1952 marked the year the city's then Department of Traffic declared future installations of signalized intersection to use three-section traffic signals. Existing signalized intersections would be modernized if necessary; however, the conversion from red and green signal indications to the red, amber, and green set would come in full force in later years. A process that would take slightly over 50 years to fully complete.
At the same time, the experimentation of the new form of caution (red and green both lit) for two-section traffic signals was underway. According to traffic commissioner T.T. Wiley, the main goal was to provide a positive response in this phase than a negative one, which eventually decreased
"jumping the lights" that commonly led to accidents. Thus, the elimination of the older
"dark out period."
The New York Times article below goes into depth regarding the experimentation of the overlap and adoption of three-section traffic signals by the D.O.T. and its benefit to the safety of motorists. Quite an interesting read.
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