TY - JOUR PY - 2009// TI - Understanding factors affecting safety effects of indirect driveway left-turn treatments JO - Journal of transportation safety and security A1 - Lu, Jian John A1 - Liu, Ping A1 - Lu, Li SP - 61 EP - 73 VL - 1 IS - 1 N2 - This article summarizes research that evaluates the effects of various contributing factors on the safety effects of an important indirect driveway left-turn treatment: using U-turns as alternatives to direct left turns from driveways. Crash data were collected at 140 roadway segments where U-turns are used as alternatives to replace direct left turns from driveways, and 32 three-leg unsignalized intersections where direct left turns from driveways are permitted. It was found that U-turn crashes only account for a very small percentage of crashes related with right turns followed by U-turns (RTUT). U-turn crashes occur very infrequently at median openings and signalized intersections. The majority of crashes related with RTUT occur at the section between driveways and downstream U-turn locations. A crash prediction model was developed to identify the factors that contribute to the crashes related with RTUT at weaving sections (the segments between driveways and downstream U-turn locations). The model shows that the major street average daily traffic (ADT), the location of U-turn bay, and the separation distances between driveway exits and downstream U-turn locations significantly impact the safety of RTUT at weaving sections.
LA - SN - 1943-9962 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19439960902735519 ID - ref1 ER -