"No turn on red" explained
Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) uses "no turn on red" traffic safety signage as a low-cost treatment to reduce the risk of all crash types while minimally impacting delays for drivers. Prioritizing "no turn on red" in Portland will improve safety for all modes and is particularly beneficial in reducing conflicts between people in motor vehicles encroaching in crosswalks while pedestrians are crossing.
PBOT will continue to install and evaluate "no turn on red" signage at select signalized intersections as part of its Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on Portland streets.
An opportunity to improve safety at intersections
The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials Highway Safety Manual indicates "no turn on red" can reduce all crash types at an intersection by 9%. This data informs PBOT's traffic safety decisions.
Designing and maintaining streets that protect people
The Vision Zero Action Plan Update 2023-25 includes "no turn on red" as one of the actions and performance measures to maximize traffic signal operations and design and maintain streets to protect people—even when they make mistakes. Core to this work is slowing driving speeds and protecting people outside vehicles.
PedPDX, Portland's citywide pedestrian plan to make Portland a great walking city for everyone, also references "no turn on red" as a tool for separating pedestrians crossing intersections from people in motor vehicles encroaching in crosswalks.
Portland locations
In April 2024, PBOT's City Traffic Engineer issued a directive that highlighted locations where PBOT should consider installing "no turn on red," including:
- Where there are exclusive pedestrian or bicycle phases (which allow pedestrians or people on bicycles to cross signalized intersections in all directions while vehicles are stopped) or where there are existing Pedestrian Head Starts (which give pedestrians the walk signal several seconds before drivers get a green light).
- “No turn on red” and Pedestrian Head Starts can work together to prioritize pedestrian movement and reduce pedestrian crashes. During a red light, “no turn on red” prevents drivers from blocking the crosswalk while waiting for a right turn. Just before a light turns green, , the head start gives pedestrians greater visibility by putting them more directly in a driver’s line of sight for when the driver receives the green light allowing them to turn.
- Where bike boxes are present, at neighborhood greenways, or where turns cross separated paths
- High conflict intersections
- Intersections where geometric or operational characteristics might result in unexpected conflicts, including:
- Inadequate sight distances
- Skewed angle intersections
- Where U-turns are allowed, to remind drivers they must yield to conflicting U-turn traffic
Implementation
PBOT will likely add more “no turn on red” locations over time as we upgrade traffic signals as part of larger capital improvement projects. PBOT will also pursue funding opportunities to proactively install both “no turn on red” and Pedestrian Head Starts in pedestrian districts with high pedestrian demand. Additional funding would allow PBOT to proactively install "no turn on red" signage in support of the Vision Zero Action Plan and PedPDX.
There is currently limited budget to retroactively install "no turn on red" at select signalized intersections.