United States Department of Transportation
i
Rural Intersections within Passing Lanes
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2023-08-01
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[PDF-2.05 MB]
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Edition:January 2020–April 2022
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Abstract:Super 2 highways are used across Texas to provide passing opportunities and increase capacity on rural two-lane roads, but passing lanes are a treatment for through vehicles and do not address the needs of turning vehicles. This project investigated the operational and safety benefits of turning treatments on two-lane and Super 2 corridors, as well as best practices for designing these treatments. In this project, the research team used existing conditions on two-lane and Super 2 corridors with and without turning treatments for traffic simulation models to evaluate the effectiveness of such treatments on operations and safety. Research findings revealed that 40 percent of through drivers will move onto the shoulder to pass a left-turning vehicle, and they will generally do so at a distance of 210 ft or less. When a passing lane ends within 1500 ft of an intersection (or within 2640 ft for higher-volume conditions), intersection delay is higher than if the passing lane is not present; merging the passing and through lanes should be avoided within those distances. A statistical evaluation was conducted on intersection and intersection-related crashes at 283 intersections located within Super 2 corridors. These rural intersections all had stop control on the minor legs and included both three-leg and four-leg intersections. The findings from the evaluation and from the literature illustrate that the presence of either a left-turn lane or a passing lane is associated with fewer crashes at the intersection. Researchers used the research results to update guidelines that the Texas Department of Transportation can use to implement turning treatments on sections in or near passing lanes. Guidelines address content related to geometric design, access management, and traffic control devices.
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