By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News
Turning right when the arrows are red at RM 620 and RM 2222 is legal.
Since being installed by the Texas Department of Transportation several months ago, the red right-turn arrows at the intersection of RM 620 and RM 2222 have created confusion for drivers, who were first told it was illegal to turn right when the arrows were red. A spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety has now confirmed that initial understanding was incorrect, since there is not a posted sign specifically stating that a right turn on red is prohibited.
“It is not illegal to turn right on a red arrow unless there is a posted sign,” said Lisa Cortinas, public information officer for Austin Police Department.
Because the traffic signal is now under the city of Austin’s jurisdiction, it is the city’s decision whether to put up a “no turn on red sign” at the light; however, Cheyenne Krause, a spokesperson for the City of Austin’s Transportation Department said the city does not have any plans to do so.
RM 620 and RM 2222 at the dual-turn lane.
“Usually, you restrict right on red movement when there are high pedestrian volumes or limited line of sight; this area doesn’t have either of these two conditions,” Krause said. “Currently, the city has no plans to put in a ‘no right turn on red’ sign at that intersection.”
She said the city has not received any complaints about the red arrows at that intersection and its engineers have visited the area and reviewed traffic data including incident reports.
Residents were confused about the rules of the intersection once the dual right-turn lane was finished. In February, Long Canyon resident Michelle Michel emailed TxDOT regarding the rules, asking if making a right turn when the signal is a red, right arrow is legal.
