yellow flashing light may proceed through the intersection with caution, yielding the right-of-way to vehicles in or approaching

the intersection. U.S. Department of Transportation Fed. Highway Admin

CHAPTER 9 INTERSECTION-WIDE TREATMENTS

9.4.4 Late Night/Early Morning Flash Removal
Description Some jurisdictions operate traffic signals in flashing mode during various periods of the night, the week, or for special events. Flashing operation may be of some advantage to traffic flow, particularly with pre-timed signals, when traffic is very light (late evening/early morning hours, or on a Sunday or holiday in an industrial area). Two modes of flashing operation are typically used: red-red and red-yellow. Red-red (all approaches receive a flashing red indication) is used where traffic on all approaches is roughly the same. In this instance, the intersection operates the same as an all-way stop. Red-yellow (the minor street receives a flashing red indication and the major street receives a flashing yellow indication) is used in situations where traffic is very light on the minor street. In this instance, the intersection operates similar to a two-way stop. Safety Performance A 1987 Michigan study involved the conversion of 59 signalized intersections previously operating in late-night/early morning flashing mode.(134) Late night and early morning collisions before and after the conversion were compared and tested using a paired t-test. Right-angle collisions during when signalized intersections were in flash mode dropped by 91 percent; right-angle injury collisions dropped by 95 percent. Rear-end collisions increased slightly, but the change was not significant. In a study in Winston-Salem, NC, signals from 20 intersections were taken out of late night/early morning flashing operation.(135) There was a 78-percent reduction in rightangle collisions and a 32-percent reduction in all collisions during times the traffic signal had been in flashing mode. Some studies have indicated a safety benefit of removing traffic signals from flashing mode under some circumstances, as positive control is provided rather than leaving the driver to decide when it is safe to proceed into the intersection. Selected study findings associated with the removal of a traffic signal from a flashing mode operation (such as during the late-night/early morning time period) are shown in table 59.

Table 59. Safety benefits associated with removal of signal from late night/early morning flash mode: Selected findings.

Treatment Remove signal from late night/early morning flash mode

(135)

Finding 78% estimated reduction in right-angle collisions during time of previous flashing operation. 32% estimated reduction in all collisions during time of previous flashing operation.

Operational Performance If the signalized intersection removed from flashing operation is not fully actuated and responsive to traffic demand, there will be a tendency for red-light violations and/or complaints about unnecessary long waits on red signals. Multimodal Impacts Removing a traffic signal from a flash mode will require vehicles to come to a complete stop during the red phase. This treatment should give vehicles more time to see, respond, and yield to any pedestrians. Physical Impacts No physical impacts are associated with this treatment. Socioeconomic Impacts No costs are associated with this treatment. Enforcement, Education, and maintenance When a traffic signal is taken out of flash mode, police enforcement could be undertaken at the location to ensure that habituated drivers are not continuing to proceed through the intersection as if the signal were still operating in flashing mode. The traffic engineer may consider temporary signage/publicity to inform motorists of the change in operations and to explain the safety benefits. Summary Table 60 summarizes the issues associated with flash mode removal. Table 60. Summary of issues for flash mode removal.

Characteristic Safety Operations

Potential benefits Angle collisions are reduced. None identified.

Potential Liabilities None identified. Increased delay for through traffic. None identified.

Multimodal

Motorists forced to yield to pedestrians. None identified. None identified.

Physical Socioeconomic

None identified. None identified. Enforcement and temporary signage may be needed for a period after conversion.

Enforcement, None identified. Education, and maintenance

9.5 Street Lighting and Illumination

9.5.1 Provide or Upgrade illumination
Re: Flashing Operation John Minker 07/21/2009 Here is a briefing paper I had to write to inform my Squadron Commander as to the issues on flashing yellow/red combinations (I tried to include the footnotes but you can see them following the body of the document): Briefing Paper on Changing Operation of Traffic Signal at Hickam and Ragsdale to Flash Operation during Night/Light Traffic Hours The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) permits operation of four-way traffic signals on flash mode during periods of low traffic. The operation must either be all flashing red, or the major street traffic directions may flash yellow as long as the perpendicular direction flashes red. (1)

There are inherent negatives: "From reviewing available literature and from discussions with various agencies, flashing operation has been found to have negative impacts. Some of the negative impacts are: Right-angle accidents were significantly higher with flashing signal operations. A motorist facing a flashing red display may assume the opposing traffic signal to also display a flashing red, although a flashing yellow could be displayed. Some motorists may not know how to react to a flashing yellow and may stop, increasing the risk of rear-end crashes. During flashing operation, pedestrian beacons are turned off. Pedestrians would then need to find an acceptable gap in traffic and cross the street. This results in a hazardous situation especially on wider crossings." (2) In addition a 1988 study found that accidents increase 25% when traffic signals at four-way intersections are placed in flash mode even during periods of light traffic. (3) And there is supplementary evidence that as many as 75% of the drivers on the major street, when facing a yellow signal, will stop due to confusion as to how to proceed; this would reduce the advantage of changing the operation of the signal. (4) (1) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Sections 4D.11 and 4K.02 (2) www.lincoln.ne.gov/city/pworks/engine/trafsaf/trfstudy/19992000/pdf/report/533.p df (3)Ibid. (4) smartech.gatech.edu/handle/1853/14643 Guidelines for Flashing Operation during Nighttime, Low Volume Conditions The following guidelines have been developed to assist the traffic engineer in deciding whether flashing operation should be used at a given intersection. 1. Actuated Traffic Signal. If a traffic signal is capable of operating in actuated mode, then flashing operation generally should not be used as a control strategy during low volume conditions. The delay resulting from actuated operation is not significant enough compared to flashing operation to justify the use of flashing operation. 2. Pre-timed Traffic Signal. In general, flashing operation can be considered at an intersection if all of the following conditions are present for yellow/red or red/red flashing operation: a. Yellow /Red Flashing Operation: i. Major street volume is less than 500vph. ii. Minor street higher approach volume is less than 100vph. iii. Major to minor street volume ratio is three or more.

iv. The total number of accidents at the intersection during the preceding two years of normal signal operation is one or less. b. Red/Red Flashing Operation: i. Major street two way volume is less than 500vph. ii. Minor street higher approach volume is less than 100vph. iii. Major to minor street volume ratio is less than three. iv. The total number of accidents at the intersection during the preceding two years of normal signal operation is one or less. v. It is an isolated intersection (no signalized intersection within mile). vi. There are six or more through lanes on the major street. 3. General Guidelines. Before low volume, nighttime flashing operation is implemented at an intersection; the general guidelines for all types of flashing operation should also be checked. Length of Flashing Operation; In general, flashing operation should be used for those hours which meet the criteria described for each type of flashing operation. However, in order to avoid constant changing from flashing to normal operation and vice versa, flashing operation should be implemented only when the appropriate criteria are present for at least four hours. General information on flash mode at night; In some situations, flashing operation provides an effective alternative to operating a traffic signal in the normal (green/yellow/red) mode. When used, flashing operation typically converts a signalized intersection into a two-way or four-way stop controlled intersection by displaying a flashing yellow or flashing red indication to the various intersection approaches. Some of the more common uses of flashing operation include: during low-volume conditions, as part of railroad pre-emption, at signals in school areas, and during installation or removal. There are two indications used in flashing operations, a flashing red and a flashing yellow. A flashing yellow indication allows vehicles to proceed through the intersection with caution. A flashing red indication operates as if it were a stop sign. Flashing yellow indications cannot be shown to all approaches. Therefore, the two modes of flashing operation are yellow/red and red/red. Yellow/red flashing operation allows vehicles on the major street to continue through the intersection without stopping, while red/red flashing operation requires all vehicles to come to a stop at the intersection. There are identifiable benefits for converting signals from normal operation to flashing operation. Two main factors are the savings in electrical power consumption and the savings in wasted fuel spent while needlessly waiting for a light to change when there is no conflicting traffic. A minor issue is the ignorance of traffic signals during low volume conditions, some drivers may not wait for a light to change before proceeding. The minor issue can compound other poor driver behaviors at other signals and times. Although enforcement is the primary key factor in preventing a lackadaisical approach to obeying traffic rules, the prevention of needlessly detaining vehicles can also assist in the prevention of this mentality.

We started with a few signals in the downtown area and after a test period expanded the program. [Post a Reply][Back to Top]
MUTCD: The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, approved by the Federal Highway Administration as a national standard for placement and selection of all traffic control devices on or adjacent to all highways open to public travel.