Study Details

Study Title: Two Low Cost Safety Concepts for Two Way Stop Controlled, Rural Intersections on High Speed Two Lane, Two Way Roadways

Authors: Hughes et al.

Publication Date:JUN, 2010

Abstract: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety has identified intersections as one of its safety focus areas. As part of the FHWA efforts to reduce intersection crashes and the related injuries and fatalities, two concepts have been identified: (1) rumble strips on outside shoulders and in a painted yellow median island on major road approaches and (2) channelizing separator islands on side road approaches with supplemental STOP signs. Specifically, the strategies are low-cost countermeasures for intersections at two-lane, twoway roadways with two-way STOP-control (TWSC). The lane narrowing concept (concept 1) features the introduction of rumble strips on the outside shoulders and in a painted yellow median island on the major road approaches.The objective of this first concept is to induce drivers on major roads to reduce approach speeds at intersections by effectively reducing the lane width. The minor road splitter island concept (concept 2) features channelizing separator islands on the side road approaches on which supplemental STOP signs are installed. The objective of the second concept is to provide redundancy of the STOP sign and increase driver-compliance with the STOP sign. A third concept includes the combination of concepts 1 and 2. The concepts have greater potential for effectiveness on intersections of high-speed roadways. However, they can also be applied to intersections with lower posted speed limits. With the cooperation of several transportation agencies, these two strategies were deployed at a limited number of sites in the United States. This paper documents an evaluation of the operational and safety effectiveness of these strategies.

Study Citation: Bared, J., Hughes, W., Jagannathan, R., and Gross, F. "Two Low Cost Safety Concepts for Two Way Stop Controlled, Rural Intersections on High Speed Two Lane, Two Way Roadways." Report No. FHWA-HRT-08-063, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC. (2008)

Study Report: Download the Study Report Document


CMFs Associated With This Study

Category: Intersection traffic control

Countermeasure: Installation of channelizing separator islands on side road approaches with supplemental STOP signs

CMF CRF(%)QualityCrash TypeCrash SeverityRoadway TypeArea Type
0.32681 StarAllAllNot SpecifiedRural
0.26741 StarAllK,A,B,CNot SpecifiedRural
0.26741 StarAngleAllNot SpecifiedRural
01001 StarRear endAllNot SpecifiedRural

Category:Roadway

Countermeasure: Installation of lane narrowing through rumble strips and painted median at rural stop-controlled approaches

CMF CRF(%)QualityCrash TypeCrash SeverityRoadway TypeArea Type
0.69311 StarAllAllNot SpecifiedRural
0.8201 StarAllK,A,B,CNot SpecifiedRural
0.58421 StarAngleAllNot SpecifiedRural
1.54-541 StarRear endAllNot SpecifiedRural