Design & Construction  Standards

Traffic and Safety Resources

Flashing Yellow Arrows (FYA)

Left-Turn Signals are coming to Alaska!

Alaska DOT&PF has received FHWA interim approval to install Flashing Yellow Arrow left-turn signals.  Research demonstrates that Flashing Yellow Arrows (FYA) are safer, better understood than existing left-turn signals, and can reduce traffic delays atbusy intersections.  

Alaska’s first FYA became operational in June of 2009 at the intersection of Whittier and Egan in Juneau.  The intersection of Muldoon and Northern Lights Boulevard in Anchorage will receive an FYA in summer 2011.  That intersection will utilize time-of-day operations to reduce motorist delay during off-peak hours. DOT&PF is upgrading another 50 intersections to FYA over the next few years.  All other new traffic signals installed on DOT&PF projects will use FYA where appropriate.

Click here for a full-intersection animation illustrating how left-turning traffic is controlled using the FYA.

Here's what the new signals will look like and what they mean:

A solid red arrow (conventional) means STOP. Drivers turning left must stop. A solid yellow arrow (conventional) means stop if it is safe to do so. A flashing yellow arrow (NEW) means turns are permitted, but you must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians and then proceed with caution. A solid green arrow (conventional) means turn left. Oncoming traffic must stop. Do not go straight.

Links

• FHWA Generic Interim Approval for Flashing Yellow Arrows
• FHWA Interim Approval for Flashing Yellow Arrows in Alaska
• Flashing Yellow Arrows for Permissive Left Turns – Is It for You?
• Study – Recommends traffic signal displays for protected/permissive left-turn control (NCHRP Report 493)
• Study - Evaluates safety of FYA permissive only left-turn indication field installations (NCHRP Web-Only Document 123)
• Flashing Yellow Arrow Information in Alaska Driver Manual (see page 39)
• DOT&PF Chief Engineer’s Directive, Flashing Yellow Arrows, 4/16/09