Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 3, September 1, 2024
Standard:
01
When a traffic control signal is being operated in a steady (stop-and-go) mode,
at least one indication in each signal face shall be displayed at any given
time.
02 A signal face(s) that
controls a particular vehicular movement during any interval of a cycle shall
control that same movement during all intervals of the cycle.
03 (DE Revision) Steady signal indications
shall be applied as follows:
A. A steady
CIRCULAR RED signal indication:
1. Shall be
displayed when it is intended to prohibit traffic, except pedestrians directed
by a pedestrian signal head, from entering the intersection or other controlled
area. Turning after stopping is permitted as stated in Item C.1 in Paragraph 3
of Section 4D.04.
2. Shall be
displayed with the appropriate GREEN ARROW signal indications when it is
intended to permit traffic to make a specified turn or turns, and to prohibit
traffic from proceeding straight ahead through the intersection or other
controlled area, except in protected only mode operation (see Sections 4D.19
and 4D.23), or in protected/permissive mode operation with separate turn signal
faces (see Sections 4D.20 and 4D.24).
B. A steady CIRCULAR YELLOW signal
indication:
1. Shall be displayed following a
CIRCULAR GREEN or straight-through GREEN ARROW signal indication in the same
signal face.
2. Shall not be
displayed in conjunction with the change from the CIRCULAR RED signal
indication to the CIRCULAR GREEN signal indication.
3. Shall be followed by a CIRCULAR RED signal
indication except that, when entering preemption operation, the return to the
previous CIRCULAR GREEN signal indication shall be permitted following a steady
CIRCULAR YELLOW signal indication (see Section 4D.27).
4. Shall not be displayed to an approach from
which drivers are turning left permissively or making a U-turn to the left
permissively unless one of the following conditions exists:
(a) A steady CIRCULAR YELLOW signal
indication is also simultaneously being displayed to the opposing
approach;
(b) An engineering study
has determined that, because of unique intersection conditions, the condition
described in Item (a) cannot reasonably be implemented without causing
significant operational or safety problems and that the volume of impacted
left-turning or U-turning traffic is relatively low, and those left-turning or
U-turning drivers are advised that a steady CIRCULAR YELLOW signal indication
is not simultaneously being displayed to the opposing traffic if this operation
occurs continuously by the installation near the left-most signal head of a
W25-1 sign (see Section 2C.48) with the legend ONCOMING TRAFFIC HAS EXTENDED
GREEN; or
(c) Drivers are advised
of the operation if it occurs only occasionally, such as during a preemption
sequence, by the installation near the left-most signal head of a W25-2 sign
(see Section 2C.48) with the legend ONCOMING TRAFFIC MAY HAVE EXTENDED
GREEN.
C. A
steady CIRCULAR GREEN signal indication shall be displayed only when it is
intended to permit traffic to proceed in any direction that is lawful and
practical.
D. A steady RED ARROW
signal indication shall be displayed when it is intended to prohibit traffic,
except pedestrians directed by a pedestrian signal head, from entering the
intersection or other controlled area to make the indicated turn. Except as
described in Item C.2 in Paragraph 3 of Section 4D.04, turning on a steady RED
ARROW signal indication shall not be permitted. Pursuant to Delaware Code,
Title 21, Chapter 41, Subchapter II, §4108, right turns are not permitted
on a steady RED ARROW signal indication. Therefore, traffic control devices
permitting turns on a steady RED ARROW shall not be used.
E. A steady YELLOW ARROW signal indication:
1. Shall be displayed in the same direction
as a GREEN ARROW signal indication following a GREEN ARROW signal indication in
the same signal face, unless:
(a) The GREEN
ARROW signal indication and a CIRCULAR GREEN (or straight-through GREEN ARROW)
signal indication terminate simultaneously in the same signal face,
or
(b) The green arrow is a
straight-through GREEN ARROW (see Item B.1).
2. Shall be displayed in the same direction
as a flashing YELLOW ARROW signal indication or flashing RED ARROW signal
indication following a flashing YELLOW ARROW signal indication or flashing RED
ARROW signal indication in the same signal face, when the flashing arrow
indication is displayed as part of a steady mode operation, if the signal face
will subsequently display a steady red signal indication.
3. Shall not be displayed in conjunction with
the change from a steady RED ARROW, flashing RED ARROW, or flashing YELLOW
ARROW signal indication to a GREEN ARROW signal indication, except when
entering preemption operation as provided in Item 5(a).
4. Shall not be displayed when any
conflicting vehicular movement has a green or yellow signal indication (except
for the situation regarding U-turns to the left provided in Paragraph 4) or any
conflicting pedestrian movement has a WALKING PERSON (symbolizing WALK) or
flashing UPRAISED HAND (symbolizing DONT WALK) signal indication, except that a
steady left-turn (or U-turn to the left) YELLOW ARROW signal indication used to
terminate a flashing left-turn (or U-turn to the left) YELLOW ARROW or a
flashing left-turn (or U-turn to the left) RED ARROW signal indication in a
signal face controlling a permissive left-turn (or U-turn to the left) movement
as described in Sections 4D.18 and 4D.20 shall be permitted to be displayed
when a CIRCULAR YELLOW signal indication is displayed for the opposing through
movement. Vehicles departing in the same direction shall not be considered in
conflict if, for each turn lane with moving traffic, there is a separate
departing lane, and pavement markings or raised channelization clearly indicate
which departure lane to use.
5.
Shall not be displayed to terminate a flashing arrow signal indication on an
approach from which drivers are turning left permissively or making a U-turn to
the left permissively unless one of the following conditions exists:
(a) A steady CIRCULAR YELLOW signal
indication is also simultaneously being displayed to the opposing
approach;
(b) An engineering study
has determined that, because of unique intersection conditions, the condition
described in Item (a) cannot reasonably be implemented without causing
significant operational or safety problems and that the volume of impacted
left-turning or U-turning traffic is relatively low, and those left-turning or
U-turning drivers are advised that a steady CIRCULAR YELLOW signal indication
is not simultaneously being displayed to the opposing traffic if this operation
occurs continuously by the installation near the left-most signal head of a
W25-1 sign (see Section 2C.48) with the legend ONCOMING TRAFFIC HAS EXTENDED
GREEN; or
(c) Drivers are advised
of the operation if it occurs only occasionally, such as during a preemption
sequence, by the installation near the left-most signal head of a W25-2 sign
(see Section 2C.48) with the legend ONCOMING TRAFFIC MAY HAVE EXTENDED
GREEN.
6. Shall be
terminated by a RED ARROW signal indication for the same direction or a
CIRCULAR RED signal indication except:
(a)
When entering preemption operation, the display of a GREEN ARROW signal
indication or a flashing arrow signal indication shall be permitted following a
steady YELLOW ARROW signal indication.
(b) When the movement controlled by the arrow
is to continue on a permissive mode basis during an immediately following
CIRCULAR GREEN or flashing YELLOW ARROW signal
indication.
F.
A steady GREEN ARROW signal indication:
1.
Shall be displayed only to allow vehicular movements, in the direction
indicated, that are not in conflict with other vehicles moving on a green or
yellow signal indication and are not in conflict with pedestrians crossing in
compliance with a WALKING PERSON (symbolizing WALK) or flashing UPRAISED HAND
(symbolizing DONT WALK) signal indication. Vehicles departing in the same
direction shall not be considered in conflict if, for each turn lane with
moving traffic, there is a separate departing lane, and pavement markings or
raised channelization clearly indicate which departure lane to use.
2. Shall be displayed on a signal face that
controls a left-turn movement when said movement is not in conflict with other
vehicles moving on a green or yellow signal indication (except for the
situation regarding U-turns provided in Paragraph 4) and is not in conflict
with pedestrians crossing in compliance with a WALKING PERSON (symbolizing
WALK) or flashing UPRAISED HAND (symbolizing DONT WALK) signal indication.
Vehicles departing in the same direction shall not be considered in conflict
if, for each turn lane with moving traffic, there is a separate departing lane,
and pavement markings or raised channelization clearly indicate which departure
lane to use.
3. Shall not be
required on the stem of a T-intersection or for turns from a one-way street.
Option:
04 If U-turns are permitted from the approach
and a right-turn GREEN ARROW signal indication is simultaneously being
displayed to road users making a right turn from the conflicting approach to
the left, road users making a U-turn may be advised of the operation by the
installation near the left-turn signal face of a U-TURN YIELD TO RIGHT TURN
(R10-16) sign (see Section 2B.53).
05 If not otherwise prohibited, a steady
straight-through green arrow signal indication may be used instead of a
circular green signal indication in a signal face on an approach intersecting a
one-way street to discourage wrong-way turns.
06 If not otherwise prohibited, steady red,
yellow, and green turn arrow signal indications may be used instead of steady
circular red, yellow, and green signal indications in a signal face on an
approach where all traffic is required to turn or where the straight-through
movement is not physically possible.
Support:
07 Section 4D.25 contains information
regarding the signalization of approaches that have a shared
left-turn/right-turn lane and no through movement.
Standard:
08 If supplemental signal faces are used, the
following limitations shall apply:
A.
Left-turn arrows and U-turn arrows to the left shall not be used in near-right
signal faces.
B. Right-turn arrows
and U-turn arrows to the right shall not be used in far-left signal faces. A
far-side median-mounted signal face shall be considered a far-left signal for
this application.
09 A
straight-through RED ARROW signal indication or a straight-through YELLOW ARROW
signal indication shall not be displayed on any signal face, either alone or in
combination with any other signal indication.
10 The following combinations of signal
indications shall not be simultaneously displayed on any one signal face:
A. CIRCULAR RED with CIRCULAR
YELLOW;
B. CIRCULAR GREEN with
CIRCULAR RED; or
C.
Straight-through GREEN ARROW with CIRCULAR RED;
11 Additionally, the above combinations shall
not be simultaneously displayed on an approach as a result of the combination
of displays from multiple signal faces unless the display is created by a
signal face(s) devoted exclusively to the control of a right-turning movement
and:
A. The signal face(s) controlling the
right-turning movement is visibility-limited from the adjacent through movement
or positioned to minimize potential confusion to approaching road users,
or
B. A RIGHT TURN SIGNAL (R10-10)
sign (see Sections 4D.21 through 4D.24) is mounted adjacent to the signal
face(s) controlling the right-turning movement.
12 The following combinations of signal
indications shall not be simultaneously displayed on any one signal face or as
a result of the combination of displays from multiple signal faces on an
approach:
A. CIRCULAR GREEN with CIRCULAR
YELLOW;
B. Straight-through GREEN
ARROW with CIRCULAR YELLOW;
C.
GREEN ARROW with YELLOW ARROW pointing in the same direction;
D. RED ARROW with YELLOW ARROW pointing in
the same direction; or
E. GREEN
ARROW with RED ARROW pointing in the same direction.
13 Except as otherwise provided in Sections
4F.03 and 4G.04, the same signal section shall not be used to display both a
flashing yellow and a steady yellow indication during steady mode operation.
Except as otherwise provided in Sections 4D.18, 4D.20, 4D.22, and 4D.24, the
same signal section shall not be used to display both a flashing red and a
steady red indication during steady mode operation.
Guidance:
14 No movement that creates an unexpected
crossing of pathways of moving vehicles or pedestrians should be allowed during
any green or yellow interval, except when all three of the following conditions
are met:
A. The movement involves only slight
conflict, and
B. Serious traffic
delays are substantially reduced by permitting the conflicting movement,
and
C. Drivers and pedestrians
subjected to the unexpected conflict are effectively warned thereof by a
sign.
