Flashing yellow traffic lights coming to valley

By Conor Shine

Friday, Aug. 5, 2011 | 2 a.m.

At a traffic light, green means go, except if you’re turning left. Then, green means yield.

To help reduce confusion and congestion, Henderson will be installing flashing yellow turn signals at nearly 80 intersections over the next year.

These left turn signals will replace older signals that had five indicator lights. The new signals, which have four lights, will be similar to the ones they’re replacing, allowing cars to make left-hand turns after yielding to oncoming traffic.

But the yellow arrow displays are easier for drivers to understand, helping reduce accidents and improve traffic flow, Henderson Public Works engineer Alyssa Reynolds said.

“Drivers misinterpret the green ball. They see green as go and unfortunately make some unwise decisions because of that,” she said. “The new flashing-arrow display shows a left turn arrow so drivers know it’s only for left turns. It’s yellow so people know to yield … It gives a different message to the drivers than just the green arrow.”

The Nevada Transportation Department is paying for the upgrades for traffic signals across the valley using federal Hazard Elimination money. The Henderson portion of the project is expected to cost just over $1 million, with the city chipping in 5 percent of the cost. The Regional Transportation Commission is facilitating the installations.

Two pilot yellow turn signals were installed in Henderson last year at Pacific Avenue and Van Wagenen Street and at Horizon Ridge Parkway and Carnegie Drive.

Installation of more signals will begin later this year, with a few intersections per week coming online.

Getting signals to each of the nearly 80 intersections governed by the old lights will take about a year, Reynolds said.

She pointed to the entrance to the Galleria at Sunset mall at Stephanie Street and Sunset Road as an area that will benefit from the upgrade.

Henderson residents received a flier about the changes with their July utility bills, and more information is available online at the Regional Transportation Commission’s website.

Henderson is the first city in the valley to begin the mass implementation of the flashing yellow signals, but others are following close behind.

One light at the intersection of Craig Road and Clayton Street is operational, and lights at Smoke Ranch Road and Decatur Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue and Topaz Street will go online soon.