Flashing yellow turn arrows

[Busguy2010]

These things are fairly new to Omaha. I saw them in another city last year and though they would be nice for Omaha to have and sure enough.

They started popping up at lights in south central Omaha, only at single left hand turns. They're really cool to have at an intersection that normally would have a solid red turn arrow... But I've started seeing them turn up at intersections where it just makes me scratch my head and it has even become a distraction or harder to tell when I still have time to turn or not.

I'm particularly frustrated that they changed the one at southbound 76th turning left onto Dodge. This used to be a green arrow that turned yellow and simply shut off, allowing you to turn once northbound straight traffic cleared. I used to simply focus on the green, yellow, red cycle of the straight lanes and that was easy. Now you are focusing on the flashing yellow arrow and it is harder to notice the straight lanes turn yellow out of the corner of your eye. Now and I've found myself ignoring the flashing yellow light altogether so I don't have a delayed reaction when turning after the final northbound driver has gone through the yellow (or red). So what's the point of putting one there? It doesn't help with anything practical and seems like a waste of money.

There's also one at northbound 76th and Cass. Used to be two solid greens, but is now a flashing left arrow and a solid green. Its just unnecessary at some of these intersections and feel like the plan is to put them at all lights that have a single left turn lane (excluding ones where it would be dangerous to allow).

Anybody else feel some of these are unnecessary? What are some intersections that you've really appreciated having these at, as well as which other ones you're just like "huh?" about?

[Coyote]

I've noticed these lately and wondered what they were enforcing, what were they trying to prevent? Good question.

[Busguy2010]

I've noticed these lately and wondered what they were enforcing, what were they trying to prevent? Good question.

I have no way to confirm it, but I'm wondering if a turn arrow switching off in front of a left turn lane is a quirk of Omaha or Nebraska or the midwest in general, and now that there's more outside people coming in, it is a way of telling them it's still okay to go? That's all I can come up with. Maybe it's one of those bigger city things we've evolved to need.

[Coyote]

What is the official meaning of a solid yellow blinking light? Proceed with caution? No need to fully stop?

[Busguy2010]

What is the official meaning of a solid yellow blinking light? Proceed with caution? No need to fully stop?

I don't fully understand your question.

My problem with the flashing yellow arrow at an intersection that already allowed left turns before, is if you're looking at the arrow, it abruptly turns from yellow to red, whereas before you would better notice the straight lanes turn green-yellow-red. That's why I act like its not there because it is a distraction.

But these are really useful at intersections that would have previously been a solid red arrow.

[Omababe]

I recall these in various places on the Left Coast a few years before they started appearing in Omaha. I think they are a Good Thing (tm).

[Brad]

The flashing yellow left turn is awesome and I am so glad we have them. Its great, lights that were red in the past are now flashing yellow!

My favorite example is 90th and Center, and intersection I use multiple times a day, 7 days a week. When heading west on Center and turning south on 90th, there was no turn arrow, just the standard 3 colored circles. If the lights for west bound center were green, it was green, if they were red, it was red. However now they replaced the green circle with a flashing yellow arrow. Its great because the yellow operates independently of the other signals for west bound Center. East bound center has a double left turn lane and there are lots of times when the double left turn lanes are full and have a long green arrow. Before you would have to sit there for the whole cycle even though no cars were heading east on center (They were all turning north). Now while they have the green arrow to turn north, westbound center has a yellow arrow to turn south and I don't have to sit there and watch all the cars turn north anymore.

Brilliant invention whoever came up with it!

[nativeomahan]

I’m all for these flashing lights. Other cities (KC for one) have had them for years. I always thought that traffic signals were supposed to be uniformly consistent throughout the country. I haven’t looked at a drivers license manual in years but they probably explain their purpose for those who are uncertain.

[jessep28]

There was one in Lincoln I encountered a few weeks ago where I had a flashing yellow in the turn lane, but the through traffic next to me had a red light. That was fun to decipher.

[Brad]

There was one in Lincoln I encountered a few weeks ago where I had a flashing yellow in the turn lane, but the through traffic next to me had a red light. That was fun to decipher.

That's what makes them great, back in the day you lane would have been red too. Don't worry about the other lanes, just do what you lane says.

[Omababe]

There are some snags in the roll-out of these!

On Tuesday we were driving back from lunch, eastbound on Center, turning left on 144th. They apparently totally replaced the green left turn arrow where oncoming traffic is stopped with a flashing yellow. It took us three light cycles to get through it. I don't know if that's something that will stay or not.

[jessep28]

There are some snags in the roll-out of these!

On Tuesday we were driving back from lunch, eastbound on Center, turning left on 144th. They apparently totally replaced the green left turn arrow where oncoming traffic is stopped with a flashing yellow. It took us three light cycles to get through it. I don't know if that's something that will stay or not.

If there's still a left green signal there, contact public works and ask them to look at it. The light may not be programmed correctly.

https://publicworks.cityofomaha.org/res ... ngineering

[BRoss]

There are some snags in the roll-out of these!

On Tuesday we were driving back from lunch, eastbound on Center, turning left on 144th. They apparently totally replaced the green left turn arrow where oncoming traffic is stopped with a flashing yellow. It took us three light cycles to get through it. I don't know if that's something that will stay or not.

I drive that way about once a week and last I saw it still has the green arrow along with the flashing yellow.

[Mr.Nuke]

KETV ran a pretty dumb story ascribing a car versus pedestrian accident to switching to flashing yellow lights at 120th and Westwood Lane.
https://www.ketv.com/article/neighbors- ... s/28428127

Going through this intersection multiple times a week it is actually one of the cooler implementations of the flashing yellow in Omaha. Heading East on Westwood Lane the street runs into 120th where you are forced to either turn left or right. They installed left and right arrows and the only time the arrow actually flashes yellow is when a pedestrian has pressed the button so if you see flashing yellow you know you need to be more cautious and potentially have a pedestrian in that crosswalk to yield to (again something that is an awesome implementation) and I would argue has made the intersection safer. The KETV story doesn't discuss this change at all or attempt to present the other side.

The mother/daughter that got hit blame the flashing yellow lights, but this intersection before would've had the car with a green light and the pedestrian with a walk signal i.e. the light didn't stop traffic in all four directions for pedestrians so the driver would've hit them either way. Again something KETV didn't bother to explore.

[damonhynes]

I knew it was going to be Murrow award-winning, hard-hitting journalism when I saw the promo.

[Omaha Cowboy]

I knew it was going to be Murrow award-winning, hard-hitting journalism when I saw the promo.

Don’t forget the “Edward R...” part ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Busguy2010]

Okay, speaking of flashing yellows and turn arrows in general... Maybe no one else will really understand like I do, but that's why I'm making this comment. 76th and Dodge is my intersection. Ive gone through it several times a day my entire adult life and I know how it behaves to a tee. This intersection is family and when people violate it, I get mad.

Now tell me, anybody who has noticed this problem, and I'll have to be very specific in order to paint the right picture.

Picture yourself sitting behind a three cars facing southbound on 76th waiting in the left turn lane to make a left turn to go eastbound on Dodge. Everybody's lights are red for a brief moment. On the northbound side of the intersection, there are two left turn lanes and a straight lane. The southbound left turn lane, as well as the two northbound turn lanes turn green at the same time. The southbound left turn lane allows three cars through before turning yellow, whereas the northbound double left turn lane stays green significantly longer. While the southbound turn lane has gone to flashing yellow, the northbound straight lane turns green. So, facing southbound at the flashing left turn arrow, you have people turning left in front of you and people going straight in front of you at the same time.

Now, here's the issue. IF there is someone in front of me sitting at the flashing yellow as northbound people are turning left in the double left hand turn lanes, and there just so happens to be nobody in the straight lane... People aren't going, even though they have the flashing yellow. It seems like people, for whatever reason think that since the southbound straight lane is red (because the northbound turn lanes are green) that they cannot go if the northbound straight lane is clear.

Here's the the other issue. The northbound left turn arrows and the northbound straight lane are green for a few seconds before the left turn arrows turn red. Many times, I've had people in the northbound right-hand left turn lane continue straight, crossing into the straight lane from the left turn lane.

These issues happen almost on a daily basis as I'm at the intersection. Please someone else tell me me they've noticed these people being naughty. It is very frustrating for me because my commute is 7 minutes, but if there's not someone inexplicably sitting idle at the flashing left turn arrow, it can get down to below 5

[BRoss]

I've been noticing some things about these new systems that have been put in relating to the flashing yellow arrows. They are much more pedestrian friendly than before. As someone who walks a lot, it's nice to have infrastructure that takes pedestrians into account.

Some of the things I've noticed this summer:

• At "T" intersections, they have been putting in signals with four phase signals. At first I thought they were putting in signals with an unused phase since the green arrows were all that I had seen used and that the flashing yellow was not used. But what I've found is that if you press the pedestrian crossing button, the next time the signal comes around, it uses the flashing yellow arrow on the side activated instead of the normal green arrow. This is great because it makes drivers aware that they are not free to just turn and need to watch out for people crossing.
• On signals without a dedicated turn lane (e.g. out of neighborhoods), the signals will be red on all legs for a few seconds when the pedestrian crossing is activated while the pedestrian signal will go into walk mode immediately on the directional change. This allows pedestrians to get into the roadway before cars start turning, indicating they have the right-of-way over the cars. I've had many instances in the past where cars start turning on green and continue even when people are in the crosswalk and I've had to wait for them while standing in the middle of the street. I've still had cases of cars trying to turn prior to me finishing crossing, but it's less ambiguous as before.
• On signals with a dedicated turn lane, the signal of the left turn lane that crosses the side that was activated will remain red for a few extra seconds - even those without a dedicated phase. And the signals for going straight on the side next to the crossing remains red as well so right turns have to yield.

Overall, I think these are great improvements so that cars are not the only focus.

[Mr.Nuke]

First example of a reversal https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-dead ... d/73169301

[OverlookedFarm]

Omaha logic:

Problem: Drunk driver causes death and destruction by disregarding any rules, signs or courtesy.

Solution: Put up more signs.

[locoluke]

Omaha logic:

Problem: Drunk driver causes death and destruction by disregarding any rules, signs or courtesy.

Solution: Put up more signs.

It’s not a fix for the DUI problem, but I’d guess the City thinks the already sketchy nature of flashing yellows with poor visibility contributed to the crash.

I assume the car that got hit was making a left turn on a flashing yellow that would ordinarily be fine. Because of the high speed of the oncoming car, though, the turning car was unable to see it in time, and now we have a tragedy. If the flashing yellow wasn’t active, they never would’ve made than turn, and therefore never would’ve been hit.

[BRoss]

First example of a reversal https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-dead ... d/73169301

That's not a reversal of flashing yellow arrows. That's turning a protected-permissive left turn into a protected-only left turn, which has always been a thing. Prior to the flashing yellows, this would have been a solid green ball and that allowed the same movement.

There are many intersections where you can only turn on a green arrow and is a red arrow otherwise. Outside of finding them on almost all dual left turn lanes, you see them at intersections where the permissive phase has resulted in too many crashes from people turning when they shouldn't - many of which caused an injury. 147th & Maple is an example of where it's been like this for years.

I think I've seen that 114th & Center has been a problematic intersection historically so it doesn't surprise me that they'd make an adjustment like this after a high profile crash. Although I think any intersection is going to be dangerous when someone is flying 100 mph through it.

[Mr.Nuke]

It’s not a fix for the DUI problem, but I’d guess the City thinks the already sketchy nature of flashing yellows with poor visibility contributed to the crash.

Which i guess is my "issue" with this solution as someone that has made that turn for 25 years. There isn't poor visibility on this particular turn. Said turn has arguably some of the highest visibility in all of Omaha due to the elevation change between 120th and 114th. If you are the first car in the EB turn lane from Center to SB 114th, the turn the Subaru made, you can see the traffic signal at 120th (1/2 a mile away) and everything coming down the hill...

That's not a reversal of flashing yellow arrows.

If you have flashing yellow arrows and take them away, it is a reversal.

[Busguy2010]

I know of a friend of a friend that sometimes goes on a solid single red arrow when the straight lanes are green. Its ridiculous sitting at a red left arrow when theres no traffic oncoming.

Ultimately it was a tragic freak accident. I dont think its the right response, but its probably the only (token) response they can muster up.

[Mr.Nuke]

Ultimately it was a tragic freak accident. I dont think its the right response, but its probably the only (token) response they can muster up.

I think you are probably correct but if their token response was to change the lights and monitor the intersection with traffic engineers to adjust timing, my initial token response would've been OPD traffic enforcement for speed and monitoring the intersection without doing anything to the lights to see if an adjustment actually was warranted.

[Brad]

I know of a friend of a friend that sometimes goes on a solid single red arrow when the straight lanes are green. Its ridiculous sitting at a red left arrow when theres no traffic oncoming.

There is an intersection here in town (I'm not going to give it away), anyways, its no turn on red and me and nearly everyone else run it because its so stupid! You can see over 3 blocks away and there is a gap, EVERY SINGLE LIGHT CYCLE, where you can see there are ZERO cars in that 3 block stretch. People actually get upset when a car does not run it.

Ultimately it was a tragic freak accident. I don't think its the right response, but its probably the only (token) response they can muster up.

Its a terrible response and it upsets me off! Make all of us wait because some dumb |expletive| decided to get drunk, take drugs, and drive 100 mph and kill two innocent kids. Why do they feel they need to have a "token" response"? That's just stupid!

[BRoss]

If you have flashing yellow arrows and take them away, it is a reversal.

It has nothing to do with the flashing yellow arrows though. That just happens to be the style used for permissive turns now. If it was still the old style with the green ball and two arrows on the side, they still would have changed from that to what is there now. A reversal would be going back to that old style signal.

[nebugeater]

I know of a friend of a friend that sometimes goes on a solid single red arrow when the straight lanes are green. Its ridiculous sitting at a red left arrow when theres no traffic oncoming.

Ultimately it was a tragic freak accident. I dont think its the right response, but its probably the only (token) response they can muster up.

I am pretty sure when they made the anoucmnet if this chance they also said it would not have changed this accident

[TitosBuritoBarn]

I know of a friend of a friend that sometimes goes on a solid single red arrow when the straight lanes are green. Its ridiculous sitting at a red left arrow when theres no traffic oncoming.

There is an intersection here in town (I'm not going to give it away), anyways, its no turn on red and me and nearly everyone else run it because its so stupid! You can see over 3 blocks away and there is a gap, EVERY SINGLE LIGHT CYCLE, where you can see there are ZERO cars in that 3 block stretch. People actually get upset when a car does not run it.

Are there three through lanes of opposing traffic at these intersections? I have a vague memory of there being a law in Omaha that requires a protected left turn (red light arrow) when opposing traffic has three (or more) through lanes.

[Busguy2010]

One that grinds my gears the most is 78th & Dodge turning left onto south 78th. Yes, it does have 3 oncoming lanes, but just two blocks away at 76th turning left to northbound 76th is a flashing yellow at times. I blow off the red arrow at 78th all the time, because after 6 or 7pm, it should not be a solid red. My main hunch with that one is that so many people use it as a u-turn, couldnt leave it up to people not to do an ill advised u-turn there. But still, if im turning left and theres barely anybody around, yer darn tootin. If a tree falls...

[Brad]

Are there three through lanes of opposing traffic at these intersections? I have a vague memory of there being a law in Omaha that requires a protected left turn (red light arrow) when opposing traffic has three (or more) through lanes.

It does, but it also has 2 turn lanes and it seems like most of the time 2 turn lanes is also a catalyst for no turn on red.

[BRoss]

Are there three through lanes of opposing traffic at these intersections? I have a vague memory of there being a law in Omaha that requires a protected left turn (red light arrow) when opposing traffic has three (or more) through lanes.

This no longer appears to be the case. I remember noticing years ago that three lanes for opposing traffic was always a protected-only, but they've lifted that restriction and many now have permissive phases.