Median U-Turn Intersection: [techbrief]

2009Distribution number: HRDS-05/10-09(3M)EPDFTech ReportFHWA-HRT-09-057U turnsIntersectionsMediansHighway designUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Research, Development, and TechnologyHughes, Warren E.Jagannathan, RamUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Research, Development, and TechnologyTurner-Fairbank Highway Research CenterBared, Joe G.Federal Highway AdministrationToday's transportation professionals, with limited resources available to them, are challenged to meet the mobility needs of an increasing population. At many highway junctions, congestion continues to worsen, and drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists experience increasing delays and heightened exposure to risk. Today's traffic volumes and travel demands often lead to safety problems that are too complex for conventional intersection designs to properly handle. Consequently, more engineers are considering various innovative treatments as they seek solutions to these complex problems.The corresponding technical report, Alternative Intersections/Interchanges: Informational Report (AIIR) (FHWA-HRT-09-060), covers four intersection designs and two interchange designs that offer substantial advantages over conventional at-grade intersections and grade-separated diamond interchanges. The AIIR provides information on each alternative treatment covering salient geometric design features, operational and safety issues, access management, costs, construction sequencing, environmental benefits, and applicability. This TechBrief summarizes information on one of these alternative intersection designs\u2014the median U-turn (MUT) intersection.75