Evaluating the Impact of Spacing of Median Openings on Traffic Safety of Urban Arterials

• Authored by:  M. Kaseko , T. Mauga

Kaseko, M. and T. Mauga, “Evaluating the Impact of Spacing of Median Openings on Traffic Safety of Urban Arterials,” 90th Annual Transportation Research Board Meeting, Washington, D.C. (2011)

This paper evaluates the impact of median opening spacing, type and location on total crashes, severity and type of crashes. Results show that very short and very long spacing’s between median openings are associated with a high number of total and injury crashes. Other findings include optimal spacings in the range of 342 to 729 feet, depending on speed and type of crash. It was also found that directional median openings that do not allow left-turns out of the land uses have significantly lower number of total crashes by 20-50% than the full median openings that allow all turning movements. Additionally, other types of median openings, which allow lesser number of left turn movements, have lesser number of crashes than directional median openings.