Lights in 3 intersections get safety overhaul

Three stoplights in Salt Lake City will be getting a safety overhaul Thursday, with the addition of new flashing yellow lights intended to help motorists better judge when to make a left turn.

The overhaul is being done by Salt Lake City and the Utah Department of Transportation. If deemed a success, UDOT and the city plan to install the new lights at other places in the city and state.

The three lights will be turned on this Thursday at the following intersections:

• 800 South and 1300 East

• Sunnyside Avenue and Guardsman (1580 East)

• Sunnyside Avenue and Arapeen Way (2210 East).

Unlike the current system used at those intersections, where motorists can turn left on a green arrow or solid green light, the new system will have left-turn arrows with lights that are a red, green and yellow, and one that flashes yellow.

The light that flashes yellow is meant to warn motorists that they can turn left, but should watch for cars traveling in the opposite lane. When the arrow is a solid green, motorists can make a "protected" left turn, with no worries about other cars — the same as the current system.

The flashing yellow light is meant to replace the green light currently used to tell motorists they can turn left, but should watch for other cars. The red arrow will mean that motorists cannot turn left, while the yellow arrow will mean that motorists should finish any turns, and prepare for a red arrow.

Mark Taylor, a signal systems engineer for UDOT, said that the solid green light now in use can be misleading to drivers, who sometimes think it means that they can make a protected left turn — even though a sign above the light tells motorists to yield.

"Studies have found that some people think green means go, no matter what shape the signal light is," he said. "The new flashing yellow arrows will clarify for left-turners when they must yield."

At least 10 states — including Colorado, Nevada and Michigan — have stoplights with flashing yellow arrows, according to Taylor. To view an animation of a system used in Reno, Nev., log on to: projects.kittelson.com/pplt/displays/reno_lead.htm.

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E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com