EVALUATION OF A SAFETY PROJECT-WIDENING OF M-17 FROM FOUR TO FIVE LANES TO PROVIDE A CENTER LANE FOR LEFT TURNS

THE WIDENING OF A FOUR LANE, TWO-WAY SECTION OF A TRUNKLINE (M-17) FROM FOUR TO FIVE LANES IS EVALUATED. THE IMPROVEMENT (WIDENING) EXTENDED FOR A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET (INCLUDING 225 FOOT TAPERS) ON EACH SIDE OF PELHAM, AN INTERSECTING LOCAL ROAD. THE CENTER LANE ON M-17 WAS UTILIZED FOR LEFT TURNS, WITH THE OTHER LANES BEING UTILIZED AS THROUGH LANES. GEOMETRICS ON PELHAM, A FIVE LANE ROADWAY, WERE NOT REVISED. THE STUDY REVEALED A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION OF ACCIDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE INVOLVING LEFT TURNING VEHICLES, IN THE ONE YEAR "AFTER" PERIOD. THE ANNUAL BENEFIT FOR THE FIRST YEAR AFTER THE IMPROVEMENT WAS $51,822, WHILE THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT WAS $77,000. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • 5 Pp, 5 Fig, 1 TAB
• Corporate Authors:

  Michigan Department of State Highways

  State Highways Building, PO Drawer K
  Lansing, MI  United States  48904
• Authors:
  • Hoffman, M R
  • Lampela, A A
  • Scarcella, F R
• Publication Date: 1968-12

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Four lane highways; Highways; Improvements; Intersections; Left turns; Median lanes; Pavement widening; Prevention; Safety; Savings; Turning lanes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Widening
• Old TRIS Terms: Center lane
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00220731
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 13 1970 12:00AM