DEVELOPMENT OF A GUIDE SIGN DESIGN FOR TWO-LANE EXITS WITH AN OPTION LANE

In recent years the nation's freeways have seen an increase in the number of exit ramps that have a two-lane exit with an option lane. This is a situation in which the rightmost lane of the freeway must exit and the adjacent lane has the option to either exit or continue on the mainline. Many of these locations have been created in urban areas when a lane is added on the freeway to increase mainline capacity and a single-lane exit ramp is widened to two lanes to increase capacity on the ramp. An estimated 500 to 800 exits of this type exist in the United States. Communicating information to the motorist for this type of exit is exceptionally difficult. Ideally, a sign should convey the following to the driver. 1) If you stay in the right lane, you will be forced to exit. 2) If you wish to exit, you may do so from either the right lane, or the adjacent lane. 3) If you are in the adjacent lane and wish to continue on the mainline, it is not necessary to change lanes. Making all of these discrete concepts obvious in a simple sign design is a challenge. There is no standard sign design for this situation in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. As a result, at least eight different sign designs are being used throughout the country. This paper will present the results of an NCHRP human factors study conducted to identify the best design for a guide sign for this type of exit. Four candidate sign designs were evaluated using 96 test subjects in a driving simulator. Measures of effectiveness included number of missed exits and number of unnecessary lane changes. One of the four designs is recommended for inclusion in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0935403876
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Full conference proceedings available on CD-ROM.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Upchurch, J
• Conference:
  • ITE 2004 Annual Meeting and Exhibit
  • Location: Lake Buena Vista, Florida
  • Date: 2004-8-1 to 2004-8-4
• Publication Date: 2004

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 34p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design; Freeways; Guide signs; Highway safety; Off ramps; Regulatory signs; Traffic engineering; Traffic signs; Two way left turn lanes; Warning signs
• Identifier Terms: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00980201
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0935403876
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 28 2004 12:00AM