Right turns on red in Hillsboro? (Beaverton, Beaver: live in, law, moving)

[gog8rs]

I started work in Hillsboro not too long ago, and one thing that really bugs me are the traffic lights. Sometimes, there's a light for the right turn, sometimes there's a "no right turn on red" sign, sometimes both, sometimes neither. Where I come from, I've seen the "no right turn on red" signs, but I've never seen a traffic light dedicated to a right turn lane before. What's the rule? The signage seems to inconsistent...

I also had another driving-related question. In Hillsboro, on Imbrie Drive at the Evergreen Parkway crossing, there is one left turn lane and two right turn lanes with lights in all three lanes. Every morning, when there's a break in the traffic, practically EVERYONE runs the red lights to turn onto Evergreen from Imbrie. Is that against the law here? If so, I've never seen such a flagrant disregard for traffic laws before.

Link to the intersection in question

Northwest Evergreen Parkway, Hillsboro, OR - Google Maps

[SETabor]

Do you mean that both right turning lanes turn right on red or that both right turning lanes PLUS the left turning lane turn on red lights? You can turn right on red even if you're not in the curbmost lane.

If there's no sign saying no right on red, you can turn right on red. There are several reasons there would be a right turn only lane and if you're going to have one, you need a signal.

[Copsgirl73]

Sometimes a dedicated right turn lane is there to keep the flow of traffic moving in high traffic areas (Hillsboro/Beaverton is a perfect example). The times when I see a no turn on red sign are for interesctions where there is a railroad crossing or transit crossing for example.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by gog8rs

I also had another driving-related question. In Hillsboro, on Imbrie Drive at the Evergreen Parkway crossing, there is one left turn lane and two right turn lanes with lights in all three lanes. Every morning, when there's a break in the traffic, practically EVERYONE runs the red lights to turn onto Evergreen from Imbrie. Is that against the law here? If so, I've never seen such a flagrant disregard for traffic laws before.

Link to the intersection in question

Northwest Evergreen Parkway, Hillsboro, OR - Google Maps

I'm very familiar with that intersection, I've driven and riden my bike through there ever since it was built. Right turns from both lanes, when the light is red and it's clear to do so, is legal. As long as each car stay in their lane of course. Left turns on red from there are still illegal.

You can also see this at the 217 off ramp onto TV highway. The right two lanes are right turns, so you can turn right from the ramp on to TV highway from the second from the right lane easily.

[gog8rs]

Thanks for clearing that up, guys. After seeing that I can't even pump my own gas, I had no clue what else car-related could be different in Oregon!

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by gog8rs

Thanks for clearing that up, guys. After seeing that I can't even pump my own gas, I had no clue what else car-related could be different in Oregon!

Another car related thing that's different. When you are driving through a beautiful countryside in Oregon your view of the scenery won't be obstructed by large signs and billboards.

[HonuMan]

Another annoying thing I've never seen elsewhere (and I've only seen it at a few intersections here, to be fair) is that I want to make a left turn, and the light changes from red to green, and there are cars in the through lane on the other side of the light, so I wait for them to come through before I turn, except they don't move -- and I finally realize that they still have a red light, so I can turn. There are no turning arrows at these traffic lights, and you have know way of knowing that the other side still has a red light. You just have to learn where these intersections are.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by HonuMan

Another annoying thing I've never seen elsewhere (and I've only seen it at a few intersections here, to be fair) is that I want to make a left turn, and the light changes from red to green, and there are cars in the through lane on the other side of the light, so I wait for them to come through before I turn, except they don't move -- and I finally realize that they still have a red light, so I can turn. There are no turning arrows at these traffic lights, and you have know way of knowing that the other side still has a red light. You just have to learn where these intersections are.

That is one of the reasons why Beaverton is changing those to blinking yellows. So it's real obvious if the other side is green or not.

It has the benefit of moving traffic pretty well too.

[ramedud]

Originally Posted by SETabor

If there's no sign saying no right on red, you can turn right on red. There are several reasons there would be a right turn only lane and if you're going to have one, you need a signal.

^That's it. Unless a sign says otherwise, right turn on red (in any right turn lane) is legal.

[HonuMan]

Originally Posted by hamellr

That is one of the reasons why Beaverton is changing those to blinking yellows. So it's real obvious if the other side is green or not.

It has the benefit of moving traffic pretty well too.

I live in Beaverton, and I love those blinking yellows! I don't know why someone didn't come up with that idea sooner.