Title: COMPARISON OF CRASHES ON MEDIAN-DIVIDED AND FIVE-LANE ROADWAYS IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA
Abstract: The Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) recognized the need to study local crash experiences when controversy arose during the public input process of a road-widening project. The proposed median-divided cross-section was met with public opposition because of the lack of direct left-turn access to numerous residential streets. The objective of this research was to investigate Charlotte's experience with median-divided and five-lane roadways. Eleven major arterials were selected for study. The median-divided roadway segments totaled 7.9 miles and the five-lane segments totaled 7.1 miles. Each segment averaged approximately 1.5 miles. These arterials represented a sample of locations and land use patterns within Charlotte. Three and a half years of crash data were collected and evaluated. Total crashes, fatalities, injury crashes and crash types were compared between the two roadway types. CDOT found the initial results to be consistent with national data. Median-divided roadways were found to be safer than five-lane roadways. Total crashes were 64% lower on the median-divided roadways. The number of left-turn and angle collisions were 84% lower on the median-divided roadways. Total numbers only convey a portion of the story for comparison. Fatalities and injury crashes provide better measures of safety on roadways. Three fatalities occurred on the five-lane and one fatality occurred on the median-divided roadway. The median-divided roadway experienced 53% fewer debilitating injuries. In addition, the median-divided roadway had 62% fewer property damage only incidents compared to the five-lance roadway.
Publication Year: 2003
Publication Date: 2003-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 4
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