clearview from the Central Interchange to just north of Arlington included a couple narrow gores on goalposts and some wide, normal ones on two regular breakaway posts, with identical horizontal clearances.  It was almost random....

[ap70621]

IIRC, I saw a leaving Hunterdon County, followed by an Entering Sussex County sign on NJ 94 between Blairstown and Newton.

Hunterdon does not border Sussex. You mean Warren County.

[roadman65]

IIRC, I saw a leaving Hunterdon County, followed by an Entering Sussex County sign on NJ 94 between Blairstown and Newton.

Hunterdon does not border Sussex. You mean Warren County.

Thats odd, cause NJ does not like to sign county borders with the county names, but likes to sign municipal boundaries instead.  Usually at county lines, the name of the township, town, borough, or city is mentioned, but never the county except on the Garden State Parkway(denoted with county route shield cut outs with gold on blue lettering)  and on some old signs (black on white) that face the highway sideways with arrows pointing to the direction of the county.

[ftballfan]

North Dakota has some 65 MPH county roads.

What's the highest speed limit on a dirt road?  There's at least one dirt road in ND with a 55 MPH speed limit:

The default speed limit for county roads in Kansas is 55 mph, with no distinction made between paved and unpaved.  According to the Wyoming DOT page that NE2 linked to, the default speed limit for unpaved county roads in Wyoming is 55 mph, and used to be 65 mph prior to 2011.

In Michigan, dirt roads default to 55 mph as well.

[motorway]

IIRC, I saw a leaving Hunterdon County, followed by an Entering Sussex County sign on NJ 94 between Blairstown and Newton.

Hunterdon does not border Sussex. You mean Warren County.

Thats odd, cause NJ does not like to sign county borders with the county names, but likes to sign municipal boundaries instead.  Usually at county lines, the name of the township, town, borough, or city is mentioned, but never the county except on the Garden State Parkway(denoted with county route shield cut outs with gold on blue lettering)  and on some old signs (black on white) that face the highway sideways with arrows pointing to the direction of the county.

For the most part that's true, but there are a few examples of counties putting up their own welcome signage not installed by the state in the fashion of its "Entering Twp of xyz" style.
-Sussex County erects somewhat standardized, attractive welcome signs, for example here on NJ 183: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=sussex+county&hl=en&ll=40.901999,-74.696774&spn=0.019722,0.044117&sll=40.95916,-74.995422&sspn=1.252784,3.869934&hnear=Sussex,+New+Jersey&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=40.902098,-74.704944&panoid=470VTmHt2lTTSKBV0u_ZCw&cbp=12,51.54,,0,3.19
-Hunterdon County posts small blue welcome signs complete with founding date, for example here on CR 517: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=hunterdon+county&hl=en&ll=40.736072,-74.709435&spn=0.158167,0.352936&sll=40.902098,-74.704944&sspn=0.001233,0.003779&hnear=Hunterdon,+New+Jersey&t=m&z=12&layer=c&cbll=40.736289,-74.774553&panoid=AcOIOVG0_rvI1-4ZdE0MAQ&cbp=12,245.09,,0,7.34
-Ocean County posts larger blue signs with the county shield, for example here on CR 539: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=hunterdon+county&hl=en&ll=40.10226,-74.50446&spn=0.00499,0.011029&sll=40.902098,-74.704944&sspn=0.001233,0.003779&hnear=Hunterdon,+New+Jersey&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.102178,-74.506436&panoid=DBjtC9jjIUCTFnvmFSs-gw&cbp=12,197.32,,0,6.77
-Warren County posts small green welcome signs, shown partially obscured here on US 46: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=warren+county&hl=en&ll=40.848537,-74.817903&spn=0.009869,0.022058&sll=40.834103,-74.822908&sspn=0.001234,0.003779&hnear=Warren,+New+Jersey&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=40.84853,-74.821854&panoid=_zg10aiEC8e20Dy_4ezGTA&cbp=12,334.07,,0,3.45

Burlington County also used to have a welcome sign posted on CR 537 that has now been removed.

[Mergingtraffic]

I did not know that a TWLTL (or center turn lane) could or should be used as an intermediate stop when turning left across traffic until I saw an informational brochure published by the state of Kansas a few years ago. Since then, I frequently make left turns this way. Cross the lane coming from left to right and get in the center turn lane, then either stop or drive slowly until there's a safe opening in the right-to-left lane and merge in.

Only in Texas do they have that shield assembly that looks like a goalpost where multiple shields are assembled.

I've seen Texas goalposts used in West Virginia and other states.

I was thinking as to why the TWLTL is marked the way it is....a double yellow line, the outside is solid and the inside is broken on both sides of the lane. 

Usually the solid yellow line means you cannot cross it and the broken yellow line means you can cross it (too pass)

If I were a traffic engineer I would probably think of a different line marking strategy, of course I have no idea what it would be.  Maybe the inside is broken because you're supposed to turn your way out of it or merge back in.

[mgk920]

Well, the outside line is not 'broken' so that people do not mistake it for a place where passing is legal.

I've pondered that same though at times and have also been able to come up with nothing better.



Mike