City Installs 'Flashing Yellow Arrow' Signal for Better Pedestrian Safety

Information provided by the City of Pleasanton—

The City of Pleasanton is upgrading the traffic signal at the intersection of 
Hopyard Road and Parkside Drive/ South Valley Trails to include a new type of signal called a Flashing Yellow Arrow. The primary purpose of this upgrade is to improve pedestrian safety.
 
The existing signal heads, which are standard three section signal heads (red, yellow and green ball), will be replaced on December 19th with new four section heads that will have a red arrow, yellow arrow, flashing yellow arrow and green arrow. The new style four-section signal functions the in a similar fashion as the three section signal, but instead of the circular green indication, a flashing yellow arrow provides a direct message to drivers to cautiously enter the intersection when making a left turn. 

With this new style head the red left turn arrow can be illuminated to restrict left turn movements while pedestrians are crossing (this option is not available with the standard 3 section permissive left turn signals). The signal will allow left turns to enter the intersection when pedestrians are not present under the "flashing yellow arrow" which is the same as the "left turn yield on green ball" operation that currently exists at this location. The signal will also have the ability to display a solid green arrow that will provide a protected left turn to improve the efficiency of the signal during the times of the day when this intersection experiences heavy left 
turn traffic volumes.

For more information and a more detailed description of the signal operation please visit the City of Pleasanton web site at http://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/services/traffic/index.html.