The mystery behind the blinking yellow signal on the new East Bay Boulevard traffic lights has been solved.
Motorists who are traveling east or westbound on U.S. Highway 98 may have noticed that when construction crews erected the new traffic signals at the corner of Hwy. 98 and East Bay Boulevard in Gulf Breeze (Midway), crews utilized a traffic signal for the east and westbound turn lanes on Hwy. 98. The traffic signals, after they turn from a solid green arrow, to a solid yellow arrow, and then to a solid red arrow, will turn back to yellow arrow, but instead will blink. While the signal is blinking in the turn lanes, both the east and westbound traffic have green lights.
Many motorists raised questions as to why FDOT did not utilize a signal with a solid green arrow and a solid green (yield) signal combined, as seen at many other intersections around the county and the state.
The signals, utilized at intersections like Laredo Street and Hwy. 87 South in Navarre and at the turn lane that takes motorists into the Gulf Breeze Hospital parking lot in Gulf Breeze Proper, are utilized to give motorists the option to turn left if traffic is clear.
According to FDOT District 3 spokesman Tanya Branton, the signal is something FDOT rolled out statewide recently. This is the first signal they’ve utilized the blinking yellow arrow on in the south end of the county.
“They put one in Bay County two years ago,” Branton said. “Any type of new signal they install now will have that.”
