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Flashing Yellow Left Turn Arrows
Scottsdale’s Transportation Department has installed a new type of traffic signal indication at two intersections: Raintree Drive at Northsight Blvd and 68th Street at McDowell Road to improve safety. Scottsdale is one of the first cities in Arizona to use these types of signals.
The new signal indication uses a flashing yellow arrow to notify left turning motorists that they must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians before turning left. Signs were posted at these intersections for an initial 30-day period, reading "Left Turn Yield on Flashing Yellow Arrow".
The signal indication began at Raintree Drive at Northsight Boulevard on Tuesday, October 21st 2008. A few weeks later, 68th Street at McDowell Road signal's indication was in place. For now, only the north and southbound left turn lanes at these two intersections will have the new signals.
Preliminary analysis of the before and after collisions experience at these intersections, shows that there has been a reduction in collisions involving the left turn movements.
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Here what the new signals will look | |
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Steady red arrow = Stop. No left turns allowed. |
| Steady yellow arrow = Prepare to stop. | |
| Flashing yellow arrow = Left turns allowed, but must yield to oncoming traffic. | |
| Steady green arrow = Left turns allowed. | |
Left-turn Arrows
The flashing yellow arrow traffic signals consist of four arrow lights that are used exclusively for left-turning traffic. The arrow traffic signals are separate from the traffic signals containing circular lights for through traffic.
Benefits of New Left-turn Arrows
| Click to view full size demo |
- Enables the left-turn control to be varied during the day.
- Eliminates motorist confusion as to the meaning of the circular green light, which can be mistaken as a protected left turn, and the simultaneous circular red light and green arrow (some motorists stop).
- Can be used in all intersection and signal configurations.
- Provides more opportunities for drivers to turn left.
- Can also be used for right turns.
The new signals are a result of a nationwide study by the Federal Highway Administration that looked at amending the federal standards for left turn signals. It is anticipated that this standard will be adopted and will become more widely used in the future.
