Citation

Lee J, Mulinazzi T. Transp. Res. Rec. 1980; 757: 34-40.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

There is general agreement that a left-turn lane should be warranted on a benefit-cost basis. However, existing documents do not provide accurate techniques for the prediction of the two items that are needed for such an approach--the reduction of delay and the length of the left- turn lane. This study shows that the problem can be solved by using the results of two simulation models. These two models attempt to duplicate the traffic of an uncontrolled approach at a two-lane by two-lane priority intersection. A priority intersection. A priority intersection is an intersection in which only the two minor approaches are controlled by top or yield signs--in other words, the major flow has been assigned priority. One model represents a without-left-turn condition and the other represents a with-left-turn condition. Design charts and tables were produced from these models. These charts and tables are presented in this paper to give the user a systematized guide to design problems for the left-turn lane. Application of the study results are intended for use in Kansas and are limited to a two-lane priority intersection. Although the approach and methodologies reported in the study are considered applicable to other locations and for other purposes, users are cautioned to observe the limits of the study results.