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What is a Travel Lane? Exploring Benefits, Design, and Impact on Road Safety

By Happy Sharer

Introduction

Travel lanes are a type of roadway that offer drivers an organized and efficient way to move from point A to point B. By creating special lanes for different types of traffic, such as high-speed or slow-moving vehicles, travel lanes help to reduce congestion and improve safety. Here, we explore what a travel lane is and the benefits it offers, as well as providing a guide to designing and implementing travel lanes and their effect on road safety.

Exploring the Benefits of Travel Lanes

Travel lanes can provide numerous benefits to drivers and road users alike. From improved road safety to reduced congestion, travel lanes can be a great asset to any roadway.

Improved Road Safety

The most obvious benefit of travel lanes is improved road safety. By separating different types of traffic, travel lanes can help to reduce the number of accidents and collisions. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “separating high-speed and slow-moving vehicles can reduce the number of crashes by up to 50%.” This is especially true when combined with other safety measures, such as speed limits and signage.

Reduced Congestion

Travel lanes can also help to reduce congestion on the roads. By creating dedicated lanes for certain types of traffic, drivers can more easily navigate their way around congested areas. This can help to reduce delays and improve overall traffic flow. According to a study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration, “travel lanes can reduce traffic delays by up to 20%.”

Increased Efficiency

Finally, travel lanes can help to increase the overall efficiency of the roadway. By separating different types of traffic, travel lanes can help to reduce the amount of time it takes for drivers to get from one place to another. This can help to reduce delays and improve overall efficiency.

A Guide to Designing and Implementing Travel Lanes

Designing and implementing travel lanes can be a tricky process. Here, we provide a guide to designing and implementing travel lanes:

Identifying the Need for Travel Lanes

The first step in designing and implementing travel lanes is to identify the need for them. This can be done by analyzing existing traffic patterns and determining if there is a need for additional lanes. If so, then travel lanes may be necessary.

Analyzing Existing Traffic Patterns

Once the need for travel lanes has been identified, the next step is to analyze existing traffic patterns. This can include examining vehicle speeds, traffic volume, and other factors. By understanding existing traffic patterns, it will be easier to determine which types of travel lanes are needed.

Selecting Appropriate Lane Types

After analyzing existing traffic patterns, the next step is to select appropriate lane types. Different types of travel lanes can be used for different types of traffic, such as high-speed or slow-moving vehicles. It is important to select the right lane types for the existing traffic patterns.

Setting Up Signage and Markings

Once the appropriate lane types have been selected, the next step is to set up signage and markings. This includes setting up signs and pavement markings that indicate the types of travel lanes and their restrictions. This helps to ensure that drivers are aware of the lane types and adhere to the rules.

Establishing Speed Limits

Finally, it is important to establish speed limits for the travel lanes. This helps to ensure that drivers are not traveling at unsafe speeds, which can lead to accidents. Speed limits should be set based on the type of lane and the existing traffic patterns.

How Travel Lanes Impact Road Safety

Travel lanes can have a significant impact on road safety. Here, we discuss some of the ways in which travel lanes can improve safety:

Improved Visibility

One of the biggest benefits of travel lanes is improved visibility. By clearly marking the different types of lanes, drivers are better able to identify the various lanes and their restrictions. This can help to reduce confusion and increase overall safety.

Reduced Speeding

Travel lanes can also help to reduce speeding. By establishing speed limits for each lane, drivers are more likely to adhere to the rules and stay within the speed limit. This can help to reduce the risk of accidents caused by excessive speed.

Reduced Accidents

Finally, travel lanes can help to reduce the number of accidents on the roads. By separating different types of traffic, travel lanes can help to reduce the risk of collisions between vehicles. This can help to improve overall safety.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Travel Lanes

Like all things, travel lanes have both advantages and disadvantages. Here, we discuss some of the pros and cons of travel lanes:

Travel lanes offer several advantages, including:

• Improved flow of traffic
• Enhanced road safety
• Easier to control traffic

Disadvantages

Despite their many benefits, travel lanes also have some drawbacks, including:

• Can increase construction costs
• May create confusion
• Can lead to unnecessary delays

Travel lanes can be a great asset to any roadway, offering numerous benefits to drivers and road users alike. By separating different types of traffic, travel lanes can help to reduce congestion and improve safety. When designing and implementing travel lanes, it is important to identify the need, analyze existing traffic patterns, select appropriate lane types, set up signage and markings, and establish speed limits. Finally, travel lanes can have a significant impact on road safety, improving visibility, reducing speeding, and reducing accidents. While travel lanes offer numerous advantages, they can also have some drawbacks, such as increased construction costs and confusion. All in all, travel lanes can be a great addition to any roadway.

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Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way.

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Travel Lane on the Roadway: Understanding Traffic Flow and Lane Usage

Travel lanes are fundamental components of roadways, guiding vehicles and maintaining order among the diverse traffic streams that ply our roads daily. In urban areas bustling with activity and rural regions where roads may be less congested, the travel lane’s role remains paramount for road safety. They ensure that vehicles have a designated space to navigate, significantly reducing the likelihood of accidents and enhancing the flow of traffic.

Understanding traffic lanes is key to navigating roadways efficiently and safely. Each lane on a multi-lane road is designed for a specific speed or type of vehicle, such as a lane reserved for slower-moving traffic or a carpool lane aimed at reducing congestion. Moreover, pavement markings—white lines for same-direction lanes and yellow lines for opposing traffic lanes—communicate crucial information. They tell us where our vehicle should be and help us understand the rules that apply to changing lanes, overtaking, or identifying road shoulders. Our adherence to these rules is vital, not only for our safety but also for all road users.

Managing vehicle movement in both congested urban centers and the open expanses of rural areas requires clarity. In busy city streets, travel lanes can dictate the efficiency with which traffic moves and can greatly influence the overall congestion levels. Conversely, in rural areas where roads are more sparse, a clear understanding of travel lane demarcation ensures that vehicles can traverse these stretches with confidence, even at higher speeds or during adverse weather conditions. It is our collective responsibility to respect these travel lanes, ensuring safety and efficiency for everyone on the road.

JUMP TO TOPIC

• 1.1 Understanding Intersections and Through Lanes
• 1.2 The Importance of Lane Widths in Traffic Management
• 2.1 Implementing Pavement Markings and Traffic Control Devices
• 2.2 Emergency Protocols and Shoulder Use
• 3.1 Speed Limits and Speeding Prevention
• 3.2 Lane Usage Rules and Restrictions
• 4 The Evolution of Lane Design

Analyzing Traffic Flow Dynamics

Analyzing traffic flow dynamics requires meticulous attention to intersections, where traffic converges and diverges, as well as lane widths, which significantly influence vehicle speed and congestion management.

Understanding Intersections and Through Lanes

The importance of lane widths in traffic management.

Lane width on roadways directly affects traffic flow dynamics. Narrow lanes can slow down vehicle speed and cause traffic to congest due to drivers’ psychological and safety comfort needing larger lateral space. Conversely, wider lanes allow for higher vehicle speeds, reducing travel time but potentially leading to increased accident risks if not managed properly.

When considering modifications to lane widths, one must carefully weigh the trade-offs between speed, volume, and safety, as changes can significantly impact the dynamics of traffic flow and overall roadway efficiency.

Safety Measures on Highways and Roadways

Ensuring the safety of highways and roadways is a critical concern for us; the application of various safety measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of collisions and enhance emergency response.

Implementing Pavement Markings and Traffic Control Devices

We prioritize the use of pavement markings to delineate travel lanes and the placement of traffic control devices to guide and inform road users. These measures serve the dual purpose of maintaining steady traffic flow and reinforcing safety precautions.

Pavement markings are imperative, providing visual cues that are critical during both day and night, as well as in adverse weather conditions. Our focus includes ensuring these markings are uniform and visible to maximize their effectiveness. Traffic control devices, such as signs and signals, complement these markings to give clear instructions to travelers, which greatly reduces confusion and potential accidents.

Emergency Protocols and Shoulder Use

are an essential aspect of roadway design, offering a refuge for emergency stops and breakdowns. They play a significant role in safety by providing a space for vehicles to pull over away from the active travel lanes.

We focus on maintaining clear and accessible shoulders, not just for emergency use, but also as a potential lane for emergency vehicles, ensuring quick response times to any incident on the road. The integration of intelligent transportation systems helps to optimize the use of shoulders, enabling their conversion into traffic lanes during peak hours; however, this is always considered with the paramount importance of safety and emergency accessibility in mind.

Regulations and Restrictions for Efficient Travel

To ensure road safety and efficiency, we must abide by specific rules and structured restrictions. In this section, we provide an overview of speed regulation and lane usage, both vital for smoother, safer travel.

Speed Limits and Speeding Prevention

Speed limits are established to maximize safety for all road users and vary depending on the area, such as urban streets, rural roads, or highways. Local municipalities and state authorities set these limits based on several factors, including road type, traffic flow, and accident history. Adhering to speed limits is not just a legal responsibility but also a critical measure to prevent accidents.

Enforcement tools such as radar guns, speed cameras, and police patrols are essential in preventing excessive speeding. Additionally, we must be aware that penalties for speeding may include fines, points on our driver’s license, or even suspension.

Lane Usage Rules and Restrictions

Proper use of lanes ensures orderly traffic flow and minimizes accidents. Each lane on the roadway has a designated purpose: the passing lane, typically the leftmost lane on highways, is intended for overtaking slower vehicles, while the rightmost lanes are generally for slower-moving or turning traffic.

The right-of-way is a concept we must understand: vehicles already in a travel lane have precedence over those trying to enter or merge into the lane. Always yield to the right-of-way to avoid collisions and follow traffic signs and signals.

Lastly, adhering to lane restrictions improves fuel efficiency and contributes to reduced traffic, leading to less pollution and shorter commuting times.

The Evolution of Lane Design

The design of travel lanes has undergone significant changes over time. This evolution has been driven by advancements in vehicle technology, increases in traffic volume, and a deeper understanding of road safety.

In the early days of road construction, lanes were not always clearly defined. As cars became more prevalent, there was a palpable need to manage traffic flow better and enhance safety. This need led to the introduction of more structured lane designs .

Diverse road uses call for a variety of lane types, including travel lanes for daily transit and passing lanes to aid in safer overtaking maneuvers, particularly on rural highways. The shift from single lane roads to multi-lane motorways reflects our growing focus on road efficiency and safety.

We’ve seen innovations such as narrower lanes in urban areas to slow traffic and wider lanes in rural settings to accommodate higher speeds and larger vehicles. The balance between space, safety, and speed is a delicate one, which we strive to improve with each new development in road design.

By adhering to these principles and incorporating feedback from countless hours of traffic observation, we aim to construct roads that cater to modern needs while prioritizing the safety of all users.

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Definition of a Travel Lane

Driving down a highway, you'll usually find there are two lanes--one traveling in each direction. On larger freeways, there may be multiple lanes and a shoulder for emergency stops. The New York State DMV Driver's Manual reports that a broken-up or solid white or yellow line divides the travel lane from the shoulder of the road. This means that the travel lane is always defined as a lane for moving traffic.

The right travel lane on a multiple-lane highway is always where slower traffic should drive. This allows people the ability to pass them if necessary to keep traffic flowing.

The far left lane is always used for passing slower-moving traffic. Most highways have a posted speed limit of how fast and slow you can drive on the road, and the passing lane is used for those who want to drive the highest speed limit allowed, or faster.

Emergency Stops

The Massachusetts DMV reports you should use lanes only as marked. This means you should never stop in the travel lane if there is a shoulder of the road available. If you have an emergency while on the road, pull as far off the road as possible.

The shoulder of a highway or freeway should not be used as a travel lane according to the DMVs across the United States. This lane, even in a heavy traffic jam, should only be used for emergency stopping or for emergency vehicles to drive past the traffic.

When driving on a highway or freeway, it is courteous to follow general driving rules of slow-moving traffic in the right travel lane. Failure to do so can lead to traffic jams and frustrated drivers who wish to drive the posted speed limit.

• Massachusetts: Lane Use And Restrictions And Special Rules For Motorcycles
• Rules of the Road
• California DMV: Driver's Handbook
• New York State DMV: Driver's Mannual Chapter 6: Passing

About the Author

Sara Hickman owns a preschool science-based entertainment business in the Greater Cincinnati area. She has a bachelor's degree in communication and psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

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The width allocated to lanes for motorists, buses, trucks, bikes, and parked cars is a sensitive and crucial aspect of street design. Lane widths should be considered within the assemblage of a given street delineating space to serve all needs, including travel lanes, safety islands, bike lanes, and sidewalks.

Each lane width discussion should be informed by an understanding of the goals for traffic calming as well as making adequate space for larger vehicles, such as trucks and buses.

Lane widths of 10 feet are appropriate in urban areas and have a positive impact on a street’s safety without impacting traffic operations.

Travel lanes are striped to define the intended path of travel for vehicles along a corridor. Historically, wider travel lanes (11–13 feet) have been favored to create a more forgiving buffer to drivers, especially in high-speed environments where narrow lanes may feel uncomfortable or increase potential for side-swipe collisions.

Lane widths less than 12 feet have also historically been assumed to decrease traffic flow and capacity, a claim new research refutes. 1

Appendix A-P, p. A152, Florida Department of Transportation (2007). Appendix A-P and Appendix Q . Conserve By Bicycle Program Study Final Report. Tallahassee, FL: FDOT.

The relationships between lane widths and vehicle speed is complicated by many factors, including time of day, the amount of traffic present, and even the age of the driver. Narrower streets help promote slower driving speeds which, in turn, reduce the severity of crashes. Narrower streets have other benefits as well, including reduced crossing distances, shorter signal cycles , less stormwater, and less construction material to build.

Recommended

See Crosswalks

See Corner Radii

• Theo Petrisch, “The Truth about Lane Widths,” The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, accessed April 12, 2013, http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/library/details.cfm?id=4348 .

Ingrid Potts, Douglas W. Harwood, and Karen R. Richard, “ Relationship of Lane Width to Safety on Urban and Suburban Arterials ,” (paper presented at the TRB 86th Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., January 21–25, 2007).

Relationship Between Lane Width and Speed, (Washington, D.C.: Parsons Transportation Group, 2003), 1–6.

Previous research has shown various estimates of relationship between lane width and travel speed. One account estimated that each additional foot of lane width related to a 2.9 mph increase in driver speed.

Kay Fitzpatrick, Paul Carlson, Marcus Brewer, and Mark Wooldridge, “ Design Factors That Affect Driver Speed on Suburban Arterials ": Transportation Research Record 1751 (2000):18–25.

Other references include:

Macdonald, Elizabeth, Rebecca Sanders and Paul Supawanich. The Effects of Transportation Corridors’ Roadside Design Features on User Behavior and Safety, and Their Contributions to Health, Environmental Quality, and Community Economic Vitality: a Literature Review . UCTC Research Paper No. 878. 2008.

• Longer crossing distances not only pose as a pedestrian barrier but also require longer traffic signal cycle times which may have an impact on general traffic circulation.
• Burlington Bike. “ Bike Lanes, Edge Lines, and Vehicular Lane Widths .” Review of Bike Lane, Edge Line and Vehicular Lane Widths (2005): 1-20.
• City of San Francisco. San Francisco Better Streets Plan . San Francisco: 2012.
• Dumbaugh, Eric, and Wenhao Li. " Designing for the Safety of Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Motorists in Urban Environments ." Journal of the American Planning Association (2010): 77(1), 69-88.
• Fitzpatrick, Kay, Paul J. Carlson, Mark D. Wooldridge, and Marcus A. Brewer. “ Design Factors that Affect Driver Speed on Suburban Arterials .” Texas: Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System.
• Macdonald, Elizabeth, Rebecca Sanders, and Paul Supawanich. " The Effects of Transportation Corridors' Roadside Design Features on User Behavior and Safety, and Their Contributions to Health, Environmental Quality, and Community Economic Vitality: a Literature Review ." University of California Transportation Center, 2008.
• Petritsch, Theodore. “ The Influence of Lane Widths on Safety and Capacity: A Summary of the Latest Findings .” The Truth about Lane Widths. Sprinkle Consulting, 2009.
• Potts, Ingrid B., Douglas W. Harwood, and Karen R. Richard. " Relationship of Lane Width to Safety on Urban and Suburban Arterials ." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2023 (2007): (1), 63-82.
• Rosey, Florence, Jean-Michel Auberlet, Olivier Moisan, and Guy Dupré. " Impact of Narrower Lane Width ." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2138 (2009): (1), 112-119.
• Schramm, Amy J., and Andry Rakotonirainy. " The Effect of Road Lane Width on Cyclist Safety in Urban Areas ." Proceedings of the 2009 Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference: Smarter, Safer Directions, New South Wales, Australia, 2009.

Adapted from the Urban Street Design Guide, published by Island Press.

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FHWA Home / Safety / Geometric Design / Publications / Mitigation Strategies For Design Exceptions

The adopted criteria describe design values for through travel lanes, auxiliary lanes, ramps, and turning roadways. There are also recommended widths for special-purpose lanes such as continuous two-way left-turn lanes.  AASHTO also provides guidance for widening lanes through horizontal curves to provide for the off-tracking requirements of large trucks. Lane width does not include shoulders, curbs, and on-street parking areas.  Table 3 summarizes the range of lane widths for travel lanes and ramps.

(Source: A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, AASHTO)

It is FHWA policy that the requirement of a formal design exception for lane width is applicable for all travel lanes, including auxiliary lanes and ramps. With respect to the practice of widening lanes through horizontal curves, a formal design exception is not necessary for cases not providing additional lane width, but the decision should be documented in project records. Exhibit 7-3 in the Green Book describes minimum lane widths for two-lane rural highways for a range of design speeds and design-year traffic. The table entries show a 24-foot traveled way (12-foot lanes) for most conditions. Careful inspection of this table (see subnote [a]) shows that 11-foot lanes are acceptable and within policy for reconstruction projects in which an existing 22-foot dimension is operating in a satisfactory manner.  For such cases the designer should document this is the case, but retention of the 11-foot width would not require a design exception.

Speed is a primary consideration when evaluating potential adverse impacts of lane width on safety.  On high-speed, rural two-lane highways, an increased risk of cross-centerline head-on or cross-centerline sideswipe crashes is a concern because drivers may have more difficulty staying within the travel lane.  On any high-speed roadway, the primary safety concerns with reductions in lane width are crash types related to lane departure, including run-off-road crashes. The mitigation strategies for lane width presented in Chapter 4 focus   on reducing the probability of these crashes.

In a reduced-speed urban environment, the effects of reduced lane width are different.  On such facilities, the risk of lane-departure crashes is less. The design objective is often how to best distribute limited cross-sectional width to maximize safety for a wide variety of roadway users.  Narrower lane widths may be chosen to manage or reduce speed and shorten crossing distances for pedestrians.  Lane widths may be adjusted to incorporate other cross-sectional elements, such as medians for access control, bike lanes, on-street parking, transit stops, and landscaping.  The adopted ranges for lane width in the urban, low-speed environment normally provide adequate flexibility to achieve a desirable urban cross section without a design exception.   

Designers should understand the interrelationships among lane width and other design elements.  On high-speed roadways with narrow lanes that also have narrow shoulders, the risk of severe lane-departure crashes increases.  Drivers on rural two-lane highways may shift even closer to the centerline as they become less comfortable next to a narrow shoulder.  At other times, they may shift closer to the shoulder edge and are at greater risk of driving off the paved portion of the roadway (and over potential edge drop-offs) as they meet oncoming traffic.

Horizontal alignment is another factor that can influence the safety of lane width reductions.  Curvilinear horizontal alignments increase the risk of lane departure crashes in general, and when combined with narrow lane widths, the risk will further increase for most high-speed roadways.  In addition, trucks and other large vehicles can affect safety and operations by off-tracking into adjacent lanes or the shoulder.  This affects the safety of other drivers, as well as non-motorized users such as bicyclists who may be using the adjacent lane or shoulder.  It is important to understand this interaction of design elements when a design exception for lane with is being evaluated.

Substantive Safety

Figure 6 shows accident modification factors for variations in lane width on rural two-lane highways.  Note that there is little difference between 11- and 12-foot lanes.

Figure 6 is a graph. The "x" axis is labeled "Average Daily Traffic Volume (veh/day)," and is marked in increments of 500; 1,000; 1,500; 2,000; and 2,500. The "y" axis is "labeled Accident Modification Factor," and is marked in decimal increments of 1.00, 1.10, etc., through 1.70.  A note at the top of the "x" axis states, "This factor applies to single-vehicle run-off-road, multiple-vehicle same direction sideswipe accidents, and multiple-vehicle opposite-direction accidents."  The accident modification factors for the various lane widths begin as horizontal lines showing a very minor difference in crash risk.  As traffic exceeds 500 vpd, the AMFs increase linearly and at 2000 vpd, the AMFs return to horizontal lines.  At this point the AMF for 12-foot lanes is 1.00, for 11-foot lanes is 1.05, for 10-foot lanes is 1.30, and for 9-foot lanes is 1.50, illustrating that the  expected crash risk is significantly higher for 9- and 10-foot lanes on rural two-lane highways.

For multilane urban arterials and multilane rural arterials, the expected difference in substantive safety for variations in lane width is much lesson the order of a few percentage points when comparing lane widths of 10 to 12 feet.

Traffic Operations

Lane width has an effect on traffic operations and highway capacity, particularly for high-speed roadways.  The interaction of lane width with other geometric elements, primarily shoulder width, also affects operations. 

When determining highway capacity, adjustments are made to reflect the effect of lane width on free-flow speeds.  Lane widths of less than 12 feet (3.6 meters) reduce travel speeds on high-speed roadways, as summarized in Tables 4 and 5.

Source:  Highway Capacity Manual

Table 6 summarizes the potential adverse impacts to safety and operations for a design exception for lane width.

Freeway:  high-speed, multi-lane divided highway with interchange access only (rural or urban). Expressway:  high-speed, multi-lane divided arterial with interchange and at-grade access (rural or urban). Rural 2-Lane:  high-speed, undivided rural highway (arterial, collector, or local). Urban Arterial:  urban arterials with speeds 45 mi/h (70 km/h) or less.

Lane Width Resources

• A Policy on Design Standards Interstate System , AASHTO, 2005.
• A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets , AASHTO, 2004.
• Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities , AASHTO, 2004.
• A Guide for Reducing Collisions on Horizontal Curves , NCHRP Report 500, Volume 7, Transportation Research Board, 2004.
• A Guide for Reducing Collisions Involving Pedestrians , NCHRP Report 500, Volume 10, Transportation Research Board, 2004.
• A Guide for Reducing Collisions Involving Heavy Trucks , NCHRP Report 500, Volume 13, Transportation Research Board, 2004.
• A Guide for Addressing Head-On Collisions , NCHRP Report 500, Volume 4, Transportation Research Board, 2003.
• A Guide for Addressing Run-Off-Road Collisions , NCHRP Report 500, Volume 6, Transportation Research Board, 2003.
• Roadside Design Guide, AASHTO, 2002.
• Guidelines for Geometric Design of Very Low-Volume Local Roads (ADT ≤ 400) , AASHTO, 2001.
• Highway Capacity Manual , Transportation Research Board, 2000.
• Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities , AASHTO, 1999.
• Highway Safety Design and Operations Guide , AASHTO, 1997.
• Use of Shoulders and Narrow Lanes to Increase Freeway Capacity , NCHRP Report 369, Transportation Research Board, 1995.
• Roadway Widths for Low-Traffic Volume Roads , NCHRP Report 362, Transportation Research Board, 1994.
• Effective Utilization of Street Width on Urban Arterials , NCHRP Report 330, Transportation Research Board, 1990.
• FHWA Roadside Hardware Web site http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/policy_guide/road_hardware/

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The travelway is the section of the street in which vehicles travel, and includes bicycle lanes, travel lanes, turning lanes, and medians. The design of the travelway is related to the street’s vehicle traffic capacity and design speed, and needs for transit vehicles, bicyclists, and emergency vehicles.

Travelway design dictates how people use the street. wider streets and multiple lanes permit faster driving speeds and inhibit pedestrian and bicycle movement. travelway design also determines how people perceive the street as a place. narrower streets with fewer lanes, together with pedestrian environment improvements that provide pedestrian comfort, convenience and safety all contribute to making a street a place for people..

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Design narrower travelways. Travelway width affects pedestrian crossing distance and vehicle speed, but also the street’s sense of enclosure, visual appearance, and perception as a barrier. Wide travel lanes are sometimes necessary to accommodate large trucks, buses, and high-speed travel. However, lanes are often oversized, designed for vehicles that do not frequently use it.

• Use narrower lane widths on some streets. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) recommends 11-foot lanes on arterial streets that do not carry substantial truck traffic. On low-speed, low-volume collector streets without transit, 10-foot lanes are acceptable.
• Physically narrow the travelway in strategic locations. Retrofit existing travelways by adding traffic calming or other design elements that narrow the travelway in strategic locations, such as raised median treatments, on-street parking, planted curb extensions, wider planting strips, or wider sidewalks.
• Stripe the lanes. If the curbs cannot be moved because of cost or other considerations, appropriate lane striping can help reduce the perceived width of the street, inducing drivers to drive slower. These are sometimes called “fog lines.”
• Reduce curb-return radii for street intersections.  Large curb radii allow drivers to make high-speed turns, creating inhospitable and dangerous conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists. In an urban context, curb radii can range from 5 to 25 feet, with 15 feet or less preferred.  To accommodate fire equipment, buses, and delivery trucks and other large vehicles, consider using devices such as paint and flexible posts, truck aprons, or mountable curbs.

Reduce travel speeds.  It is well established that the risk that a pedestrian struck by a vehicle will be injured or killed is related to the impact speed. Pedestrians hit by a vehicle traveling 20 mph at impact have a 10% chance of being killed, but the risk of death increases quickly. At an impact speed of 30 mph 50% of pedestrians will be killed, and at an impact speed of 40 mph, 90% of pedestrians will be killed. Slowing vehicle speeds dramatically reduces the risk for pedestrians and creates a safer public space.

• Use physical devices to reduce design speeds and calm traffic. Install devices that deter speeding such as speed humps, speed tables, raised intersections, traffic circles, choke points, and chicanes. Many traffic calming devices can be designed to accommodate larger or emergency vehicles such as slotted speed humps and roundabouts with aprons.
• Accompany traffic-slowing devices with devices that deter cut-through traffic. Devices such as diverters, semi-diverters, and full and partial street closures can protect neighborhoods from cut-through traffic while allowing bicyclist and pedestrian access.
• Remove travel lanes from a roadway and use space for other uses. This reallocation of roadway space—road diets—can operate well and improve safety for all road users. Converting a four-lane undivided roadway into a three-lane roadway with one lane in each direction separated by a two-way left-turn lane can reduce crashes by 19% to 47% and reduce speeding by 7%. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) advises that roadways with average daily traffic of 20,000 or less may be good candidates for a road diet.
• Use transitions as signals to slow down. Transitions serve as visual cues to identify a change in street type, street character, or area and to warn drivers to slow down. They include gateway, streetscape or landscape features, changes in street cross sections, or changes in paving surface or elevation.
• Build a street canopy with street trees and buildings close to the travelway. A canopy provides a sense of enclosure, conveying to drivers that they are navigating through a populated area rather than open road. Street trees planted in raised medians help to provide a sense of enclosure on wider streets.
• Provide streetscapes and outdoor activities that invite drivers to slow down. On-street parking, outdoor café seating, and street furniture add activity beside the street, signaling drivers to proceed with caution rather than speed.

Build bicycle lanes, separated bikeways, and paths. Dedicated bicycle infrastructure improves the travel speed, safety, and comfort for all levels of bicyclists.

• Build lower stress bikeways that support bicyclists of all ages and abilities. Bikeways that reduce vehicle conflicts, provide greater separation from vehicles, and provide ample maneuvering space – attract a greater number and wider variety of bicyclists than higher stress bikeways.
• Provide the appropriate bikeway type for the context. Use tools that measure a bicyclists’ comfort level to determine the type of bikeway to provide.
• Upgrade existing facilities to more comfortable and higher-quality design types. For example, upgrade buffered bike lanes to separated bikeways.
• Connect to the existing bikeway network. New bikeways should connect directly to surrounding bikeway network. Look for opportunities to provide direct connections to trails. Build bicycle/pedestrian-only connections to adjacent developments.
• Identify and accommodate all bicycle movements where bikeways intersect. For example, if a two-way path on one side of the street transitions to bike lanes on both sides of the street the intersection must be designed to permit bicyclists to travel between the two safely and legally.
• Consult VTA’s Bicycle Technical Guidelines for guidance on how to design roads to best accommodate bicycle travel.

Smooth traffic flow through means other than road widening. Many tools and techniques can help smooth traffic flow without significant road widening.

• Make signal improvements at intersections including upgrading signal controls, adding vehicle detectors, installing new traffic signals, removing old signals, interconnecting individual signals into networks, and optimizing signal timing.
• Make small physical improvements at intersections to help traffic to flow more smoothly without substantial road widening such as channelization and re-striping of travel lanes.
• Designate reversible lanes to accommodate peak-direction traffic flows.
• Coordinate traffic signal timing to progress for a set speed. Albuquerque is experimenting with a modified progressive signal system where signals will not immediately turn green if the approaching vehicle is driving over the speed limit. Downtown Sacramento also has traffic signal “waves” timed for lower speeds appropriate for the downtown core.

Reduce conflicts through access management . Access management is the practice of limiting the number of access points on a street and therefore reducing conflicts. By restricting movements and consolidating driveways, access management improves the flow of traffic, reduces crashes, and creates more curb space for amenities such as bus stops, separated bikeways, on-street parking, and street trees.

• Restrict driveway movements. Installing raised medians or channelized islands to permit only certain turn movements can reduce conflict points.
• Reduce driveway width. Wide driveways increase pedestrian and bicyclist exposure to vehicle conflicts and permit fast vehicle turns.
• Signalize driveways. Designing a driveway like a street intersection and signalizing it will reduce conflicts and make the driveway more conspicuous.
• Consolidate driveways. Combining driveways during redevelopment will reduce conflict points. Consolidating driveways outside of redevelopment is challenging and requires agreements between adjacent parcel owners.

Manage curbs. Demand for curb space has increased with the growth of ridesharing, shared micromobility, and online shopping and associated deliveries, bicycle infrastructure, and the continued needs for transit, ADA access, and vehicle storage. Curb management allocates curb space to these competing needs to maximize mobility, safety, and access.

• Mobility: sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure, dedicated transit lanes and general-purpose vehicle travel lanes, right or left turn vehicle lanes
• Access for people: people arriving at their destination or transferring modes of travel. Transit stops, passenger loading/unloading zones, taxi zones, bicycle parking, bike share docking stations, dedicated parking for dockless bike share or scooters
• Access for commerce: commercial vehicle or truck loading zones
• Activation: vibrant social places that encourage people to gather. Food trucks, restaurant patios or sidewalk cafés, parklets, public art, street festivals, and farmers markets
• Greening: planting strips, bioswales, street trees, planter boxes, rain gardens
• Storage: private vehicle parking, bus layover spaces, reserved spaces (e.g., police or government vehicles), bicycle parking.
• Flex curb space . New private sector transportation business models such as rideshare, on-demand delivery, micromobilty, and employee shuttles are disrupting the way streets, and particularly the curb are used. Flex zones are flexible areas of the curb that can accommodate different functions of curb space along one segment of street. These can include serving multiple functions simultaneously in one location (e.g., combined commercial and passenger loading areas), time of day restrictions (e.g., peak-period travel lane used for off-peak parking), converting what was a single-function curb to multiple functions along a segment of street (e.g., converting parking to parklets, designated loading zones, and curb extensions on the same block face).
• Virtually assign pick-up and drop-off zones. For areas with high demand consider geofencing to establish pick-up and drop-off zones for on-demand rideshare services. Geofencing can also be used to define permitted parking areas for shared micromobility such as dockless bicycles and scooters and time-of-day or location-based delivery zones.
• Manage freight loading. Depending on priorities for the corridor, it may be possible to move commercial loading zones to adjacent blocks, around the corner, or to an alley. In dense residential areas, it may be preferential to designate loading zones for delivery trucks that don’t overlap with bicycle or transit corridors. Providing a reliable, legal loading zone can offset the increased distance to the destination.
• Prioritize mobility and access for people over storage for private vehicles. Particularly in high-density, mixed-use areas well-served by transit, the most efficient way to travel is often not a private vehicle. In these areas, private vehicle parking should be de-prioritized in favor of curb uses that provide mobility and access. These include but are not limited to: separated bikeways and other bike infrastructure, wider sidewalks and curb extensions, on-street bicycle parking, on-street shared bikeshare or scooter share parking, carshare parking, accessible parking/loading zones, bus boarding islands, dedicated transit lanes, parklets, and green infrastructure.

Green stormwater infrastructure. Paved areas like streets and parking lots form an impervious barrier on top of the earth, disrupt the hydrological cycle, and require expensive infrastructure to manage stormwater runoff and protect water quality. Surfaces that allow stormwater to percolate through to the ground serve as natural biofilters, helping to clean stormwater of its pollutants before it reaches streams and other waterways. They also reduce flooding by regulating the flow of water back to waterways.

• Select green stormwater infrastructure that is appropriately sized and configured for each location. Potential applications include in curb extensions, at the back of a transit stop, at the end of a bus boarding island, in a floating island that separates bicyclists from moving vehicles, in the median. Designs should be customized for each location to provide the necessary performance for stormwater management and maintenance needs should be considered from the beginning.
• Bioretention planters and biofiltration planters are walled planters that either permit stormwater to percolate into the underlying soils or to an underdrain. They are commonly installed in medians, in the sidewalk furnishings zone, in parking lots, or along the property line. They should be installed to not impede pedestrian access and cannot impede accessible parking spaces, loading zones, or bus stops. Provide pedestrian cut-throughs approximately every 20 to 40 feet to permit access to the curb.
• Bioretention swales are shallow, landscaped depressions with sloped sides that capture stormwater and treat it before allowing it to flow downstream. Swales have little or no vertical separation from the sidewalk and street and typically require wider areas than planters. They are best suited for areas with lower foot traffic, such as residential streets, along shared use paths, medians, or unused right-of-way.
• Swales and planters can be combined to provide a walled curb at the street and a level planted area at the sidewalk.
• Tree wells or pits can be used as green stormwater infrastructure. Tree wells and pits must provide adequate space for the tree roots under the sidewalk or street. Overhanging tree branches should not impede pedestrians, bicyclists, or transit vehicles.
• Permeable pavement can be used for areas with low traffic volumes and few heavy vehicles. Bikeways, parking lanes and sidewalks may be appropriate applications. Permeable pavement includes pervious concrete, porous asphalt, permeable interlocking pavers, and grid pavers.

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Vision Zero

Let’s talk about lane width.

Lane width helps to control speed on urban streets. People driving tend to slow when streets are narrow.

Urban Streets

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) recommends a default of 10-foot lanes .

“Lane widths of 10 feet are appropriate in urban areas and have a positive impact on a street’s safety without impacting traffic operations. For designated truck or transit routes, one travel lane of 11 feet may be used in each direction. In select cases, narrower travel lanes (9–9.5 feet) can be effective as through lanes in conjunction with a turn lane.”

Seattle’s current standard is 11-foot lanes and 12-foot bus-only lanes. Many of our streets were laid out in a time when wider was always better — and ended up with dangerously wide lanes, dangerous because wide lanes encourage people to drive fast, and when cars go faster, collisions do more harm. Narrower lanes in urban areas  are shown to result in less aggressive driving, and give drivers more ability to slow or  stop their vehicles over a short distance to avoid collision.

You aren’t thinking, “Hey, I’m in a 14-foot lane. And now I’m in a nine-foot lane. And now I’m in a 10-foot lane.” (Note, transportation engineers really do think like this.)

Instead, you, the average mortal, just thinks (if you are driving a car), “I can go fast here. Whoa! This street is narrow, I’d better slow down. And now I can speed up a bit again.”

Seattle’s standard width for parked car lanes is eight feet wide, while adding a bike lane that avoids the “ door zone ” (the distance a car driver can accidentally fling open a door into the path of an oncoming person on a bike) requires a a 14-foot lane (parked car plus bike lane).

With our elbows akimbo, we’re about two and a half feet riding a bike, taking up about as much space as people in wheelchairs. Both protected bike lanes and sidewalks require a minimum of six feet of street right-of-way to accommodate people riding and rolling respectively.

Highways are a different case entirely when it comes to lane width.

You may have read   the lane width on the Aurora Bridge was a factor in the recent collision fatality between a Duck amphibious vehicle and charter bus. It is up to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to determine causes, but Federal standards for highways  recommend 12-foot lanes, in addition to shoulders wide enough for emergency parking and median barriers. Most lanes along I-5  are 12 feet wide. The Aurora Bridge lanes are 9.5 feet wide.

The relationship between lane width and safety is a question of geometry and psychology.

Cars range in width from a Car2Go Smart vehicle of about five feet, to a six-foot sedan, to a hefty seven plus-foot SUV. Mirrors add another six inches or so on each side of these vehicles. Buses, firetrucks, freight trucks, and amphibious vehicles almost all are 102 inches or eight and a half feet wide. Mirrors on these vehicles can add easily add another foot to each side, so mandating 12-foot bus and freight lanes on fast-moving highways is an entirely rational choice.

Lanes on highways need to be wide to accommodate wide vehicles moving quickly. Traffic on the Aurora Bridge is posted 40 MPH, while people driving average more than 10 miles an hour faster (p.19 here ). The Aurora Bridge has had 144 crashes since 2005 .

Narrow lanes are intended to be used slowly. Collisions at faster speeds result in much higher rates of injury and fatality.

Lane width is a factor in street safety and how we choose to engineer for Vision Zero.

I first visited Sweden in 1997, just when Vision Zero was getting started, and lived there for year from 2006-2007. The Swedish approach to Vision Zero was first to save lives on highways where many collisions end in serious injury or death. There was a great deal of public discourse on lane width, median barriers, and highway speeds. When Vision Zero launched in Sweden, there were seven traffic fatalities per 100,000 people. Despite more people driving, that number has dropped in Sweden to three per 100,000. In the US, our road fatality rate is 11.6 per 100,000 .

Swedish Transportation safety strategist Matts-Åke Belin believes Vision Zero is achievable if experts agree to  fund solutions to traffic safety .

I would say that the main problems that we had in the beginning were not really political, they were more on the expert side. The largest resistance we got to the idea about Vision Zero was from those political economists that have built their whole career on cost-benefit analysis. For them it is very difficult to buy into “zero.” Because in their economic models, you have costs and benefits, and although they might not say it explicitly, the idea is that there is an optimum number of fatalities. A price that you have to pay for transport.

The problem is the whole transport sector is quite influenced by the whole utilitarianist mindset. Now we’re bringing in the idea that it’s not acceptable to be killed or seriously injured when you’re transporting or walking or biking. It’s more a civil-rights thing that you bring into the policy. The other group that had trouble with Vision Zero was our friends, our expert friends. Because most of the people in the safety community had invested in the idea that safety work is about changing human behavior. Vision Zero says instead that people make mistakes, they have a certain tolerance for external violence, let’s create a system for the humans instead of trying to adjust the humans to the system.

As we move towards Vision Zero standards in Seattle , let’s examine the width of our streets as one of the contributing factors of our safety. As a call to action, please  sign on to the principles of Seattle Neighbors for Vision Zero .

No one should die or suffer serious injury in traffic .

•   Life is Most Important .  The protection of human life and health must be the overriding goal of traffic planning and engineering, taking priority over vehicle speeds and other objectives.
•   Every Person Matters .  Everyone has the right to be safe on our streets, regardless of the way they choose to travel.
•   People Make Mistakes .  In order to prevent and reduce death and serious injury, traffic systems can and must be designed to account for the inevitability of human error.
• The Government is Responsible for Safe Streets .  ALL elected officials and government staff need to collaborate and act now to achieve Vision Zero.

This is a cross-post that originally appeared on Seattle Neighborhood Greenways.

Cathy Tuttle (Guest Contributor)

Seattle Neighborhood Greenways

Seattle Neighborhood Greenways is a grassroots, people-powered movement working to make our city safer, healthier, and more equitable for all. Our coalition of volunteer groups organizes and mobilizes people to make every neighborhood in Seattle a great place to walk, bike, and live.

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About Streets

• Prioritizing People in Street Design
• Streets Around the World
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Street Design Guidance

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Street Transformations

• Street Design Strategies
• Street Typologies
• Example 1: 18 m
• Example 2: 10 m
• Pedestrian Only Streets: Case Study | Stroget, Copenhagen
• Example 1: 8 m
• Case Study: Laneways of Melbourne, Australia
• Case Study: Pavement to Parks; San Francisco, USA
• Case Study: Plaza Program; New York City, USA
• Example 1: 12 m
• Example 2: 14 m
• Case Study: Fort Street; Auckland, New Zealand
• Example 1: 9 m
• Case Study: Van Gogh Walk; London, UK
• Example 1: 13 m
• Example 2: 16 m
• Example: 3: 24 m
• Case Study: Bourke St.; Sydney, Australia
• Example 2: 22 m
• Example 3: 30 m
• Case Study: St. Marks Rd.; Bangalore, India
• Example 2: 25 m
• Example 3: 31 m
• Case Study: Second Ave.; New York City, USA
• Example 1: 20 m
• Example 2: 30 m
• Example 3: 40 m
• Case Study: Götgatan; Stockholm, Sweden
• Example 1: 16 m
• Example 2: 32 m
• Example 3: 35 m
• Case Study: Swanston St.; Melbourne, Australia
• Example 1: 32 m
• Example 2: 38 m
• Case Study: Boulevard de Magenta; Paris, France
• Example 1: 52 m
• Example 2: 62 m
• Example 3: 76 m
• Case Study: Av. 9 de Julio; Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Example: 34 m
• Case Study: A8erna; Zaanstad, The Netherlands
• Example: 47 m
• Case Study: Cheonggyecheon; Seoul, Korea
• Example: 40 m
• Case Study: 21st Street; Paso Robles, USA
• Types of Temporary Closures
• Example: 21 m
• Case Study: Raahgiri Day; Gurgaon, India
• Example: 20 m
• Case Study: Jellicoe St.; Auckland, New Zealand
• Example: 30 m
• Case Study: Queens Quay; Toronto, Canada
• Case Study: Historic Peninsula; Istanbul, Turkey
• Existing Conditions
• Case Study 1: Calle 107; Medellin, Colombia
• Case Study 2: Khayelitsha; Cape Town, South Africa
• Case Study 3: Streets of Korogocho; Nairobi, Kenya
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• Major Intersection: Reclaiming the Corners
• Major Intersection: Squaring the Circle
• Major Intersection: Cycle Protection
• Complex Intersection: Adding Public Plazas
• Complex Intersection: Improving Traffic Circles
• Complex Intersection: Increasing Permeability
• Acknowledgements
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• User Section Geometries
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• search Keyword Search
• Designing Streets for People
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Travel Lanes

Highway lane-width standards, when applied in cities, result in overly wide, undifferentiated lanes that perform poorly at most times of the day, with speeding at off peak times and lane-splitting during peak traffic periods. Reducing lane width to 3 m or less promotes safe driving speeds in an urban environment.

Travel Lane Width

Wide travel lanes have been favored in some places to create a more forgiving environment for drivers, especially in high-speed environments where narrow lanes may feel uncomfortable or increase potential for side-swipe collisions. Lane widths of less than 3.5 m have been assumed to decrease traffic flow and capacity, a claim that new research refutes. 1

Lane widths of 3 m are appropriate in urban areas and have a positive impact on street safety without impacting traffic operations. For designated truck or transit routes, one travel lane of 3.3 m may be used in each direction. In select cases, narrower travel lanes of 2.7–3 m can be effective as through lanes in conjunction with a turn lane. 2 Lanes greater than 3 m are discouraged as they enable unintended speeding and double parking, and consume valuable right-ofway at the expense of other modes.

Restrictive policies that favor the use of wide travel lanes have no place in constrained urban settings, where every centimeter counts. Research has shown that narrower lane widths can effectively manage speeds without decreasing safety, and that wider lanes do not correlate to safer streets. 3 Moreover, wider travel lanes increase exposure and crossing distance for pedestrians. 4 Lane width should be considered within the overall assemblage of the street.

Multilane Roadways

In multi-lane roadways where transit or freight vehicles are present, one wider travel lane may be provided. The wider lane should be the outside lane, curbside or next to parking. Inside lanes should continue to be designed at the minimum possible width at 3 m or less.

Parking Lane Width

Parking lane widths of 1.8–2.5 m are recommended. Cities are encouraged to demarcate the parking lane to indicate to drivers how close they are to parked cars.

1. Theo Petrisch, “The Truth about Lane Widths,” The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, accessed June 6, 2016, http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/data/library/details.cfm?id=4348 2. Research suggests that lane widths of less than 12 feet on urban and suburban arterials do not increase crash frequencies. Ingrid Potts, Douglas W. Harwood, and Karen R. Richard, “Relationship of Lane Width to Safety on Urban and Suburban Arterials,” (paper presented at the TRB 86th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, January 21–25, 2007): 1–6. 3. Eric Dumbaugh and Wenhao Li, “Designing for the Safety of Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Motorists in Urban Environments.” Journal of the American Planning Association 77 (2011): 70. 4. Previous research has shown various estimates of relationship between lane width and travel speed. One account estimated that each additional foot (0.3 m) of lane width related to a 2.9 mph (4.7 km/h) increase in driver speed. Kay Fitzpatrick, Paul Carlson, Marcus Brewer, and Mark Wooldridge, “Design Factors That Affect Driver Speed on Suburban Arterials,” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 1751 (2000):18–25.

Adapted by Global Street Design Guide published by Island Press.

Travel Lanes Subsections

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Public Roads - March/April 2017

Date: March/April 2017 Issue No: Vol. 80 No. 5 Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-17-003 Table of Contents

Providing A Shoulder to Drive On

States are turning freeway shoulders into part-time travel lanes to relieve congestion as a cost-effective alternative to traditional widening.

Transportation officials are having difficulty simply maintaining, let alone expanding, the Nation’s highway infrastructure. Aging assets, a growing population, and revenue uncertainty add to the hurdles facing State and local transportation agencies.

Relieving congestion on urban freeways through conventional widening projects is often impractical because of costs and the detrimental impacts of construction activities on travelers and surrounding businesses and residents. Plus, once a freeway widening project advances to implementation, it can take years to complete, delaying the realization of any benefits.

Freeway congestion is a recurring performance problem, but it is also a condition that typically occurs only during limited hours of the day. One innovative, relatively low-cost solution States are now implementing is to allow traffic to use freeway shoulders as travel lanes on a part-time basis. Many transportation agencies are implementing or considering part-time shoulder use as a performance-based practical design solution to strategically invest limited transportation funding and maximize system performance. The United States has a growing list of successful projects, and other countries have a long history of effective shoulder use.

Freeway congestion often varies widely throughout the day, and part-time shoulder use can provide congestion relief when it is needed most, while maintaining shoulders for their primary purposes for the remainder of the day and night. Those primary uses include refuges for vehicles during emergency situations, access for first responders, and additional recovery areas for drivers who may have to swerve out of the travel lane to avoid conflicts in the adjoining travel lanes.

Engineers try to preserve wider shoulders when possible; however, the cost to widen a freeway is significant and each foot of pavement width counts. As a result, many examples of urban freeways with narrower lanes and shoulders exist and the value of having shoulders is diminished.

To assist State and local agencies in adopting the strategy, the Federal Highway Administration released the  Use of Freeway Shoulders for Travel: Guide for Planning, Evaluating, and Designing Part-Time Shoulder Use as a Traffic Management Strategy  (FHWA-HOP-15-023). The guide highlights more than 30 shoulder-use installations covering a range of design and operational approaches in 16 States. Part-time shoulder use requires special attention to planning, design, public outreach, implementation, safety, operations, and maintenance. The guide aims to help practitioners consider the strategy and promote consistent practices in evaluating and developing shoulder-use concepts.

How Does Part-Time Shoulder Use Work?

Because part-time shoulder use maximizes existing roadway capacity, the strategy provides a solution that transportation agencies can implement quickly, at a much lower cost and with fewer environmental impacts than traditional projects that expand capacity.

Part-time shoulder use, or “shoulder running,” can take many forms. However, all scenarios involve use of the left or right shoulder of an existing roadway for temporary travel during certain hours of the day.

Current implementations of part-time shoulder use are primarily in locations where recurring congestion exists because of traffic bottlenecks or lack of capacity during peak periods. For example, Pace Suburban Bus, a public transportation agency serving the greater Chicago, IL, area, identified bus-only shoulder use as a strategy that could increase the reliability and attractiveness of public transportation. Compared to constructing new dedicated bus lanes, bus use of shoulders is much more cost effective. In 2011, the agency implemented bus-on-shoulder service on the Stevenson Expressway (I–55) as a demonstration project. Because of the success of this demonstration, the State passed legislation permanently allowing bus-on-shoulder service and expanding that permission to all the region’s expressways and tollways in 2014.

States Employing Part-Time Shoulder Use in 2016

“Since Pace Bus received approval for bus-on-shoulder operations on I–55 in 2011, bus ridership on that corridor has more than quadrupled,” says Doug Sullivan, department manager of marketing with Pace Suburban Bus. “And on-time performance--which averaged less than 70 percent--is now over 90 percent.”

Objectives and Facility Considerations

Currently, 16 States operate some type of part-time shoulder use. Although historically allowing bus use on shoulders has been the most common type of implementation, several States have locations that accommodate general traffic on the shoulder for a portion of the day and many others are exploring such implementations.

Determining the type of part-time shoulder use that is appropriate for a given corridor depends on an agency’s objectives and specific facility characteristics. Typical part-time shoulder use aims to achieve one or more of the following objectives:

• Offer relief from peak-period congestion for a minimal cost compared to adding new general purpose lanes.
• Provide additional capacity on an interim basis while a conventional widening project works through the planning, design, environmental, and constructionprocesses.
• Increase bus ridership by improving bus travel time and reliability.
• Preserve a full-width shoulder during off-peak periods, which provides safety performance benefits as compared to a widening project that results in narrower lanes and shoulders.

Among the facility characteristics that States need to consider are roadway and interchange geometrics including ramps, physical constraints, pavement type and quality, shoulder maintenance and stormwater management, travel demand patterns, and traffic characteristics.

Several types of design and operations options are available for part-time shoulder use. These include restricting shoulder use to authorized transit buses or allowing use by all (or most) vehicles. If all vehicles can use the shoulder, another option is to open it for travel only during fixed periods, such as each weekday peak period. This is known as  static  shoulder use. Alternatively, shoulder use can be based on prevailing and predicted conditions to accommodate special events or incidents that trigger heavy congestion. This is known as  dynamic  shoulder use and typically employs dynamic lane control signs (such as redX or green arrow indicators).

Other design and operations considerations include whether to allow travel on the left or right shoulder and whether to vary speed limits (or post speed advisories) on the general purpose or shoulder lanes when the shoulder is open.

Capacity and Safety Performance

Based on FHWA-sponsored research and simulation studies, the extent to which a shoulder may provide additional capacity compared to a general purpose freeway lane (albeit on a part-time basis) varies and is influenced by the quality of the shoulder. Quality factors include shoulder width and length, distance from the travel way to roadside features, and other elements that might make some drivers uncomfortable or unwilling to travel on the shoulder.

Predicted Crash Frequency for Freeway Conversions

The results of FHWA’s simulations are generally consistent with capacities observed in the field and the proven relationship between design features and capacity. For example, the lane designated for part-time shoulder use on I–66 in northern Virginia is 12 feet (3.7 meters) wide, has large portions of paved shoulder several feet wide beyond it, and has overhead dynamic lane control signs. Observed capacity of the shoulder during in-use periods is similar to the adjacent general purpose lanes (approximately 2,000 vehicles per hour per lane).

In contrast, the lanes designated for part-time shoulder use on I–93 in Massachusetts are less than 12 feet (3.7 meters) wide, generally have only a 1- to 2-foot (0.3- to 0.6-meter) paved shoulder beyond the shoulder lane, use limited dynamic signs, and include interchanges with constrained geometries. The shoulder on I–93 was observed to have one-half to two-thirds the capacity of adjacent general purpose lanes. The range of potential capacity increases from shoulder use illustrates the influence of road geometrics such as shoulder lane width, effective shoulder width when the shoulder lanes are in use, and interchange spacing and design.

With regard to safety performance, the sources of safety-related research evaluating the specific changes in crash frequency and severity as a result of implementing part-time shoulder use is limited to only a few Federal and State empirical studies. Crash frequency has increased in some locations following part-time shoulder-use projects and decreased as a result in others, suggesting the effect of part-time shoulder use on crash frequency is influenced significantly by site-specific operational and geometric characteristics. No transportation agencies have had to discontinue the practice of part-time shoulder use because of safety concerns.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’  Highway Safety Manual  (HSM) is a tool that officials can use to help estimate the predicted highway crash frequency and severity as a result of a project. Currently, the HSM is not capable of analyzing part-time shoulder-use scenarios during the period of time when traffic is using the shoulder. However, the current edition of the HSM can inform project decisions by approximating the crash frequency of a freeway widening project that would result in narrower lanes or shoulders. Because narrower lanes and shoulders have a negative effect on safety, officials can use the HSM to estimate crash frequency and severity of a part-time shoulder alternative during the periods of the day when the shoulders are not being used as a travel lane. This comparison underscores the clear safety advantages of providing a full-width shoulder under less congested conditions in lieu of a freeway widening project that results in narrower lanes and shoulders.

In time, transportation agencies will have a more substantive understanding of the safety effects of part-time shoulder use. Until then, surrogate methods of assessing safety can help inform agencies about whether and how to implement this practice. For example, reducing congestion by allowing part-time shoulder use for all or most vehicles enables greater headways between vehicles and reduces stop-start activity that contributes to rear-end crashes. However, it may require compromises of other geometric design elements known to adversely influence crashes, such as effective shoulder width remaining when the shoulder lane is open to traffic or lateral offset to roadside features (such as median barriers and guardrails). It is important that FHWA continue monitoring the safety performance of part-time shoulder-use installations to build the body of safety knowledge.

FHWA’s Guide on Part-Time Shoulder Use

FHWA developed its guide on part-time shoulder use in response to increasing local, State, and Federal legislative interest in shoulder use and performance-based practical design. Efforts promoted by States and FHWA to evolve the highway design process from one driven primarily by design criteria to one that considers cost-effectiveness and systemwide performance also fueled the guide’s development.

FHWA developed the guide based on interviews with its own subject matter experts and staff from agencies that have deployed shoulder--use treatments. The guide developers also researched appropriate analytical techniques, including those to estimate the safety and operations effects.

The guide provides information on all phases of the life cycle of a proposed shoulder-use project, including planning, environmental considerations, design, operations, and maintenance. It also covers a range of issues--from costs to design considerations to maintenance--that can help agencies advance shoulder-use concepts in their States in a more consistent manner. Planners and designers can use the guide to help address a number of questions at various stages in the project development process. However, knowledge gaps remain in some areas of the guide, such as estimating induced traffic and air quality impacts, estimating effects on crashes, and determining the optimal thresholds for opening up a shoulder for travel to maximize operational and safety performance. More experience with shoulder use and additional research is needed.

Morning Peak Period Speeds Northbound on SH 161 in Irving, TX

The guide also includes photos and illustrations depicting signing and design scenarios. In addition to these components, the guide provides a list of most known applications of shoulder use in the United States and presents several case studies of successful applications. What follows are two examples of applications of part-time shoulder use that mitigate different types of congestion.

Texas Addresses Weekday Congestion

In September 2015, the Texas Department of Transportation(TxDOT) and the Regional Transportation Council opened a shoulder lane for travel during peak periods on State Highway (SH) 161 in Irving. The 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) stretch of highway between SH183 and SH114 has two general purpose lanes in each direction and connects with the President George Bush Turnpike, operated by the North Texas Tollway Authority, which has three general purpose lanes in each direction. The drop from three lanes to two creates a bottleneck that recurrently causes speeds to drop during peak periods.

The interim phase of implementation consisted of shoulder restriping to enable three general purpose lanes to operate during peak travel periods. The project team restriped the existing inside shoulder and main lanes to provide two general purpose lanes and an interim operational travel lane during morning and evening peak hours of travel (in each direction). The project also incorporated a variety of operational improvements, including closed circuit cameras, improved lighting, and strategically pre-positioned tow trucks, to ensure that the lanes function safely and efficiently. The staged tow trucks assist with opening and closing the lanes, while also providing expedited incident management.

The shoulder-use project improved travel speeds immediately. The average northbound (morning) rush-hour speed on the freeway for 8 workdays before implementing shoulder use was 30.7 miles per hour, mi/h (49 kilometers per hour, km/h). After opening the inside shoulder, the average northbound speed in the first 8 days increased to 66 mi/h (106 km/h). Speeds in the southbound direction during the evening peak period experienced similar improvements.

“The SH 161 shoulder lanes have achieved their goal of improving traffic flow through a major bottleneck,” says Kelly Selman, P.E., an engineer with the TxDOT Dallas District. “TxDOT is pleased with their performance. Where appropriate, TxDOT will consider implementing them in other areas.”

I–70 Performance Improvements (Georgetown to Veterans Memorial Tunnels)

More recently, traffic managers have observed increasing traffic volumes on SH 161, which may dampen some of the speed gains. One possible cause for the increase in traffic is diversion from parallel routes to SH 161 because it now provides a more reliable trip. The North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute are finalizing the collection of data for a study that will provide more insight into speeds and volumes, and information on origins and destinations.

Colorado Takes on Seasonal Weekend Congestion

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) employs part-time shoulder use on I–70 eastbound between the U.S. 40 (Empire Junction) Interchange and the Veterans Memorial Tunnels (formerly the Twin Tunnels) west of Denver. Referred to as the Mountain Express Lane, the project officially opened in December 2015 and operates about 100 days out of the year. When open, the shoulder lane is tolled.

The Mountain Express Lane differs from most shoulder-use projects because it does not address daily peak period congestion. Instead, the project targets seasonal congestion on the weekends and on holidays related to tourism and recreation. This section of I–70 experiences high congestion on Fridays (westbound) and Sundays (eastbound) while travelers are on their way to and from the mountains west of Denver.

In addition to safety and mobility challenges, other factors made traditional roadway widening problematic. For example, this section of I–70 passes through sensitive natural environments and historic communities. CDOT needed to preserve these areas while accommodating the recreational activities that attract many travelers to Colorado.

“Part-time shoulder running is a perfectly matched operational solution to the unique patterns and problems of our intense recreational traffic demands,” says Ryan Rice, director of Transportation Systems Management & Operations at CDOT. “We have seen high benefit relative to the cost of the project.”

Compared to the winter season prior to implementation (December 2014–March 2015), the Mountain Express Lane has reduced the total amount of delay (evident during the first winter season after implementation December 2015–March 2016). This improvement is especially noteworthy considering that throughput volumes increased an average of 14 percent despite 12 percent more snowfall the season following implementation. Drivers have experienced improved average travel times, reduced delays, and significantly less time spent in excessive traffic (delay greater than 30 minutes).

“The I–70 Mountain Express Lane has impacted the frontage [local county] roads, which aren’t as congested with people getting off the highway,” says Megan Castle, communications manager with CDOT’s High-Performance Transportation Enterprise. “Business is up and people are getting into their communities.”

FHWA’s Next Steps

With the completion of FHWA’s  Use of Freeway Shoulders for Travel: Guide for Planning, Evaluating, and Designing Part-Time Shoulder Use as a Traffic Management Strategy , agency officials now plan on developing additional guidance, sharing best practices, providing outreach through workshops and webinars, and continuing to collaborate with national organizations to raise the collective understanding of part-time shoulder use.

FHWA also will undertake additional research on the crash and safety implications of part-time shoulder use and the optimal conditions to open shoulders dynamically. The ultimate goal of the research, collaboration, and additional outreach is more efficient use of the Nation’s urban freeways.

Jim Hunt, P.E.,  is a transportation specialist in FHWA’s Office of Operations. He manages projects related to operations planning and design and active transportation and demand management. Hunt has a B.S. in engineering from Hofstra University and an M.S. in transportation planning from Iowa State University.

Pete Jenior, P.E., P.T.O.E.,  is a senior engineer with Kittelson & Associates, Inc., in Baltimore, MD. He was the lead author of FHWA’s guide on part-time shoulder use and has led numerous traffic engineering and safety projects in the mid-Atlantic and beyond.   Jenior has a B.S. and an M.S. in civil engineering, both from Georgia Tech.

Greg Jones  is a transportation operations specialist who splits his time working with the FHWA Resource Center in Atlanta, GA, and the Office of Operations in Washington, DC. He has worked for FHWA since 1984. Jones provides national technical support in the areas of congestion pricing, managed lanes, active transportation and demand management, emergency transportation operations, intelligent transportation systems, freeway management, and regional operations partnerships. Jones has a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Tennessee.

For more information, see  www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop15023  or contact Jim Hunt at 717–221–4422 or  [email protected] .

When in a travel lane on the roadway:

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Choosing a Lane on a Highway for Safer Driving: Passing & Fast Lane Rules

Your first task having entered the highway is to make sure you are traveling at an appropriate speed . Drivers must moderate their speed based on the legal speed limit, the density and speed of existing traffic, road conditions and visibility. In an ideal highway driving situation, all traffic would be moving at the same speed. Traveling faster or slower than other drivers on a highway puts you at significantly greater risk of harm.

Choosing the right lane

Changing lanes to reduce risk, weaving through traffic.

The speed at which you are traveling will also somewhat determine which lane you should choose to occupy. While avoiding all unnecessary lane changes, motorists must be prepared to change lanes whenever doing so creates a safer driving situation. The distance remaining until your intended exit will also influence your choice of lanes. We explore these and other contributing factors in detail below.

Freeway lanes are generally organized by speed. The furthest lane to the left should be occupied by the fastest moving traffic, while the furthest lane to the right should be occupied by the slowest.

Choose the right-hand lane if:

• You are traveling at a consistently slow speed.
• Your exit is approaching, or you will be traveling on the highway for a short time.

Keep in mind that the largest vehicles using the highway will usually stick to the right lane, as their weight restricts the speed at which they can travel.

Use a center lane if:

• You are passing a vehicle in the adjacent right-hand lane. Merge back into your original lane having completed the pass.
• You are driving faster than vehicles in the adjacent right-hand lane.
• The right-hand lane is completely occupied by large vehicles and you must merge left to avoid their blind spots.
• You are moving over for stopped emergency vehicles or motorists seeking to enter the highway.

Use the left-hand lane if:

• You are traveling at high-speeds (at or just below the speed limit ).
• You are using the lane to pass another vehicle in the lane to your right.

Some states prohibit using the furthest left lane of certain highways unless temporarily, to pass another vehicle. Be sure to check out your state’s driving manual to find out if, and under what circumstances, this rule applies locally.

Choosing a lane upon entering the highway does not mean you can sit back, relax and stop paying attention to the traffic around you. Drivers must always scan the road around their vehicles to identify potentially dangerous situations. If you determine that the risk of collision would be less in a different lane, you should merge to that lane at the next safe opportunity. Remember to move over one lane at a time if your target position is several lanes away.

Always consider moving to a different lane if:

• The vehicle behind you is tailgating or following too closely. Ideally, you should respond to this by merging right into a slower lane.
• Another driver is attempting to merge into your lane and moving over would allow them more space. Of course, you should not move over if doing so would put you in a riskier situation.

Constant lane-changing or “weaving” through traffic is dangerous and will aggravate other drivers using the highway. Irresponsible drivers often weave to “get ahead” when traffic becomes heavy. This usually worsens congestion by causing the motorists around you to reduce their speed as you weave between lanes.

You should NEVER cross multiple lanes in a single maneuver – even if you have just noticed your exit is approaching and you are in the wrong lane. If you have not prepared to leave the highway safely by merging into the right-hand lane in advance, you will need to wait until the next exit.

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Highway Driving Maneuvers

Making any maneuver on a highway will put you at risk, as the high density of traffic and high speeds involved leave little room for error and a small window of time in which to act in response to a threat. The key to maneuvering safely on an expressway is maintaining enough space around your vehicle, keeping up with the flow of traffic and scanning ahead for potential dangers.

Special Highway Areas

While using highways, you may encounter areas which require different driving behaviors, or where a different set of rules apply. Understanding how areas like HOV lanes and toll booths must be used will help you to stay out of danger and avoid getting a ticket.

Exiting a Highway

While exiting a highway is nowhere near as difficult or intimidating as entering one, there is still a lot that can go wrong. Learning how to exit a highway safely is a skill like any other you will learn in preparation for your driver’s exam. It will not require you to merge with traffic as you do when entering the highway, though it still deserves considerable attention.

Turns on Multi-lane Roads

Making turns at intersections on multi-lane roads is a little more complicated than it is at dual-lane intersections. Multi-lane intersections often have additional lanes or dedicated “turn lanes” for motorists wishing to turn. The risk of conflict with other motorists when turning from one multi-lane road onto another multi-lane road is high. You can mitigate this risk by yielding to all other traffic crossing the intersection before executing the turn.

Driving on Highways

Highways are the backbone of the United States transportation system. Together, they connect every major population in the country. These high-speed, limited-access roads make it possible to travel long distances conveniently and safely - providing you abide by the rules and avoid taking unnecessary risks.

Understanding Highways

Highways are usually the best roads to use when traveling long distance. These roads are also known as expressways, limited access highways, interstate highways, turn pikes, toll roads and freeways. Freeways are only our country’s safest roads when you know how to drive on them correctly. When traveling at high speed, amidst large volumes of traffic, enormous trucks and ever-changing conditions, motorists must be at the top of their driving game.

Highway Driving Approaches

Despite occurring far less frequently, collisions on highways are usually more severe than collisions on other roads. When high speeds are involved, the chances of a collision resulting in fatalities are much greater. Making a mistake on a highway could cost you your life.

Highway Safety Features

Many highly effective safety features have been implemented on interstate highways around the country over the past few decades. These features are designed to cut back on collisions, reduce off-the-road crashes and minimize annual highway fatalities by making the crashes that do occur less severe. Thanks to the improvements made under the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), United States highways are now among the safest roads in the world.

Entering a Highway

It is important to learn the proper procedure for entering a highway - especially where acceleration and merging are concerned. Merging with high-speed traffic can be dangerous and presents a real challenge for less-experienced drivers. The secrets to safe and successful freeway entry are being vigilant, signaling and matching the speed of existing traffic.

Lane Etiquette: Read before you drive!

Lane etiquette is something I feel quite strongly about and feel that many accidents could be avoided if people respected a few simple unwritten rules. No one is perfect on the road and there are always exceptions to these rules, but being conscious of them can go a long way.

Two lane highways are simple and I feel that most drivers understand how they work. The right lane is for driving and the left lane is for passing. Of course, certain high volume traffic situations lead to both lanes being fairly crowded, in this case, you should be in the lane which best matches your cruising speed. If that happens to be the left and faster traffic approaches to the rear you should move to the right lane when it's safe to do so in order to let them pass.

Highways with three lanes is where things get complicated for many drivers. I've spoken to a few and this is what many of them thought and really what I see on a daily basis: the right lane is for merging, the middle lane for driving and the left lane for passing. This is incorrect. I will now explain the correct way to travel on a three-lane highway in moderate to high volume traffic situations.

The on-ramp or acceleration lane is of course for accelerating, in order for drivers to merge into the right lane at a speed that matches the flow of traffic.

The right lane is usually the slowest lane, if you're on a slow cruise and it happens to be Sunday afternoon, this is probably the correct lane for you. If you like to travel slightly under or at the speed limit this is usually also the best lane to be in. It is the simplest and safest. You are only exposed on one side, you are the farthest from oncoming traffic and you can't be passed on the right, we will see why that's important later on. When in this lane and approaching an acceleration lane, check for approaching vehicles, if there happens to be one and you can safely move to the middle lane, do so. If the middle lane is too crowded, remain in your lane and let the merging vehicle make the decision to either speed up or slow down. He yields to you.

The middle lane is the most complicated and misunderstood lane. Traffic in this lane should be moving faster than the traffic on the right. If you are in the middle lane and someone approaches you from the rear at a higher speed and the right lane is clear, you should move over. Most drivers in the middle lane believe that it is always up to the faster approaching vehicle to pass them on the left. This is only true if the right lane is too crowded to make a safe lane change. When slow moving drivers stay in the middle lane, it has the effect of bogging down traffic as faster drivers accumulate behind them and try to pass on either side.

Also, on most three-lane highways, trucks are not allowed to be in the left lane, which means if you are being tailed by a truck, you should move over, the reason he isn't passing you in the left lane and is blinding you with his lights is because he isn't allowed to. The middle lane is also the most dangerous, as you are exposed on both sides and more people tend to cut in and out of this lane.

Finally, the left lane is for traffic moving the fastest. If you are driving at speed and approaching a slower vehicle in this lane, do not pass them on the right. The correct thing to do is to slow down and wait behind them until they make a proper lane change. Most highway accidents happen when faster vehicles move to pass on the right while the slower vehicle makes a simultaneous lane change.

This whole post comes down to two things, it's very simple, yield to faster moving traffic and never pass on the right. Follow me at: www.honestdrive.com or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/honestdriveblog

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Bigger Isn’t Always Better: Narrow Traffic Lanes Make Cities Safer

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This article originally appeared on TheCityFix.com.

In Beijing, Chennai and Fortaleza, the rate of fatalities from road crashes is 20-27.2 deaths per 100,000 residents. What do these cities have in common? They have traffic lanes wider than 3.6 meters (11.8 feet). A long-standing belief among transportation planners and engineers is that wider traffic lanes ensure safe and congestion-free traffic flow. Recent academic research , highlighted in Cities Safer by Design, a WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities publication, shows that wider lanes are more dangerous than narrower lanes. To further investigate how cities are stacking up against the existing evidence, the Health and Road Safety team of WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities decided to compare typical lane widths in selected global cities with reported traffic fatality rates.

How Wide Should a Traffic Lane Be?

WRI’s research shows that cities with travel lane widths from 2.8 to 3.25 meters (9.2 to 10.6 feet), such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Tokyo, have the lowest crash fatality rates per 100,000 residents. However, many cities, specifically in the developing world, have wider lanes and higher fatality rates (See Figure 1).

New Delhi, Mumbai and São Paulo have wider lanes, ranging from 3.25 meters to 3.6 meters (10.6 to 11.8 feet), which leads to a fatality rate of 6.1-11.8 residents per 100,000, while Beijing, Chennai and Fortaleza have the highest fatality rate, 20-27.2 deaths per 100,000, with lane widths of 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) and higher.

But Why Are Wider Lanes Misinterpreted As Safer?

For decades, transport engineers and planners have considered wider lanes safer, as they provided higher maneuvering space within the lane and were said to help prevent sideswipes among cars. Yet, in an urban setting, this means cars may go faster, and, when cars go faster, the likelihood of crashes and injuries increases. For example, if a car is traveling at 30 km/h (18.6 mph), pedestrians have a 90 percent chance of survival, but, if the car is traveling at 50 km/h (31 mph), there is only a 15 percent chance the struck pedestrian will survive (See Figure 2).

Narrower travel lanes, coupled with lower speed limits, can foster a greater sense of awareness among drivers. Narrower lanes also ensure shorter crossing distances for pedestrians at intersections, which reduces the risk of an accident .

Do Wider Lanes Help to Reduce Congestion?

In 1963, Lewis Mumford said: “Increasing road width to reduce congestion is the same as loosening your belt to fight obesity.” In fact, increasing road space by having wider lanes doesn’t reduce congestion due to rebound effects . More road space results in generating more traffic. Research shows that 3 meter-wide lanes have 93 percent of the road capacity of 3.6 meter lanes—not a noticeable difference. In addition, if narrower lanes reduce speeds, this should not put great strain on vehicle movement. A recent study from Grenoble shows that private vehicles take only 18 seconds longer to travel a kilometer on a road with speed limit of 30km/h as compared to a road with a speed limit of 50km/hr. Moreover, signal delays at intersections create congestion—it rarely depends on mid-block traffic flows.

How Would Road Dieting Help?

Road dieting is a technique of narrowing lane widths to achieve sustainable and safer pedestrian and cyclist environments. If cities embrace narrower lanes, there are a range of possibilities for re-designing city streets to make them safer and more accommodating for pedestrians and cyclists.

Scenario 1: Narrowing lanes may provide space for a pedestrian refuge island or median

Scenario 2: Narrower lanes may provide space to install protected bicycle lanes

Scenario 3: Narrower lanes can provide wider sidewalks

But Why Aren’t 3 Meter Lanes the Norm?

Most cities in developed countries, like the United States, follow road design guidelines from standard-setting bodies like the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets , commonly known as the Green Book, which actually allows lane widths to vary between 10-12 feet (3.0 to 3.6 meters). While the book provides a range, engineers tend to design streets with the maximum lane width, due to the ill-informed notion that wider lanes are safer and can help reduce congestion. Many cities in low- and middle-income countries have adopted this same approach, erring on the supposed side of caution.

Today, with new research showing the opposite of the status quo and a rising interest in cycling, walking and bus systems, it is time for cities to reassess how their own standards foster a safer and healthier city.

Relevant Work

The need for (safe) speed: 4 surprising ways slower driving creates better cities, 7 proven principles for designing a safer city, release: rid the world of 1.25 million road deaths a safe system approach shows the way, we know how to save millions from dying on the world’s roads, how you can help.

WRI relies on the generosity of donors like you to turn research into action. You can support our work by making a gift today or exploring other ways to give.

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Envision a world where everyone can enjoy clean air, walkable cities, vibrant landscapes, nutritious food and affordable energy.

Narrow Lanes Save Lives

A Way to Make Our Communities Safer and Healthier

U.S. cities have seen a growing demand for safer walking and biking options in recent years, but identifying solutions remains a challenge.

For example, Dallas, Texas, one of the largest cities in the nation, only has five miles of protected bike-lanes and in New York, one of the most bike-friendly cities in the U.S, only 8 percent of streets have a dedicated bike-lane. 

A solution to enhancing bike and pedestrian infrastructure is often in plain sight: narrowing travel lanes

To help support city leaders, new national research including seven U.S. cities led by Dr. Shima Hamidi, PhD, a Bloomberg Assistant Professor of American Health and funded by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative examined national data to determine which types of roads should be targeted. 

One major finding is that roads with 10–12-foot lanes at 30-35 mph speed limits have a significantly higher number of crashes compared to those with 9-foot lanes. Narrowing lane widths at these speeds provides city leaders with an opportunity to improve safety for all roadway users. 

Narrowing travel lanes can:

• Improve safety
• Optimize sidewalks and bike lanes
• Reduce environmental impact
• Boost economic activity

Download the Report

Key Findings

• Narrower lanes did not increase the risk of accidents. When comparing 9- and 11-foot lanes, we found no evidence of increased car crashes. Yet, increasing to 12-foot lanes did increase the risk of crashes, most likely due to drivers increasing their speed and driving more carelessly when they have room to make mistakes.
• Speed limit plays a key role in travel width safety. In lanes at 20-25 mph speeds, lane width did not affect safety. However, in lanes at 30-35 mph speeds, wider lanes resulted in significantly higher number of crashes than 9-foot lanes.
• Narrower lanes help address critical environmental issues. They accommodate more users in less space, use less asphalt pavement, with less land consumption and smaller impervious surface areas.
• Narrowing travel lanes could positively impact the economy. This includes raising property values, boosting business operation along streets and developing new design projects.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) uses “Complete Streets” as their roadway design approach, which considers and prioritizes safety for all road users, not just drivers.

The Florida Department of Transportation uses a context classification system , allowing designers to choose the best design based on the area’s needs.

VTrans was the first state to change the minimum lane width to 9 feet in urban areas.

Recommendations   for Public Officials

We found that the best candidates for lane width reduction projects are streets with 11–13-foot lanes in urban areas with speeds of 20-35 mph, as long as they are not used for heavy freight or transit. Ideal streets also include those with lower traffic volume, no or limited on-street parking, low degrees of street curvature, no raised median, and fewer lanes.

Here are our recommendations for how city leaders can improve these roadways for pedestrian, cyclist and driver safety:

• Pay attention to speed. When establishing lane width standards, setting a context-appropriate driving speed is the best place to start before determining the appropriate lane width.
• Be inclusive. To achieve truly multimodal and safe roadways, we urge city leaders to start with an inclusive and comprehensive street design — factoring in pedestrians, cyclists and the area’s needs — rather than prioritizing driving speed and traffic efficiency for vehicles when determining lane width.
• Set a narrower standard. In urban areas, set a standard lane width of 10 feet and have engineers justify why it needs to be wider. Currently, in most states the standard starts at 11 or 12 feet.
• Consider road use. For streets with heavy freight delivery, transit traffic and snowfall, we recommend lane widths of at least 11 feet.
• Optimize the use of extra space. Complement lane width reduction with a lane repurposing program to get the best use out of the extras space, such as adding a buffered bike lane or wider sidewalk.

"The best form of traffic calming on a street that cannot accommodate speed control devices (and even those that can), may be lane narrowing."

Jonathan Larsen Transportation Division Director, Salt Lake City Corporation

“HERE ON THE EAST COAST OUR ROADWAY CORRIDORS ARE REALLY TIGHT. IF WE CAN NARROW OUR ROADWAYS IN DELAWARE TO ACCOMMODATE MORE CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS IT WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.”

Mike Simmons  Chief of Project Development South,  Delaware Department of Transportation

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Moscow Journal

In Russia, a ‘Special Highway’ Helps the Privileged Avoid Traffic

By Ivan Nechepurenko

• April 11, 2018

MOSCOW — It’s known as the “special highway” — a wide, flat road, with a lane down the middle, that links the Kremlin with President Vladimir V. Putin’s residence in the pine woods, 14 miles outside of Moscow.

Reserved by law for emergencies, the median lane is used mostly by Russia’s wealthy and privileged to bypass traffic. To have access to the lane has become a status symbol, the main currency in Russia today.

But the road, which runs through Kutuzovsky and Novy Arbat Avenues, is special in another way, too. Unlike most multiple-lane highways in Russia, this one has no safety barriers to separate traffic flows and discourage pedestrians from being on the road. It is one of the deadliest thoroughfares in the city, according to police reports and traffic experts.

At least five deaths in accidents on the highway in 2017, and two more this year, were related to the lack of a median barrier, according to the reports. One was Sergei V. Grachyov, a traffic police officer and 32-year-old father of two, who was standing in the middle of the road and died on the scene.

To some, the existence of the special highway without its safety barrier tells a story in microcosm of today’s Russia, where a culture of privilege defines society.

“This is a small mirror that reflects much wider problems in Russia,” said Mikhail Y. Blinkin, the country’s top transportation expert.

Russia has an elaborate culture of the so-called “ponty”— slang for a system of symbols and behavioral patterns that telegraph status. Sergei S. Teplygin, 35, is an avid student of the culture, of which he says the special highway is a prime symbol.

“I know this culture well,” said Mr. Teplygin, who owns a tour operator in St. Petersburg. “It is a part of my life.”

Mr. Teplygin runs an online community of a few dozen enthusiasts who cruise around Russian cities, looking for luxury cars with special license plates that are violating traffic rules as though to demonstrate their untouchable status. People in his group take pictures of the cars and upload them online. His online forum has a dedicated thread about the special highway.

“You cannot understand how cool you are before you drive in the middle of this road,” Mr. Teplygin said, sitting in a burger restaurant. “Spotting this is like sports for us.”

The highway was built in the 1950s to link the Kremlin with government residencies west of Moscow. Along the road are grand Stalinist buildings, constructed for members of the Soviet elite. The median lane was reserved for government cars in the beginning, too, but the traffic was much lighter at the time and so there were not as many accidents.

Today, the road reflects the hierarchy that organizes life in Russia into a top-down structure.

Traffic gets fully blocked for cars carrying Mr. Putin and Prime Minister Dmitri A. Medvedev. Only certain cars with special license plates are permitted to use the middle lane, and violators are swiftly moved aside by the police, say advocates for traffic safety. Government ministers drive with the general traffic, some of them surrounded by a few police cars, depending on their rank.

A special traffic police regiment patrols the road, which is also peppered with CCTV cameras. In 2013, Gadzhi N. Makhachev, deputy prime minister of Dagestan, a Russian republic in the North Caucasus, collided with another car in the special lane. He and two people in the other vehicle all died.

Sergei A. Medvedev, now a popular commentator and TV host (and no relation to Prime Minister Medvedev), grew up in one of the imposing buildings near the highway and has seen many of the crashes on it. Leonid I. Brezhnev, the former Soviet leader, lived nearby.

“In Russia, you always have to prove your status,” said Mr. Medvedev, who is also a professor at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. “One of the main questions of the Russian life is: Who are you? Who are you to drive this way, live in this house, walk with this woman?”

Under the old Soviet system, depending on official status, people would get apartments in a particular building or access to certain resorts or special grocery stores reserved for top officials and their clients — the so-called nomenklatura.

This system disappeared for a while after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. One of Boris N. Yeltsin’s most famous publicity stunts, for instance, was to ride to work on a trolley bus.

But the system quickly re-emerged in the new, capitalist Russia and blossomed under Mr. Putin’s rule, who famously drove through the Novy Arbat section of the virtually emptied special highway in a motorcade during his last presidential inauguration in 2012.

The car that hit Mr. Grachyov, the traffic policeman, in September had a license plate reserved for the Federal Security Service or the F.S.B., said Pyotr M. Shkumatov, who runs the Society of Blue Buckets, a community of drivers who protest against blue flashlights on government cars and other privileges on Russian roads. Mr. Shkumatov said he identified the plate from photographs of the crash scene.

Aleksei Razgonov, a taxi driver, witnessed the crash and filmed its aftermath. In an interview, he said the license plate of the car was removed shortly after the accident, and the driver took off in a Ford Focus with government license plates. Traffic policemen were present during this whole period, he said.

The traffic police said in their official report that the driver left the scene and was not identified.

Russia’s Interior Minister promised a thorough investigation of the death, but no results have been announced. None of the government agencies responsible for an inquiry would respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Medvedev, the professor, said that if you drive in the middle of a highway that gets blocked for Mr. Putin’s motorcade, it means that you belong to the highest caste. To him, the road symbolizes one of the most important principles of Russian politics and life in general, he said — that elites get special treatment, even if regular citizens are put at risk.

“I think Russia would collapse if they installed barriers on the median lane,” he said.

Follow Ivan Nechepurenko on Twitter @INechepurenko .

Night works and lane closures - Williamson Road, near the intersection of Hampstead and Wests roads

We’re building a new tram maintenance and stabling facility for Melbourne’s new next-generation G Class trams on part of the 61 – 71 Hampstead Road site in Maidstone. The accessible, comfortable, and energy-efficient next-generation G Class trams will start testing on the network from 2025. The new trams will service routes 57, 59 and 82.  

On this page

• What we’re doing
• What to expect
• Changes to the way you travel
• Get in touch

From Monday 1 July 2024 to Sunday 14 July 2024

Williamson Road, near the intersection of Hampstead and Wests roads

Works description:

Connecting underground water services, drainage works and installing overheard power poles

What we’re doing  

We’ll be connecting underground water services to existing services along Williamson Road and installing overhead power poles while route 57, 59 and 82 trams aren’t running. 

Sections of the eastbound lanes will be closed with two-way traffic maintained via one lane in each direction from 9pm to 5am, Monday 1 July to Sunday 14 July .

What to expect 

• Noise and vibration 
• Additional lighting for night works 
• Pedestrian detours 
• Traffic management and signage  
• Construction vehicles and machinery movements 

Changes to the way you travel  

Night works will start on the northern side of Williamson Road, then move to the southern side of Williamson Road. 

Please follow reduced speed limits, detour signage and the direction of traffic controllers during these works and allow extra time when travelling through the area.

Access to residential properties will be maintained at all times. 

For more information about the impacts to tram routes 57, 59 and 82 please visit the PTV website . 

Get in touch    

Find more information about the Maidstone tram maintenance and stabling facility .  If you have any questions, please email [email protected] , or call 1800 105 105 anytime. For languages other than English call 9209 0147 . 

Updated 14 June 2024

• Purpose and Need
• Project Update
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• Right of Way
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• DEIS Brochure
• DEIS Document
• FEIS Update
• Past Public Involvement Opportunities

Project Introduction

Thank you for your involvement in the Idaho Transportation Department’s (ITD) U.S. 95, Thorncreek Road to Moscow Project. The U.S. 95, Thorncreek Road to Moscow project will replace approximately 6.5 miles of the existing two-lane roadway with a new four-lane divided highway. The project is expected to improve safety and highway capacity. U.S. 95 is one of Idaho’s most important highways. It serves as the primary link between northern and southern Idaho, and it provides the backbone for all our transportation needs including commercial, agricultural, recreational and residential traffic.

For this project, ITD will:

• Add two lanes in each direction. The lanes would be divided by a 34-foot median in the rural section.
• Add a 12-foot center turn lane and curbs, gutters and sidewalks in the urban section just south of Moscow.
• Improve many of the curves and make the grade less steep.
• Widen the shoulders.
• Add right- and left-turn lanes at county road intersections.
• Add ditches that will keep rain and snowmelt from collecting on the roadway.
• Combine current access points when possible and limit the number of new intersections and driveways.
• Add a 30-foot clear zone. The clear zone is the flat area outside the shoulder. It provides a safe area if a vehicle goes off the road.
• Improve stopping distance by reducing curves. This will allow drivers to see more of the roadway ahead.

We encourage you to stay involved, provide your input and look for project updates on our website. Your involvement is crucial to the success of the U.S. 95 Thorncreek Road to Moscow project.

Project Location

The Idaho Transportation Department continues to move forward with plans for the U.S. 95, Thorncreek Road to Moscow Project.

The final eastern route (E2) for the highway was chosen after a multi-year environmental review process. The Federal Highway Administration issued a Record of Decision (ROD)  for the project in 2016, giving ITD authority to begin final design and purchase land.

A legal motion was brought against FHWA and ITD in 2017 regarding the Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision. The U.S. District Court for Idaho ruled against the motion in favor of FHWA and ITD in August 2017.

Project opposition appealed that decision in January 2018. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the lower court’s decision on December 7, 2018.

ITD will continue right-of-way acquisition and submit a 404 permit application with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. After those two steps are completed, the project can be put out for construction bids. Work could begin as early as late summer 2019.

Please call Ken Helm at  (208)799-5090  if you have any questions about the project.

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#NewStadium #Travel #Information

Travel information for fans attending P!NK this weekend

Fans attending P!NK at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday 15 June and Sunday 16 June are asked to take note of the following travel information, which includes details of TfL track closures...

Please be advised, there will be no trains calling at White Hart Lane on either show day. Frequent services are anticipated through Northumberland Park, Seven Sisters and Tottenham Hale on Saturday and Sunday.

There are some scheduled track closures elsewhere around the capital on the TfL network including on the District Line, Circle Line, Metropolitan Line, Northern Line and the London Overground.

For further information on scheduled TfL track closures CLICK HERE.

For the latest travel news, fans should plan their journey using TfL.gov.uk and nationalrail.co.uk .

Fans are advised to use TfL’s Journey Planner for all the latest travel advice and leave plenty of time for their journey.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Getting Here

General Admission and Premium opening: 5pm

• The stadium is served by three stations over the weekend (Northumberland Park, Tottenham Hale and Seven Sisters) providing access to London Underground, Greater Anglia services and numerous TfL buses
• Free high-capacity shuttle bus services to and from the Piccadilly Line at Wood Green and Greater Northern services at Alexandra Palace connect the stadium with other stations and services
• There is ample cycle parking around the stadium and walking routes to and from the stadium to stations and coach parks are all clearly signposted.  Stewards will also be on hand to answer any questions

Arrive early and stay after the concert to take advantage of the wide range of food outlets , bars and entertainment within the stadium.

Wherever fans are travelling from, particularly if they have never been to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before, we recommend taking the time to read the following information...

Tottenham Hale

Tottenham Hale is a fully accessible station with access to and between Victoria Line and Greater Anglia services. Greater Anglia platforms are fully accessible from the concourse, which has entry and exit ramps.

Fans using the Victoria Line, including wheelchair users and those with limited mobility, are advised to use Tottenham Hale rather than Seven Sisters as it is a shorter journey to and from the stadium.

Northumberland Park

Saturday 15 June

Greater Anglia will operate six trains per hour northbound via Northumberland Park in the two hours leading to gates opening. This service will operate between Liverpool Street and Hertford East, Liverpool Street and Audley End, Stratford and Meridian Water and Stratford and Bishops Stortford. The Stansted Express will call at Northumberland Park once per hour after the concert.

Before the concert there will be six trains per hour southbound between Audley End and Liverpool Street, Hertford East and Liverpool Street, Meridian Water and Stratford, respectively. After the concert, the southbound service will increase to 12 trains per hour, with all southbound trains calling at Tottenham Hale, Stratford and Liverpool Street. This increased service post-concert includes four Stansted Express trains.

CLICK HERE to view Saturday’s full Abellio Greater Anglia timetable...

Sunday 16 June

Greater Anglia will operate five trains per hour northbound via Northumberland Park before the concert. This service will operate between Liverpool Street and Hertford East, Liverpool Street and Audley End and Stratford and Meridian Water. The Stansted Express will call at Northumberland Park once per hour after the concert.

Before the concert there will be four trains per hour southbound between Audley End and Liverpool Street, Hertford East and Stratford, Meridian Water and Stratford, respectively. After the concert, the southbound service will increase to 10 trains per hour, with all southbound trains calling at Tottenham Hale, Stratford and Liverpool Street. This increased service post-concert includes four Stansted Express trains.

CLICK HERE to view Sunday’s full Abellio Greater Anglia timetable...

Fans are advised to use Northumberland Park if using Greater Anglia services as it is a shorter distance to the stadium than Tottenham Hale.

Seven Sisters

Victoria Line services will be operating every 2-3 minutes in both directions throughout the day until 11.30pm, when there will be six trains per hour throughout the night as part of the night tube service.

Post-concert

We expect approximately half the event attendees to depart the Tottenham area via the Victoria Line. Queues can be expected at the High Road entrance to Seven Sisters station. Northumberland Park and Tottenham Hale will be less busy with no significant delays expected at either station.

Fans are advised to avoid station queues and enjoy the food and drink available in the stadium.

General admission areas will call last orders at 10pm with bars closing at 10.30pm. Premium area bars will call last orders at 10.45pm with bars closing at 11pm and the stadium will close for all guests at 11.30pm.

General admission areas will call last orders at 9.30pm with bars closing at 10pm. Premium area bars will call last orders at 10.15pm with bars closing at 10.30pm and the stadium will close for all guests at 11pm.

The stadium is well-served by TfL buses, albeit with some services diverted during the road closure period (from two hours before kick-off until approximately one hour after the final whistle).

Bus diversions will be minimised, so they are back operating on the High Road as soon as possible after the final whistle.

Before and during a concert, services that normally run up and down the High Road (149, 259, 279 and 349) are diverted to the east of the stadium at Lansdowne Road, rejoining the High Road at the Northumberland Park junction.

Road closures

This map shows all the TfL bus stops around the stadium.

Download our TfL buses map

Buses from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Download a map of buses from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Area Overview Map

This map provides an overview of local transport options.

View full map

Road Closures

Please note we shall need to close some roads closest to the stadium before, during and after a concert.

More on road closures

If you’re feeling fit then why not cycle?

More on cycling to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Taxis and Private Hire

Information on Taxis and Private Hire

More on Taxis and Private Hire

From Station to Stadium

Stations map

We have installed wayfinding signage from all four train stations to the stadium.

Please refer to the digital wayfinding signs as you leave the stadium to your chosen station.

Please plan your walking route back to the stations as access routes into the stations are normally different due to post-concert queue management arrangements. Please listen to the advice of stewards and station staff.

We encourage fans to make use of the full length of the platform at each station. Moving down the length of the platform will speed up the loading of the trains and decrease the waiting times for your fellow spectators.

Travelling from Stansted Airport?

Follow this link to stanstedexpress.com  for details of the Stansted Express service from Stansted Airport into Tottenham Hale.

Shuttle Bus Services

Fans should note that the Club operates a service between the stadium and Alexandra Palace (Great Northern Services) and Wood Green (Piccadilly Line) stations.

The Great Northern Line will operate five trains per hour through Alexandra Palace throughout the day.

The Alexandra Palace and Wood Green shuttle services operate three hours before and two hours after the concert. However, fans are advised to arrive at the shuttle bus stop at least one hour before stadium arrival to allow for the travel time and security checks at the stadium.

Although the service is free for all fans attending a concert, you will need to register via the link below before booking and present your e-ticket to bus staff before entry onto a shuttle service.

Pre-book tickets

Service details

Alexandra Palace Station  (Great Northern Services)

Before a concert, shuttle buses pick-up from Station Road (opposite the station entrance) and drop-off outside Haringey Sixth Form College - a five-minute walk from the stadium. This journey is then reversed after a concert.

Wood Green Station  (Piccadilly Line services)

Before a concert, shuttle buses pick-up on the High Road (opposite the bus garage) from the existing rail replacement stop just 60m from the station and also drop-off at White Hart Lane, outside Haringey Sixth Form College. After the concert, the buses will drop fans outside the Green Rooms Hotel opposite Wood Green Station.

Car Parking

The Club is dedicated to minimising the environmental impacts of its activities across all Club operations, including through the promotion of alternative forms of transport for fans and staff.

As such, there is  no parking available  for general admission fans at the stadium.

The  road closures  also mean that,  if you choose to travel by car, you will not be able to exit any car parking facility within the road closure area  for one hour after the final whistle.

Therefore, in most cases, we discourage fans from driving to the stadium, so please explore your public transport options before travelling.

Accessible Parking

Parking for fans with a disability is available in and around the stadium, subject to availability. To request parking, please email [email protected]

For those who have booked accessible parking in advance, please be advised you will be sent the full information on your parking location with directions before the event.

Keeping you informed

Once you’re in the stadium, we shall endeavour to keep all spectators updated with  live transport information   so that you can plan your journey home after the concert. Fans are advised to check nationalrail.co.uk for full information.

With nearly 1,850 screens throughout the stadium, we’ll ensure that you do not miss any key information regarding public transport, as well as posting updates on Tottenham Hotspur Stadium social media.

Coach Parking

Coach parking can be booked in advance here

Coaches will park in the Goods Yard, which is less than a 10-minute walk from the stadium.

This map shows where coaches will park in the local area.

Download our coaches parking map

Should you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

Stay up to date

Planned outage: Files stored in our eDOCS platform may be temporarily unavailable today from noon to 1 p.m.

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511 Travel Info

News releases

June 13, 2024

Latest news releases

Traffic changes ahead on Highway 65 in East Bethel, Ham Lake

Single lane traffic starts monday, june 17 followed by full closure monday, june 23.

ROSEVILLE, Minn. – After several weather-related delays, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will finally begin work on Monday, June 17 to replace the Coon Creek bridges between 143rd Ave and 147th Ave/Andover Boulevard in Ham Lake.

Beginning at 1 a.m. Monday, June 17, Highway 65 traffic will be shifted to a single lane in each direction between Bunker Lake Blvd and 147th Ave./Andover Blvd. to begin the bridge replacement. Traffic will remain a single lane each direction until work is complete on both sides of the road. Work is expected to be completed and the road fully opened by 10 p.m. Sun, July 28.

Early the following Monday, June 24th, Highway 65 will fully close between 187th Lane and Viking Blvd to replace the culvert just south of Viking Boulevard in East Bethel. Access will be maintained to local residences and businesses north of Constance Blvd. up to 187th Lane. Traffic also will be allowed to cross Highway 65 between Constance Blvd. and Viking Blvd. but drivers will be unable to travel east on Viking Blvd. since the J-turn south of Viking Blvd. will be unreachable within the closure.

Through traffic will be detoured between Constance Blvd and Viking Blvd during the closure. Motorists should follow the signed detours for north and southbound Highway 65 and for eastbound Viking Blvd.

Both directions of the highway will close for approximately 23 days and should reopen by 7 p.m. Wed, July 17. Motorists should follow the signed detours to avoid congestion.

The detours are as follows:

• Northbound Highway 65: West on Constance Blvd, north on Round Lake Blvd, east on Viking Blvd, north on Co Rd 13 and east on Co Rd 74 to Highway 65. Traffic can then turn north or south on Highway 65.
• Southbound Highway 65: West on Viking Blvd, south on Round Lake Blvd and east on Constance Blvd to Highway 65.
• Eastbound Viking Blvd (Co Rd 22): East on Viking Blvd, north on Jackson St NE, east on Klondike Drive and south on Highway 65 to Viking Blvd.

Maps of the detour routes are available on the Highway 65 website .

There will be one additional five-day full closure later this summer to replace a culvert beneath Highway 65 just south of 169th Ave/Flamingo Drive. Please watch for more details once a date is scheduled for that pipe replacement.

Resurfacing began in early April on nearly 16.5 miles of Highway 65 between County Road 10 in Spring Lake Park and 217th Ave. in East Bethel. Additionally, MnDOT will replace bridges over Coon Creek in Ham Lake and the culverts south of Viking Blvd. and north of Constance Blvd. Full-depth pavement repairs will correct areas of settlement and high-tension cable median guardrail installed between Bunker Lake Blvd. and 237th Ave. will help prevent cross-median crashes. The 19-mile project includes drainage improvements, and curb ramp and sidewalk upgrades at 11 intersections between Blaine and East Bethel and replacement of signal systems at 85th Ave. and 93rd Ave. in Blaine. The project is anticipated to be complete this fall.

Drivers who regularly use Highway 65, are encouraged to use an alternate route if possible, such as I-35W or Highway 47 to avoid congestion and delays.

All construction activities and traffic impacts are weather and schedule permitting and subject to change. For more information, including upcoming traffic impacts, or to sign up for project updates, visit the Highway 65 project webpage . If you have any questions about the project, contact the project team . Updated road condition information is available by calling 511 or visiting 511mn.org .

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Our goal is to keep Michigan's motorists safe, informed, and mobile. That is why MDOT offers many ways to help ease the stress of commuting by providing information that commuters want and need as they make daily travel decisions.

• Report Potholes
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Did you know that millions of people visit the Great Lakes State every year? Whether you are from out of state or right here in Michigan, we want to ensure your travel throughout Michigan is informative, comfortable, and fun.

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At MDOT, safety is paramount. It is our goal to improve overall safety for all road users, internal staff, contractors performing work on roads, and emergency responders.

Every year, MDOT produces an updated version of the state transportation map. The department also produces numerous geographic information system maps to assist commuters, tourists, and businesses.

In Michigan, there are three publicly-owned and operated bridges: Mackinac Bridge, Blue Water Bridge, and International Bridge. There are also two privately-owned and operated border crossings: Ambassador Bridge and Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

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MDOT is committed to ensuring that projects, programs and services are performed without discrimination, under Title VI.

Contractors and vendors who work on federally assisted projects are required to establish and carry out policies to assure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, national origin, age, or disability.

Resources for minorities, women, and other socially/economically disadvantaged persons.

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M-14/I-96 project: Upcoming weekend closure and weekday lane closures between Sheldon and Newburgh roads

June 12, 2024

PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is planning an upcoming weekend closure for the M-14/I-96 project between Sheldon and Newburgh roads for continued demolition of the Schoolcraft Road bridge and other bridge work over M-14. This work is weather dependent and subject to change.

From 8 p.m. Friday, June 14, to 5 a.m. Monday, June 17, eastbound and westbound M-14/I-96 will be closed between Sheldon Road and I-275 for bridge deck demolition. The following ramps will also be closed:

• Eastbound M-14 to southbound I-275,
• Westbound M-14 to Sheldon Road,
• Northbound I-275 to westbound M-14,
• Southbound I-275 to westbound M-14, and
• Sheldon Road to eastbound M-14.

Westbound M-14/I-96 traffic will be detoured to northbound or southbound I-275:

• Northbound I-275 traffic can go further north to westbound I-96, then southbound US-23 to eastbound or westbound M-14.
• Southbound I-275 traffic can go to westbound I-94, then northbound US-23 to eastbound or westbound M-14.

Eastbound M-14/I-96 traffic will be detoured in Ann Arbor using southbound US-23 to eastbound I-94, then northbound I-275 to eastbound I-96.

Local traffic will use eastbound M-14 to Sheldon Road.

At 5 a.m. Monday, June 17, after M-14/I-96 reopens, the following lane restrictions will begin:

• Eastbound M-14/I-96 will have two lanes open from Sheldon to Haggerty roads through early July.
• Westbound I-96/M-14 will have two lanes open from Newburgh Road to I-275, then one lane open from I-275 to Beck Road through late July.
• The northbound and southbound I-275 ramps to westbound M-14 will be closed through late July.
• The westbound I-96 ramp to northbound I-275 will have one lane open through late July.

Beginning Monday, June 24, through early July:

• The Newburgh Road ramp to westbound M-14/I-96 will be closed.
• The westbound I-96 service drive (Schoolcraft Road) will have two lanes open from Newburgh Road to the westbound I-96 ramp.
• The northbound and southbound Sheldon Road ramps to westbound M-14 will be closed.

Local bridges:

• Northville Road remains closed over M-14 until Thursday, June 13.
• Schoolcraft Road will close Thursday, June 13, once Northville Road reopens.
• Robinwood Drive will close over M-14 from Thursday, June 13, until mid- to late July.
• Haggerty Road will have one lane open over M-14 from Thursday, June 13, until late July.

This three-year, $139 million investment includes rebuilding the freeway with new concrete pavement from Sheldon Road to Newburgh Road, including the ramps at the M-14/I-96/I-275 interchange. Additionally, the work will include maintenance on 17 bridges and the rebuilding of the I-275 Metro Trail along M-14 from Edward Hines Drive to I-275. Bridge work and shoulder widening will be happening throughout the summer, then next year eastbound M-14/I-96 will be rebuilt, followed by the westbound lanes in 2026.

Roughly 66 percent of this project's funding is made possible by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges that are critical to the state's economy and carry the most traffic. The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improves the condition of the state's infrastructure. The other 33 percent of the project's budget is being covered by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law .

Based on economic modeling, this $139 million investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 1,974 jobs.

The project consultant's website ( m14reconstruction.org ) has project details and contact information.

Media Contact:

Diane Cross

MDOT Metro Region Media Representative

[email protected]

248-752-0336

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