POSTPONED-NEW DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON
FRANKLIN – Beginning December 10, about 12,000 to 14,000 drivers who travel Mallory Station Road should see improved traffic flow at the intersections of Duke Drive and General George Patton Drive.  The City of Franklin Engineering and Streets Departments are teaming up to utilize a new type of left-turn signal with flashing yellow arrows that offer potentially safer, and a more efficient way to establish right-of-way for left-turning vehicles at these intersections.

The operation of this signal on Mallory Station Road is distinctive given its dual intersections, one on each side of the railroad crossing.  The left turns are signalized on the external approaches, which are opposed by through movements on the internal approaches.  To clear out the internal area when going to the side streets, the external approaches display yellow and red while the internal approaches have an extended green interval.  The flashing yellow arrow left turn feature will be used to overcome the potential hazards of solid yellow left turns against green interval through movements.  Federal research has investigated alternative signal displays for situations such as these.

The Flashing Yellow Arrow signal display is a four-section signal head that incorporates a green left-turn arrow display for protected left-turn movements and a flashing yellow arrow display for permitted left-turn movements.  It will replace the current three-section head, which incorporates a left-turn arrow display for protected only left-turn movements. New signs indicating LEFT TURN YIELD ON FLASHING YELLOW ARROW will be installed adjacent to the new four-section signal heads.

These displays have been approved nationally since 2009 and have been installed in parts of eastern Tennessee and throughout the state of Kentucky.

The Franklin Police will be on hand to observe the traffic flow the first few days to make sure drivers understand the new signals. Motorists who have questions or comments on this change may contact City of Franklin Traffic Engineer Carl Baughman at 791-3218 or by email at carlb@franklintn.gov.

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