Title 13 . Public Safety

Chapter 2 . General Provisions

Section 10. Traffic-control signal legend

13 AAC 02.010. Traffic-control signal legend

(a) When traffic is controlled by an official traffic-control signal displaying colored lights or lighted arrows, only green, red, and yellow may be used, except for a special pedestrian signal carrying a word legend. The lights indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:

(1) green indication

(A) vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may proceed through or turn right or left, unless a sign at the location prohibits the turn; vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, must yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time the signal is exhibited;

(B) vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal may cautiously enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow, or other movement permitted by other indications shown at the same time; vehicular traffic must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection; display of a green arrow signal indicates that the movement indicated by the arrow is not impeded by oncoming traffic;

(C) unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal, as provided in 13 AAC 02.015, pedestrians facing a green signal, except when the green signal is a turn arrow, may proceed across the roadway within a marked or unmarked crosswalk;

(2) steady yellow indication

(A) vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal is warned that the movement allowed under (a)(1) of this section is being terminated and that a red indication will be exhibited immediately following the yellow indication;

(B) pedestrians facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided in 13 AAC 02.015, may not start to cross the roadway, as there is insufficient time to cross before a red indication will be exhibited;

(3) steady red indication

(A) vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal may not enter the intersection and must stop at a clearly marked stop line or, if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, before entering the intersection; vehicular traffic must remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown, except as provided in (a)(3)(B) of this section;

(B) a driver of a vehicle who has stopped as provided in (a)(3)(A) of this section may, after stopping, cautiously proceed to turn right or left from the lawful lane for the turn, except that no person may turn left onto a two-way street when facing a steady red indication; these movements are not allowed if an official traffic-control device prohibits them or directs the driver's attention to a green arrow signal which controls these movements; vehicular traffic making such a turn must yield the right-of-way to another vehicle or to a pedestrian lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time the signal is exhibited;

(C) vehicular traffic facing a steady red arrow indication may not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow and, unless entering the intersection to make a movement permitted by another indication, must stop at a clearly marked stop line or, if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, before entering the intersection, and must remain standing until an indication permitting the movement indicated by the red arrow is shown;

(D) unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided in 13 AAC 02.015, no pedestrian facing a steady circular red or red arrow signal may enter the roadway.

(b) If an official traffic-control signal is maintained at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this section are applicable to the signal, except as to those provisions which by their nature have no application. A required stop must be made at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop must be made or, if none, the stop must be made at the signal.

History: In effect before 7/28/59; am 12/15/61, Register 3; am 8/10/66, Register 22; am 12/31/69, Register 31; am 6/28/79, Register 70

Authority: AS 28.05.011