Question about length of red lights.

[ftran999]

One thing I've always been curious about. I realize the length of red
lights vary from one intersection to the next and is dictated by traffic
flow. However, is there a maximum length of time a light can stay red in
MA? That is to say, can drivers after a certain amount of time assume the
traffic lights are malfunctioning and proceed through the red light
(obviously making sure it's safe to cross the intersection)? I did google
it but came up empty. What brought this question on is that one time I was
on a bus that was in traffic backed up for several blocks waiting for the
light to change. After a long while it appeared the light was never going
to change and cars started to go through.

[Bill Duetschler]

Post by ftran999
One thing I've always been curious about. I realize the length of red
lights vary from one intersection to the next and is dictated by traffic
flow. However, is there a maximum length of time a light can stay red in
MA? That is to say, can drivers after a certain amount of time assume the
traffic lights are malfunctioning and proceed through the red light
(obviously making sure it's safe to cross the intersection)? I did google
it but came up empty. What brought this question on is that one time I was
on a bus that was in traffic backed up for several blocks waiting for the
light to change. After a long while it appeared the light was never going
to change and cars started to go through.

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.

In theory you're supposed to sit there until the light changes.
I don't think there's a maximum length of time you're supposed to
wait at a red light after which you're allowed to assume that the
light is malfunctioning and run it.

I can tell you from personal experience that this is especially
problematic for motorcyclists, as often motorcycles do not have
enough ferrous mass to actuate a wire-loop traffic detector. A
handful of states have passed laws to allow motorcyclists to go
through a red light that's malfunctioning in this way after
waiting some minimum length of time and making sure it's safe to
go, but Massachusetts is not one of them.

If there's a detector near you that's not working, I'd call the
entity responsible for maintaining the light, either the town
DPW/road department or MassHighway, depending. Likely, the loop
is improperly adjusted, or just plain broken. But the
responsible agency needs to know about it before they can
dispatch someone to fix it.

[Jimmy]

Post by Bill Duetschler
In theory you're supposed to sit there until the light changes.
I don't think there's a maximum length of time you're supposed to
wait at a red light after which you're allowed to assume that the
light is malfunctioning and run it.

That said, the longest red I've seen in Massachusetts is about 2
minutes. I've heard of 4 minute reds in other states.

I think my Driver's Ed class recommended making a right on red. That
doesn't work (legally) in Cambridge, where it's almost univerally
banned.

Post by Bill Duetschler
If there's a detector near you that's not working, I'd call the
entity responsible for maintaining the light, either the town
DPW/road department or MassHighway, depending.  Likely, the loop
is improperly adjusted, or just plain broken.  But the
responsible agency needs to know about it before they can
dispatch someone to fix it.

"Responsible agency" and Massachusetts don't go together.

One exception is Burlington. They've fixed broken traffic sensors
within a few days of my requests.

The vast majority of city/town/DCR roads around here don't have
functioning acutated lights. Many of them have the cut lines in the
pavement which would indicate that there's a sensor, but it's either
not being used or broken.

You can see which agency will ignore your complaints using these
maps:
http://mit.edu/jfc/www/maps/towns/

Jimmy

[Bill Duetschler]

On Wed, 7 Mar 2012 18:09:57 -0800 (PST), Jimmy

Post by Jimmy
I think my Driver's Ed class recommended making a right on red. That
doesn't work (legally) in Cambridge, where it's almost univerally
banned.

That works in places where blocks are rectilinear and one-way
streets more-or-less alternate direction, e.g. center-city
Philadelphia. It does not work in places where a "block" has
anything between 3 and 8 sides, and where one-way streets often
seem arranged so as to maximally confound motor vehicle traffic.
Seriously. Do that in Camberville and Boston proper, and you
will be totally hosed from a navigation standpoint about 2/3 of
the time.

Post by Jimmy
"Responsible agency" and Massachusetts don't go together.

Pretty much. The other issue is, unless you're a *resident* of
the town in question--i.e., you vote and pay taxes there--the
chance that the town DPW is going to listen to you is vanishingly
small.