Traffic Light-Any Roseville PD here?

[Andy Taylor]

On eastbound Douglas at I 80 just before Sunrise is a traffic light. There is no crossroad/driveway/crosswalk. I don't believe there is a limit line, but I might have missed it. As I was coming off of I 80 onto Douglas it is flashing red, traffic is moving fast. I slowed, but honestly was affraid to stop for fear of being rearended. I was on a motorcycle. It appears like it could be a warning light for the intersection at Sunrise, but shouldn't it flash yellow instead of red? Isn't traffic supposed to stop at this light? No one is. What is the deal? I only go through this area about once a month, and don't often take this route.

[Cokebottle]

Given it's location, that signal may be either Caltrans or city.
Here's some contact information for Roseville Public Works.

http://www.roseville.ca.us/pw/default.asp

http://www.roseville.ca.us/pw/engineering/traffic_engineering/traffic_operations/signal_staff_n_duties.asp

As far as the operation... yes, a flashing red light is the same as a stop sign. If the purpose of the signal is to slow traffic for an upcoming curve or intersection, then it MUST be flashing yellow.

Sounds like maybe the crew responsible for relamping the signal heads installed the wrong color indication.

[BigDogatPlay]

As noted above, flashing red = stop required. From the description of the location, it doesn't seem very safe.

Perhaps the signal is malfunctioning? Most modern control boxes change to flashing red in all directions when there is trouble with the signal. I'd give Roseville PD a call and ask. If it's truly a malfunctioning signal, they can page out Public Works, CalTrans or a contractor (which ever is responsible) immediately.

[negolien]

Blah I work a few blocks from there on harding lol.

[ironcross]

On eastbound Douglas at I 80 just before Sunrise is a traffic light. There is no crossroad/driveway/crosswalk. I don't believe there is a limit line, but I might have missed it. As I was coming off of I 80 onto Douglas it is flashing red, traffic is moving fast. I slowed, but honestly was affraid to stop for fear of being rearended. I was on a motorcycle. It appears like it could be a warning light for the intersection at Sunrise, but shouldn't it flash yellow instead of red? Isn't traffic supposed to stop at this light? No one is. What is the deal? I only go through this area about once a month, and don't often take this route.

Not a LEO.

All the off ramps to Douglas Blvd have cross walks/limit lines.

As others had stated. If the traffic signal was flashing red is equivalent to a stop sign.

VC Section 22450
Stop Requirements

22450. (a) The driver of any vehicle approaching a stop sign at the entrance to, or within, an intersection shall stop at a limit line, if marked, otherwise before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection.

If there is no limit line or crosswalk, the driver shall stop at the entrance to the intersecting roadway.

(b) The driver of a vehicle approaching a stop sign at a railroad grade crossing shall stop at a limit line, if marked, otherwise before crossing the first track or entrance to the railroad grade crossing.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a local authority may adopt rules and regulations by ordinance or resolution providing for the placement of a stop sign at any location on a highway under its jurisdiction where the stop sign would enhance traffic safety.

Amended Sec. 8, Ch. 630, Stats. 2007. Effective January 1, 2008.

My opinion would be since the nearest intersection is near the controlled right turn on to northbound I-80.

As the limit line for left turn that intersects with the right most solid line;

Solid white lines mark traffic lanes going in the same direction, such as one-way streets.

Broken white lines separate traffic lanes on roads with two or more lanes in the same direction.

EX: Use the left

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/traffic_lanes.htm

IMO: I would stop the same as turning left on to I-80. Before the white line broke.

[Andy Taylor]

Ironcross, thank you for the pic of the area in question. You can see the light I am talking about just in front of the two silver vehicles in the east bound lanes. At the time this pic was taken, traffic was fairly light. When I was there traffic was moving at 30-40 mph. None of the traffic was stopping. Had I stopped, I would have been rear ended at that speed. Possibly fatal while on a motorcycle. As you can also see, there is NOTHING intersecting the east bound lanes at that light. Why is this even there? Also as I had just come off the freeway on the far right lane, there is no way to see that limit line for the left turn onto the freeway.

[Cokebottle]

Okay... I can kinda see what's going on there now (the images I was able to find online were from before the interchange was upgraded.

The EB through movement looks to be one that would normally be green 24/7, as there is no conflicting left turn movement from the north ramps, and the south ramp is a merge configuration.
The only indication on that mast arm that would normally change would be the EB left turn lane, turning onto I-80. When it goes green, WB Douglas would stop, and the right-turn-only lanes coming off of I-80 likely have a green arrow (if no U-Turn for the EB LT lane).

So if it was flashing red, it's because the signal has malfunctioned, OR they are preparing to activate it as a brand new signal.

There is supposedly an old specification that states that a new intersection should be maintained in red flash for a period of time (24 hours to 5 days, depending on which engineer you talk to).
I've never actually seen that spec in writing.
But there are some engineers who still do this... particularly at large intersections.
In my experience, it's never been done. I've had a few installations that were turned on for a test, allowed to cycle for 5 minutes or so, then shut down and the heads re-covered until the official turn-on day.
I've done some work in Roseville, but it was related to their railroad crossing horn program (almost 10 years ago).

Being a ramp signal for I-80, that signal is property and responsibility of CalTrans. Maintenance responsibility may eventually be turned over to the city, but that normally doesn't happen until 30-60 days after final inspection.

[ironcross]

Okay... I can kinda see what's going on there now (the images I was able to find online were from before the interchange was upgraded.

The EB through movement looks to be one that would normally be green 24/7, as there is no conflicting left turn movement from the north ramps, and the south ramp is a merge configuration.
The only indication on that mast arm that would normally change would be the EB left turn lane, turning onto I-80. When it goes green, WB Douglas would stop, and the right-turn-only lanes coming off of I-80 likely have a green arrow (if no U-Turn for the EB LT lane).

So if it was flashing red, it's because the signal has malfunctioned, OR they are preparing to activate it as a brand new signal.

There is supposedly an old specification that states that a new intersection should be maintained in red flash for a period of time (24 hours to 5 days, depending on which engineer you talk to).
I've never actually seen that spec in writing.
But there are some engineers who still do this... particularly at large intersections.
In my experience, it's never been done. I've had a few installations that were turned on for a test, allowed to cycle for 5 minutes or so, then shut down and the heads re-covered until the official turn-on day.
I've done some work in Roseville, but it was related to their railroad crossing horn program (almost 10 years ago).

Being a ramp signal for I-80, that signal is property and responsibility of CalTrans. Maintenance responsibility may eventually be turned over to the city, but that normally doesn't happen until 30-60 days after final inspection.

I didn't think of that. I have a intersection like that where I am at and that light has the "Upwards Pointed Green Arrows" that is green no matter what.

As the intersection is exactly like the one described.

But there are weird things that go on in CA. So who knows if we are right or wrong...

[Rocktoy]

This intersection was designed and built by CalTrans but is now maintained by the City of Roseville as of about a year ago. The traffic light is often put into red flash for maintenance and certain testing procedures. I work in the traffic department for Roseville and agree with you about there being a limit line issue for that direction but if my memory serves me correctly, it has been brought up before and was considered to be safer without it for normal operation.

[Andy Taylor]

This intersection was designed and built by CalTrans but is now maintained by the City of Roseville as of about a year ago. The traffic light is often put into red flash for maintenance and certain testing procedures. I work in the traffic department for Roseville and agree with you about there being a limit line issue for that direction but if my memory serves me correctly, it has been brought up before and was considered to be safer without it for normal operation.

Rocktoy, thanks for your input. Can you tell me what the point of that light is? I get the light for the left turn and westbound traffic. There really doesn't seem to be a reason for the eastbound traffic. It seems to me (I am not a traffic engineer) that it is just a hazzard that serves no purpose.