New Flashing Yellow Traffic Signals Go Live On Feb. 1

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Cartersville, GA -- Seven newly upgraded traffic signals along state routes in Bartow County will soon be activated.

That’s according to the Georgia Department of Transportation, which announced the seven signals will become fully operational on Monday, Feb. 1.

A newly upgraded signal on S.R. 3/U.S. 41 at its intersection with the Cartersville Country Club will be turned on Monday.

Six more signals on S.R. 113 at its intersections with Henderson, Douthit Ferry Road, Old Mill Road, Euharlee Road, Cover Bridge Road and Liberty Road are also set to go live.

“These upgraded signals allow for a flashing yellow left turns,” said Dewayne Comer, district engineer at the Georgia DOT office in Cartersville. “This flashing yellow arrows help drivers better understand when to make a left turn freely, when they should proceed with their turn cautiously, and when they cannot turn left. Our primary purpose is to reduce the crashes that result when a left-turning vehicle is struck by oncoming traffic. Please be cautious until you get familiar with the changes at these five intersections. Remember, other drivers may be surprised by the new signals so give yourself plenty of space between you and the driver in front of you,”

Traffic signals with flashing yellow left turn arrows are proven to be safer.

A decade-long study by the Federal Highway Administration found that drivers had fewer crashes with the flashing yellow arrow, GDOT states. They are also more efficient as they provide more options for controlling traffic based on variable traffic volumes since the timing sequence can be made to vary throughout the day.

Georgia DOT reminds motorists how to react if they encounter a malfunctioning traffic signal.

Motorists should proceed with caution if they are facing a flashing yellow light and yield to vehicles and pedestrians who are already in the intersection. A flashing red light means motorists should come to a complete stop, just like at a stop sign.

If power is out and the traffic signals are off please treat the intersection as an all-way stop. When it is safe to do so, please call 511 to report the malfunction to GDOT.

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Image via Georgia Department of Transportation