Citation

Harwood DW, Glennon JC. Transp. Res. Rec. 1978; 681: 70-77.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1978, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Median treatments are an important means of reducing accidents and delay on urban areterial highways. Five common median treatments are (a) two-way left-turn lane, (b) continuous left-turn lane, (c) alternating left-turn lane, (d) raised median divider with left-turn deceleration lanes, and (e) median barrier with no direct left-turn access. A benefit-cost comparison of these treatments that considers the accident reduction, delay reduction, and construction cost for median treatments installed in existing arterial highways is reported. The analysis is based on a literature review and reasonable assumptions regarding the effectiveness of the median treatments. The result of the benefit-cost analysis is a selection guide that can be used by a designer to determine the optimal median treatment for an arterial highway based on geometric and operational conditions.