DATE: June 25, 2015
TO: Board of Mayor and Aldermen
FROM: Eric Stuckey, City Administrator
David Parker, City Engineer/CIP Executive
Joe York, Director of Streets
Paul Holzen, Director of Engineering
Carl Baughman, Traffic/Transportation Engineer 3
SUBJECT:
title
Discussion of the Application of a Flashing Yellow Left Turn Arrow on Hillsboro Road at Fieldstone Parkway
body
Purpose
The purpose of this memo is to provide information to the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) concerning a new type of traffic signal control at the intersection of Hillsboro Road and Fieldstone Parkway, with left turn crash problems. The Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA) left turn display was approved by the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices in 2009. A national study demonstrated that drivers had fewer crashes when using the Flashing Yellow Arrow left-turn signal than with the traditional circular green left-turn signal, because some drivers perceive any green signal to mean GO. The traffic signal at the subject location has experienced severe green ball left turn crashes that can be overcome with the application of the FYA.
Background
The subject intersection operates as a typical four-legged intersection, with dedicated left turn lanes and protected/permitted left turn phasing (PPLT) on all approaches. The primary crash experience is where left turns from Hillsboro Road turn into oncoming traffic while attempting to enter Fieldstone Parkway. A factor contributing to this pattern is high speeds on Hillsboro Road, therefore offering challenges for turning vehicles to judge the length of gaps in oncoming traffic.
The FYA operation has been shown by research and experience to be intuitively understood by motorists as a left turn movement to be made with caution. For clarification, a sign may be added such as "Left Turns Yield on Flashing Yellow Arrow". The first application of FYA in Franklin was successfully insta...
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