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I'm curious why you're waiting at a red light without other traffic (unless it has a broken detector loop.) On the side street, you can turn right-on-red. If it's the main street through, I would expect conflicting drivers turning right from the side or left onto the side street. If it's the main street left, you'd wait anyway at a traditional full-movement signal, as such a left turn would almost always be protected only because of sight distance limitations, or volume resulting in too many conflicts (including needing dual left turn lanes.) This happens much more often at traditional signals that are in signal coordination.
He's talking about waiting at the U-turn
Many times, there is no one coming and the turner is just sitting at the light (maybe because the sensors need adjusting for time of day)
What usually happens is that while sitting there with no one coming, the light is red. When the rush of traffic heads toward the turner, Murphy's Law takes over and they end up having to stop to let him make his U-turn.
At least that was usually my experience when I lived there - thanks goodness I moved
Can't it be a flashing Yellow at certain times of day and have sensors in the on-coming lanes that trip it to Red when necessary?
Just was on vacation in Utah and drove back to Salt Lake City from Moab earlier in the day - should send everyone in this thread on a trip down Bangerter Highway for fun going to/from the airport
Just was on vacation in Utah and drove back to Salt Lake City from Moab earlier in the day - should send everyone in this thread on a trip down Bangerter Highway for fun going to/from the airport
Just had a look and a key difference is those intersections have the setup where the left turns cross over the opposite side AHEAD of the light. Assuming the lights are timed right, it should flow better than what we have and for the side streets, since the lefts have their own two lanes with plenty of storage. For the cross streets there is no need turn right and then double back so you're not artificially adding cars that need to cut across two lanes in traffic to get where they are going.
Now, they've definitely gone all in on novel intersection designs on that road.
My issue with super streets is unfortunately it seems too many drivers aren't able to judge how long it will take to accelerate to the speed limit especially at traffic signals where there is limited visibility of oncoming traffic. And often when they're turning right just to get into the Uturn lane a short distance later. Impact - a slower car turns into traffic and merges into the left hand lane and impacts 2 lanes of thru traffic. In Holly Springs, that's a 55 MPH road those cars are turning into (and let's face it, either cars are going 45 MPH (a completely different thread to rant about) or 65 MPH on Hwy 55). I've had some scary close calls while driving even being very cautious driving through Holly Springs on Hwy 55. Is the traffic flow during peak times really improving to offset the higher potential for deadly accidents? I'm not sold.
I was interested in evaluating the bicyclist's point of view riding down Holly Springs road and trying to cross over 55. I realize the volume of on-road bicycle traffic around the area is probably very light, in percentage to cars, but this design looks very unsafe for bicyclists.
Here's an "interesting" sequence of Google street view photographs, northbound 55 through the first 180-degree loop back. I'm picturing a 10-15mph cyclist trying to turn left across two lanes of likely typical 45-60mph traffic, aiming for the center striped median. At this point, if still alive, the bicyclist needs to be cautious of hanging up a pedal on that damned concrete section, and watch the cars push the HELL out of the red left turn arrows:
You need to "drive" forward via the images to see what I'm writing. Gee, what fun! Also, what's the purpose of those painted "cycle" graphics at the left turn light stop lines - some stupid bicyclist died here?
In this circumstance, to cross over 55 safely, I'd probably switch to pedestrian mode and walk the crosswalk back at the intersection. But I shouldn't have to. 55 is not designated as a limited-access highway. And look at all of those residential houses just across 55 from all of that retail, separated by a car-only-centric thinking U.S. highway design.
Last edited by ncwheeling; 11-04-2022 at 10:28 AM..
If I were biking, I would dismount and walk my bike across as a pedestrian. Ideally, there should be a better way around this so bicyclists don't have to do that but then you have the conflicting NC 55 lefts preventing that.
Those graphics mark where a bicyclist should position themselves to activate the traffic signal.
Thanks, I'll have to try that sometime. The impatient car drivers will just love me sitting out in THEIR way.
I've so far never ever, ever been able to trip the wire type sensors so far with a bicycle. Usually, I wait & wait for a car, then if needed brush off the cobwebs and run the red when and if the cross traffic safely allows.
Last edited by ncwheeling; 11-04-2022 at 10:50 AM..
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