HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — If you happen to be driving on University Drive, you may have noticed some road work. Alabama Department of Transportation Public Information Officer Seth Burkett said the city came to ALDOT with a proposal to make these changes. But, this is all about improving traffic flow. "So what's going on here today is they've begun work to reconfigure the turn lanes going from U.S. 72 University Drive to Research Park Blvd. and Alabama 255. Based on a study that they had had done, and it said that this would improve traffic flow in the city wanted to add in flashing yellow arrow signals."
It's become a very common style of signal in Huntsville. "Right now, they are working on the striping on U.S. 72 to reducing those turn lanes so the city can come in with their crews, and begin to setting up those signals, making the signal changes. It contains a, like most signals, a green arrow indication, a red arrow indication, and a yellow arrow indication. You know, for your stop go and caution clearance phases of the signal. [The] flashing yellow arrow, it's a four head signal that we use for left turn movements and it contains a light most signals, a green arrow indication, a red arrow indication, and a yellow arrow indication. You know, for your stop go and caution clearance phases of the signal. And then it also has a flashing yellow arrow that once the bulk of traffic has has cleared in the opposing direction, it will give that flashing yellow indication so that motorists can proceed and make that left turn.
"What they [the city] proposed was a reduction of the turn lanes from two turn lanes going from here up 72 Westbound to Alabama 255 Southbound. And then on the other side, going from us, 72 Eastbound to Alabama to 55 Northbound, reducing those left turn lanes to one turn lane which will be controlled by that flashing yellow arrow that will allow motorists to make those left turns in a permissive phase, which means they have to yield to any oncoming traffic. But they are able to make those turns when when there is no opposing traffic. And once they've completed the striping on the main line, U.S. 72, they will move to re striping the ramps to coordinate with that striping change on the main line."
The work is expected to continue for the next 2-3 days between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Furthermore, if you are wondering if this could impact your commute? "Check ALGO, either the ALGO traffic app or ALGOTRAFFIC.COM, and you can see in real time what the traffic delays are looking like."