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One of the most dangerous driving situations to navigate is crossing a rural four-lane
divided road from a side-street. Traffic and speeds on these highways are high. The driver
must gauge the speed and distance of oncoming traffic and choose a safe gap.
The most common type of crash that occurs at this type of intersection is a broad side
crash, when a vehicle stopped on the side-street tries to cross the road or make a left turn.
The vehicle on the side street pulls out in front of a vehicle on the main road and is
hit broadside by a vehicle on the main road. These high speed crashes often happen on the
far side of the intersection and are some of the most severe crashes that occur on our
roads
The Reduced Conflict Intersection addresses this problem
A reduced conflict intersection consists of raised islands to channelize traffic. Special
left turn lanes to improve sight lines. U-turns can be constructed on each side of the intersection.
At a reduced conflict intersection, all turns from the main road are unchanged. As illustrated
here by the red car. Drivers can still turn right onto the side street
…and they can still turn left
Drivers who want to make a left from the side street will turn right onto the main road,
merge to the left, and make a u-turn. Stop animation after car is thru the u-turn
Drivers follow a similar path to cross from one side of the side street to the other.
A national study, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration, evaluated nine RCUT
intersections in Maryland. At these locations, fatal crashes decreased by 70 percent. Injury
crashes decreased by 42 percent