The existence of good, classic neon, has in itself grown a rarity over the last 30 years in the Baltimore Area.  Thus, when one finds that the City Department of Transportation still maintains a small number of Neon fixtures, it does come as some suprise.

Four interchangable message neon signs, installed in the 1980's, can be seen on North Charles Street on the median of the service drive at Johns Hopkins University, and serve to warn students of the peak traffic patterns in use at different hours.   Other Fiber Optic signs are visible around this area as well that illuminate pretty glowing pictograms in red and white to prohibit left turns.  Then there are the true classics...

Gritty and simple, yet still so elegant, were the originals.  A plain shielded box with custom neon lettering inside reading "NO LEFT TURN" in bright red letters.  The Department of Transit and Traffic ordered 20 of these personalized fixtures in 1957, and at least 5 are known to still be on location.  It's rather rare to see one lit, but when you do, it certainly does offer a warm neon buzz!

The NO LEFT turn boxes were installed in two special instances.  First, they were installed in heavy volume intersections  where their presence would offer added enforcement (as compared to an easily overlooked "resticted hours" metal sign) to prevent backups and accidents resulting from the traffic backing up behind that single Einstein who was too dense to notice the sign.  Secondly, they were installed as warnings at signalized intersections located immediately near Railroad Crossings, and were activated on the approach of the train and the lowering of the gates.

The six known remaining boxes are located at:

• S/B Wabash Avenue at Belvedere Avenue (for the CSX-WM Crossing)
• S/B Wabash Avenue at Garrison Avenue (for the CSX-WM Crossing)
• W/B Druid Park Drive at Reisterstown Road (includes permission plate for transit vehicles)
• E/B Druid Park Drive at Reisterstown Road, and again at Park Heights Avenue
  
• N/B Hilton Parkway at North Avenue

During most of their time, the Neon signs simply sit in mysterious darkness, such as this one at Wabash and Garrison Avenues.	However, when activated, such as this sign at Hilton and North, they are very hard to be ignored.
A Close up of the signal at North and Hilton.	Another view, this time at Park Circle, for traffic headed East on Druid Park Drive.
Washington DC has their own neon No-Left Turn signals, but of a different style, as seen on Connecticut Avenue near the Zoo.