Any cops here? Right turn rule? (Madison, Baraboo: live in, dangerous, legal)

[everwinter]

What's the rule for turning right at a red stop light when there is two right hand turn lanes that split off and you are in the left lane? From reading the first link below it sounds like you are not allowed. Correct??? The second link didn't go in to detail.

Example - exiting the beltline from the east, going north (right) on Midvale Blvd. I've found myself in this situation and not turning at the red light & get honked at. Others drive through the red treating it like a yellow light. Also it really frustrates me to see the majority of Madison drivers coasting through right on reds whether it's one or two lanes turning!

Red light running - Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Traffic facing a red signal at an intersection may, after stopping, cautiously enter the intersection to make a right turn into the nearest lane for traffic moving to the right or to turn left from a one-way highway into the nearest lane of a one-way highway on which traffic travels to the left.
Important: No turn may be made on a red signal if it means crossing lanes of moving traffic or if a sign at the intersection prohibits a turn. On making a turn on a red signal, you must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicyclists and other traffic lawfully using the intersection.


http://www.legis.state.wi.us/statutes/Stat0346.pdf
see section 346.31

[r_k]

I'm not a cop, but I'm pretty sure it's allowed to make a right turn from both lanes. That quote above just says "No turn may be made on a red signal if it means crossing lanes of moving traffic.." which I take to mean that if any traffic is coming from the left then don't cut across it, which is common sense.

Using the example, you cited, from the beltline to Midvale, consider the opposite direction, i.e. if you're heading from the west, and want to go south on Verona Rd. Again there are two right turn lanes, but IIRC the left lane has a special sign prohibiting right turns on red. Why have this sign if right turns are always prohibited?

[toast12]

right on red is always allowed as long as its not specifically permited (e.g a sign)

[Chelito23]

I was wondering the same thing. If you exit the Beltline going west at Whitney way there are four lanes, two to go left and two to go right. Both right lanes have red arrows...but people treat them as a stop sign, so I am curious, IS it legal to stop and then go? I know that what I have done and see people do and yes, people will honk if you just sit there.

I have noticed that if there is a red turn arrow, and a turn is prohibited when red, there is usaully a sign indicating this also...so who really knows.

[r_k]

I am nearly 100% sure it's legal to make a right turn on a red light, unless there is a sign that specifically prohibits it.

[JoshB]

I ran into this situation the other day. I live in Baraboo but was in Madison getting off at County D I can think of the name. Any ways both lanes were for right turn. Only way you could make right turn on red was to be in the right of both those lanes. The left lane has to stay until the light allows it. I think that's pretty common in Madison. I don't if there is a state wide rule/law on it?

[fisherman26]

It is illegal to make the right turn from the left lane of the two. That is crossing lanes of traffic. They should either put signs up for all those situations, or make the people more educated on the situation. It's very dangerous to make that right turn from the left lane--example is heading south on Whitney Way from the beltline.