Flashing Yellow Right Turns
Image Source: City of Auburn, Washington
DEFINITION AND DESCRIPTION
Flashing yellow arrows (FYAs) for right turns may be used at intersections with high pedestrian volumes to alert drivers they need to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
Implementation Categories
| Area(s) | Traffic Operations, TSMO |
| Safety Category | 3, 4 |
CONSIDERATIONS
- Requires an additional signal head.
- Similar to FYAs for left turns, which are familiar to most drivers.
APPLICATION
- Evaluate the need for right-turn FYAs at intersections with high pedestrian activity.
- May also be used at locations where there is a need for a right-turn overlap due to heavy right-turn movements and where conflicting U-turns need to be allowed.
- See MUTCD Section 4F.11 and 4F.15 for signal information.
example
Image Source: MUTCD 11th Edition
Complimentary Countermeasures
- Leading Pedestrian Intervals
REFERENCES AND RESOURCES
Cunningham, C. K. Pyo, J. Baek, E. Byrom, S. Warchol. Guidelines for Implementation of Right Turn Flashing Yellow Arrows and Leading Pedestrian Intervals. 2020, May. Institute for Transportation Research and Education – NC State. https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/research/RNAProjDocs/2018-21%20Final%20Report.pdf
Federal Highway Administration. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD), Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington DC, 2023. https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno_11th_Edition.htm
CONTACT:
Chris VanDyke
Research Scientist | Program Manager
chrisvandyke@uky.edu
