Driver’s misuse of “Two Way Left Turn (TWLT)” lanes, also called Center Turn Lanes, happens far too often. I see them used incorrectly every day. The purpose of a TWLT lane is to enable a driver to position his/her vehicle out of the through traffic lane while waiting for a break in oncoming traffic to make a left turn, usually into a business or street along the way. It may also be used to facilitate entering a street, road or highway by entering the TWLT lane from a side street or from a business along the street or road if your intended direction is to proceed left.

Section 1126(c) of Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL) states in part, relative to the use of a TWLT lane, “Where a two-way left turn lane separates the travel lanes for traffic proceeding in opposite directions,” travel within such section (TWLT lane) is permitted “for such distance as is required for safety in preparing to turn left leaving such highway or in completing a left turn entering such highway.”

Read the above paragraph carefully. The wording “in completing a left turn entering such highway” provides the legal right to enter the TWLT lane if traffic from the left is clear even if there is traffic from the right that would prevent the driver from crossing the TWLT lane and entering the through traffic lane. Most drivers are either unaware that they may legally do this or are uncomfortable in so doing.

Perhaps it is unfortunate that VTL does not interpret the meaning of “such distance as is required for safety,” and that is likely because this distance is variable, depending on the posted speed limit, amount of traffic, and other factors such as weather conditions. But 2-3 car lengths would easily satisfy the requirement for safety in most situations.

A TWLT lane is NOT for passing another vehicle, is NOT meant for driving hundreds of feet because you are going to make a left turn down the road and is NOT for use as an acceleration lane to get up to speed before merging into the through lane.

Just recently I observed a Franklin County Public Transportation bus exit the southerly entrance of the Malone Price Chopper, turn into the TWLT lane, and drive in this lane all the way to Route 11. This distance would clearly be at least 500 feet. I have also seen westbound drivers on Route 11 enter the TWLT lane at McDonald’s restaurant, drive in this lane for hundreds of feet and turn left into the Aldi’s shopping center. On more than one occasion I have watched a vehicle turn left from Morton St. into the TWLT lane and drive this lane all the way to Homestead Place, a distance approaching two football fields.

In Saranac Lake, so many drivers westbound on River St. intending to make a left turn at the intersection of Main St. that village police use traffic cones to prevent vehicles from driving in the TWLT lane until the come to the dedicated left turn lane prior to the intersection.

In situations where a TWLT lane changes into a dedicated “left turn only” lane, a driver intending to execute a left turn should wait until he/she reaches the dedicated left turn lane before moving over into it.

TWLT lanes are used throughout the US and in most of the world. Proper understanding of their use is critical to being a good driver.