re: What are the rules for running red light on a continuing left?

quote:

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If there is the thick solid white line on the cross street you are turning onto from your original street, you're supposed to stop at that line and wait until you have a green light. It doesn't matter if you had been travelling straight or turning onto that street.

If there is no solid white line, that space is not intended to have cars stopped there, and you should continue the turn when there is no oncoming traffic.

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This, I believe, is the correct answer. It comes down to whether cars are intended to stop in the “cutover” across the median/neutral ground, or whether that cutover functions more like a “wide yellow line.”

If the intersection is designed well, the intent should be fairly clear. For example on North Blvd in downtown BR, it’s obvious that cars turning left are expected to stop in the median. There are white “stop bars” and multiple sets of traffic signals (e.g. one over the median and one at the entrance to the cross street) to make it fairly clear that if you’re turning left, this traffic light still applies to you.

Alternatively, I’ve seen other intersections where the light is intentionally placed directly over the median so that turning drivers don’t really see it. Another tell is that if there’s not room to pull a car into the gap without blocking traffic, the red light probably isn’t intended for you.

I realize Metairie is less obvious sometimes, but using the example that OP posted:

.. I mean, let’s think about this. Let’s say you’re traveling west on W Esplanade and make a left turn there. If the light is red, who else could it possibly be intended to stop?

The cross street doesn’t even continue past Esplanade. The only people the red light could possibly be intended for are folks turning left off of Esplanade. So if you “continue through” that light, yes - you are running a red light.