A sign popped up at 15th Ave NW and Market St late last year, reminding drivers that it’s okay to make a U-turn at the intersection.
The “U-turn ok” sign was installed by the Seattle Department of Transportation in response to public feedback about the new traffic layout of 15th between Market and the Ballard Bridge.
“We received several questions from drivers about whether it is legal to make a U-turn at NW Market in order to reach destinations blocked by the new median,” SDOT’s Ethan Bergerson tells My Ballard. “While state law says that U-turns are allowed at any intersection unless a sign prohibits it, many drivers are unaware of this and so we added this sign to clarify.”
While there are some breaks in the median along that stretch, they’re intended for emergency vehicles only. The U-turn sign should help drivers navigate back southbound on 15th to turn right, rather than holding up traffic by sneaking through the median while headed northbound.
Better sign:
“Left Turns Only”
or
“Abandon Common Sense All Ye Who Enter Here”
You certainly took that “Abandon Common Sense” advice to heart.
Snore.