Yellow traffic signals with black backplate

[skooljunkie]

Recently, I've noticed that the city has been replacing signals on wires with new traffic signals on poles. I'm all for this. However, it bugs me that the signals are the traditional yellow with the black backplate. For years, it seemed that the city was switching to the black signal with the black backplate. To me, the black on black is more pleasing to the eye. I liked the way these made the streetscape look too. Am I crazy or is the black on yellow just tacky?

River Oaks Blvd. at San Felipe is an example of a new signal with the yellow on black.

Kirby at University is an example of the black on black.

Is it more expensive to have the signal colored black? It would be nice to have a uniform look to traffic signals in the city. #utopia

[JLWM8609]

Recently, I've noticed that the city has been replacing signals on wires with new traffic signals on poles. I'm all for this. However, it bugs me that the signals are the traditional yellow with the black backplate. For years, it seemed that the city was switching to the black signal with the black backplate. To me, the black on black is more pleasing to the eye. I liked the way these made the streetscape look too. Am I crazy or is the black on yellow just tacky?

River Oaks Blvd. at San Felipe is an example of a new signal with the yellow on black.

Kirby at University is an example of the black on black.

Is it more expensive to have the signal colored black? It would be nice to have a uniform look to traffic signals in the city. #utopia

I think the yellow signals with the black blackplate look fine. Interestingly enough, one color I don't see represented in Houston much, if at all, are green signals. They seem to be very popular in Louisiana, though.

[LTAWACS]

I think they use yellow/black because there is more contrast and are more visible.

[technoevil]

I personally prefer the yellow with black backplate. They are alot easier to see at night, especially if you are color blind.

[Rail]

Yellow-painted signals are pretty common in the Eastern US. Black is more common out west. The only states east of the Mississippi River I can think of that make black standard are IL, WI, KY, GA, FL, and NY (outside NYC).