Commissioner Noack improving mobility in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Starting on January 16 and rolling out throughout the course of 2014, drivers in South Montgomery County are going to start seeing blinking yellow left-turn signals at certain intersections. Instead of waiting for a green left-turn signal—often when there's no oncoming traffic in sight—drivers will see a blinking yellow left turn signal, giving them the go-ahead to safely gauge oncoming traffic and make a prudent left turn.

"The flashing yellow arrow will become the new nationwide standard. It's just a matter of time before left turn signals coast-to-coast will be replaced by flashing yellow," Noack says. "We're the most densely populated portion of Montgomery County. We wanted to be an early adopter of this change."

Engineers who studied traffic patterns with flashing-yellow left turn signals found a 28 percent decrease in driver wait time. The Commisioner's office has identified four major intersections and rolled out the first on January 16 at the intersection of Rayford Road and Aldine Westfield. It has three more intersections east of I-45 in mind for rollout soon, and encourages local drivers to suggest intersections to his office via email.

The Commissioner's office has been testing the technology internally for several weeks without car traffic to make sure it is properly managed. Flashing-yellow left turn signals are not, however, appropriate at all stoplights, given the sight-distance constraints and speeds on some roads. Noack says that all intersections that qualify will get the technology.

"It if can happen, it will," Noack says. "This is just one of a series of steps we are taking to increase mobility in the community. We trying to do everything we can to improve it."

For more information about Commissioner James Noack, the flashing-yellow light program or Montgomery County Precinct 3, visit www.precinct3.org or please call 281-367-3977.