Crashes in the Vicinity of Major Cross Roads

• Authored by:  Dr. Grant G. Schultz (PhD)
• Co-authored by:  Charles G. Allen , D. E. Eggett

Schultz, G.G., C.G. Allen, and D.E. Eggett, Crashes in the Vicinity of Major Cross Roads, UDOT Report UT-08.25, Brigham Young University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Provo, Utah (2008) [Schultz, G., C. Allen and T. Boschert, “Making the Most of an Existing System through Access Management at Major Arterial Intersections,” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No 2171, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C. (2010)]

This study addresses the effect of accesses in the vicinity of major arterial intersections, especially those accesses located in the intersection functional areas. About 144 signalized major-arterial intersections across the state of Utah were examined. The presence of accesses within the functional area of study sites was correlated with increased crashes and crash severity costs. In particular, an increase in commercial access density was associated with increases in crash totals, crash rates, and rear-end crashes in intersection functional areas. The analyses also showed that study intersections designed to meet state of Utah access management corner clearance standards exhibited fewer right-angle crashes and decreased crash severity. The presence of raised medians on major-street approaches were associated with increased rear-end crashes, as was increased commercial access density.