SYMPOSIUM ON HIGHWAYS WITH A NARROW MEDIAN-ILLINOIS

CURRENT DESIGN PRACTICES IN ILLINOIS DO NOT EMPLOY THE USE OF NARROW CURBED MEDIANS, EXCEPT FOR: (1) THE CHANNELIZATION OF APPROACH PAVEMENTS TO GRADE SEPARATIONS, (2) THE ISLANDIZATION OF INTERSECTIONS AT GRADE, AND (3) AT LOCATIONS WHERE A REDUCTED CROSS-SECTION DESIGN IS ECONOMICALLY ESSENTIAL, PROVIDING THAT CERTAIN APPROACH CONDITIONS ARE MET AND CROSS-CONFLICTS ARE REDUCED. UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE IN ILLINOIS WITH NARROW MEDIANS IS REVIEWED. THE FOLLOWING SHORTCOMINGS OF NARROW MEDIANS ARE EMPHASIZED: (1) IT DOES NOT SEPARATE OPPOSING STREAMS OF TRAFFIC SUFFICIENTLY TO ELIMINATE APPROACHING HEADLIGHT GLARE, (2) IT DOES NOT RELIEVE THE FEELING OF CONSTRICTION IN MULTIPLELANE HIGHWAY OPERATION, (3) IT DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE PROBABILITY OF VEHICLES FIGURING IN AN ACCIDENT ON ONE HIGHWAY FROM ENDING UP IN THE OPPOSING LANES OF TRAFFIC, (4) LEFT-TURNING LANES ARE PRECLUDED AND LITTLE PROTECTION IS OFFERED FOR CROSSING VEHICLES, (5) IT DOES NOT PROVIDE WIDTH FOR THE PLACEMENT OF SIGNS, TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND STRUCTURAL APPURTENANCES, AND (6) IT CREATES A DEFINITE TRAVEL HAZARD DUE PRIMARILY TO ITS LOW SHADOW VISIBILITY AND USUAL LACK OF COLOR CONTRAST. ANOTHER OBJECTION TO THE USE OF NARROW MEDIANS IS IN THE MATTER OF MAINTENANCE, PARTICULARLY AS REGARDS SNOW REMOVAL OR STORAGE.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbbulletin/35/35-004.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 35, pp 45-55, 6 FIG, 1 PHOT Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Furbeck, R J
• Publication Date: 1951

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: pp 45-55
• Monograph Title: Highways with a narrow median
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Bulletin
  • Issue Number: 35
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Approach lanes; Conferences; Cross sections; Divided highways; Glare; Grade separations; Hazards; Headlamps; Highway design; Highway maintenance; Intersections; Medians; Reduction (Chemistry); Traffic channelization; Traffic islands; Visibility; Width
• Uncontrolled Terms: Channelization
• Old TRIS Terms: Approaches; Island /channelizing/; Narrow objects; Reduction
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00203383
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 28 1994 12:00AM