Why do some traffic signals flash at night?
At the request of several community groups in Highlands Ranch, Douglas County Traffic conducted a study to develop a policy regarding flashing traffic signals at night and determine if certain signals met those requirements. Eligibility for flashing traffic signals at night was based on nighttime traffic volumes, accident history, and proximity to bars and other drinking establishments. As a policy, all traffic signals which are set to flash overnight will flash from 11:30 pm to 5:00 am. Traffic signals in flash will flash yellow for major street traffic and red for minor street traffic. This type of operation allows traffic from the side-street to take advantage of the lack of significant traffic on the major street – additionally, major street traffic need not wait at a red light just because one vehicle caused the traffic signal to cycle.
