Operational and Safety Effects of Right-Turn Deceleration Lanes on Urban and Suburban Arterials
Right-turn deceleration lanes reduce the potential for rear-end collisions from vehicles slowing to make right-turn maneuvers. Right-turn lanes also improve arterial capacity by removing slower-moving vehicles from the main traffic stream. Transportation agencies must have an understanding of the traffic operational and safety effects of right-turn lanes to determine effectively where right-turn lanes are needed. Therefore, in this research, a computer simulation study of motor vehicles and pedestrians at right-turn lanes was conducted to determine their operational effects. A benefit–cost analysis of right-turn lanes that considered both their operational and safety effects was performed. The research indicates that right-turn maneuvers from a two-lane arterial at an unsignalized intersection or driveway can delay through traffic by 0 to 6 s per through vehicle where no right-turn lane is present. Delays to through traffic due to right turns in the same situation on a four-lane arterial are substantially lower, in the range from 0 to 1 s per through vehicle. Pedestrians at unsignalized intersections or driveways can have a substantial impact on delay to through vehicles due to slowing of right-turning vehicles yielding to pedestrians. Provision of a right-turn lane can reduce pedestrian-related delays to through traffic by as much as 6 s per through vehicle, depending on pedestrian volume. Also presented is an economic-analysis procedure that can identify unsignalized intersections and major driveways at which provision of right-turn lanes is cost-effective.
- Record URL:
- Summary URL:
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780309104500
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Authors:
- Potts, Ingrid B
- Ringert, John F
- Harwood, Douglas W
- Bauer, Karin M
- Publication Date: 2007
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 52-62
- Monograph Title: Geometric Design and the Effects on Traffic Operations 2007
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Serial:
- Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
- Issue Number: 2023
- Publisher: Transportation Research Board
- ISSN: 0361-1981
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Arterial highways; Benefit cost analysis; Cost effectiveness; Deceleration lanes; Driveways; Highway operations; Highway safety; Pedestrian movement; Pedestrian safety; Rear end crashes; Right turn lanes; Simulation; Suburbs; Traffic delays; Unsignalized intersections; Urban areas
- Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I73: Traffic Control; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01049538
- Record Type: Publication
- ISBN: 9780309104500
- Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
- Created Date: May 21 2007 1:18PM