Attucks and Wilkens Lanes Getting Traffic Lights In Barnstable

BARNSTABLE, MA — Contractors for Barnstable will turn on new traffic signals at the intersection of Attucks and Wilkens lanes Wednesday.

Town officials said the traffic signals will initially be set to flashing mode for two weeks. The signals facing east and west on Attucks Lane will display flashing yellow lights, while the signals facing north toward Wilkens Lane and south toward the shopping plaza driveway will display flashing red lights.

The Massachusetts Driver's Manual (a.k.a. "Rules of the Road") notes the following instructions for flashing signals:

• A flashing yellow circle is a warning. Proceed with caution and stay alert. Look both ways when crossing an intersection.

• A flashing red circle means the same as a stop sign. Come to a complete stop. Obey the right-of-way laws and proceed when it is safe. If there is a white stop line or crosswalk line, you must stop before the line. If there are no lines, you must stop as close to the intersection as needed to see traffic in both directions. Do not enter the intersection until after coming to a complete stop.

Following two weeks in flashing mode, the contractor will set the traffic signals to normal mode, in which the signals will display solid green, yellow, and red lights. At that time, the pedestrian signals will be activated as well.