Turn Restrictions

General Description:

Turn Restrictions eliminate the conflicts between turning vehicles and pedestrians and turning vehicles and opposing traffic, which reduces congestion and increases safety.  By eliminating slower/stopped traffic from the through lane, the overall efficiency of the intersection is improved.   

Effects of Solution:

¨ Increase Passenger Throughput

¨ Increase Roadway Capacity

þ Manage System Efficiency (Reduces vehicle conflicts)

þ Reduce Local Demand (Encourage other route selections)

Turn Restrictions improve intersection efficiency and may shift demand to other routes or intersections.

Examples of Implementation:

No specific examples available at the time of publication.

Cost/Financial Information:

(Cost/financial information, where noted, is based on 2003 dollars.  Cost/financial information is estimated, and will vary based on size and scope of project, number of units, etc.)

Capital Cost

Two-way street left turn restrictions (signage)       $400/intersection

Continuous median strip for left turns                     $2K/block

Channelized roadway and intersections                $.2-.5K/block

Additional Resources:

Information found in the ITE manual – A Toolbox for Alleviating Traffic Congestion and Enhancing Mobility, available for order at: http://www.ite.org/bookstore/index.asp

The Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices web page: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/

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