Snohomish County Public Works is taking part in a Federal Highway Administration research project by installing a new signal technology at two intersections in south county.
The intersections are at 128th Street SW and 5th Avenue SW west of Mill Creek, and at 164th Street SE and Mill Creek Boulevard in Mill Creek.
The project involves installing a flashing yellow arrow at each location to replace the current left-turn green light that comes on when left turns are permitted.
The flashing yellow arrow is not a standard signal technology, but is beginning to attract some interest nationwide, according to county traffic officials. Snohomish will be among the first counties in the country to try the new signal.
“The changes involve a minimum of cost, material and effort,” county traffic engineer John Tatum said in a news release. “The existing signals will behave just as they do now, except that the displays will be converted to be all arrows. The green left-turn arrow will still come up as it always has.”
The research project is “seeking a better way to show caution is needed when turning through opposing traffic and pedestrians,” said Tatum.
“It will increase drivers’ awareness that they’re supposed to yield to traffic before they turn left,” said Scott Smith of the city of Mill Creek’s public works department. “It will increase safety and, hopefully, decrease the number of accidents.”
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