Research, Development, and Technology

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center

6300 Georgetown Pike

McLean, VA 22101-2296

Safety Evaluation of Continuous 

Green T Intersections

PUBLICATION NO. FHWA-HRT-16-036 APRIL 2016
FOREWORD

The research documented in this report was conducted as part of the Federal Highway 

Administration’s (FHWA) Evaluation of Low-Cost Safety Improvements Pooled Fund Study 

(ELCSI-PFS). FHWA established this PFS in 2005 to conduct research on the effectiveness of 

the safety improvements identified by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program 

Report 500 Guides as part of the implementation of the American Association of State Highway 

and Transportation Officials Strategic Highway Safety Plan. The ELCSI-PFS studies provide a 

crash modification factor and benefit-cost (B/C) economic analysis for each of the targeted 

safety strategies identified as priorities by the pooled fund member States.

This study compares the safety performance of the continuous green T (CGT) intersections with

conventional signalized T intersections using treatment and comparison sites from Florida and 

South Carolina. The results show crashes were reduced for expected total, fatal and injury, and 

target (rear-end, angle, and sideswipe) crashes at the CGT intersection compared with the 

conventional signalized T intersection. Further, the B/C analysis indicated that the CGT 

intersection is a cost-effective alternative to the traditional, signalized T intersection. This report 

is intended for practicing engineers when contemplating application of CGT intersections and for 

researchers who wish to consider the propensity scores-potential outcomes framework in nonrandomized, observational traffic safety evaluations.

Monique R. Evans, P.E.

Director, Office of Safety

 Research and Development

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation 

in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of 

the information contained in this document.

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or 

manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the 

objective of the document.

Quality Assurance Statement 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve 

Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards 

and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its 

information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to 

ensure continuous quality improvement.
TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE

1. Report No.

FHWA-HRT-16-036

2. Government Accession 

No.

3. Recipient's Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle

Safety Evaluation of Continuous Green T Intersections

5. Report Date

April 2016

6. Performing Organization 

Code

7. Author(s) 

Donnell, Eric; Wood, Jonathan; and Eccles, Kimberly

8. Performing Organization 

Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

VHB

8300 Boone Blvd., Ste. 700

Vienna, VA 22182-2626

Penn State University

212 Sackett Building

University Park, PA 16802 3R7

10. Work Unit No.

11. Contract or Grant No.

DTFH61-13-D-00001

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Highway Administration 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

13. Type of Report and Period

Safety Evaluation

14. Sponsoring Agency Code: 

FHWA

15. Supplementary Notes.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety Research and Development managed this study. The 

FHWA Office of Safety Research and Development Contracting Officer’s Representative Manager was Roya Amjadi.

16. Abstract

The continuous green T (CGT) intersection is characterized by a channelized left-turn movement from the minor street 

approach onto the major street, along with a continuous through movement on the major street. The continuous through 

movement typically has a green through arrow indicator to inform drivers that they do not have to stop. Past research has 

consistently shown that there are operational and environmental benefits to implementing this intersection form at 

three-leg locations when compared with a conventional signalized T intersection. These benefits include reduced delay, 

fuel consumption, and emissions. The safety effects of the conventional signalized T intersection are less clear. Past 

research has been limited to a small sample of intersections in a single State and considered only comparisons in reported 

crashes between adjacent lanes on the major street approach (continuous flow versus the opposing through lanes). The 

study designs used in past safety research were limited to simple statistical comparisons using reported crash data. The 

present study overcomes past safety research evaluations by using a propensity scores-potential outcomes framework to 

compare the safety performance of the CGT with conventional signalized T intersections using 30 treatment and 38 

comparison sites from Florida and 16 treatment and 21 comparison sites from South Carolina. The results showed that 

the expected total, fatal and injury, and target crash (rear-end, angle, and sideswipe) frequencies were lower at the CGT

intersection relative to the conventional signalized T intersection (CMFs of 0.958 (95 percent confidence interval (CI) = 

0.772–1.189), 0.846 (95 percent CI = 0.651–1.099), and 0.920 (95 percent CI = 0.714–1.185), respectively). Further, the 

benefit-cost analysis indicated that the CGT intersection is a cost-effective alternative to the traditional, signalized T

intersection. The results of the safety evaluation were not statistically significant, likely due to a small sample of 

treatments. When considered in combination with the operational and environmental benefits, the CGT intersection 

appears to be a viable alternative intersection form, although anecdotal feedback from South Carolina and Florida 

indicate that some non-motorized users (pedestrians and bicyclists) find it challenging to cross the continuous flow 

through lanes on the major street approach when traffic volumes limit the number or size of available gaps.

17. Key Words 

Continuous green T intersection, safety performance, 

propensity scores, economic analysis

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions. This document is available to the public 

through the National Technical Information Service, 

Springfield, VA 22161. 

http://www.ntis.gov

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages:

81

22. Price

 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed pages authorized.
ii
iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 1

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................ 3

BACKGROUND ON CGT INTERSECTION....................................................................... 3

BACKGROUND ON STUDY.................................................................................................. 5

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................... 7

SAFETY..................................................................................................................................... 7

TRAFFIC OPERATIONS ....................................................................................................... 8

SUMMARY OF CGT INTERSECTIONS............................................................................. 8

CHAPTER 3. OBJECTIVES....................................................................................................... 9

CHAPTER 4. METHODOLOGY............................................................................................. 11

PROPENSITY SCORES FRAMEWORK........................................................................... 11

Propensity Score Assumptions ............................................................................................. 12

Binary Logit Estimation........................................................................................................ 12

MATCHING ALGORITHMS AND METHODS ............................................................... 13

NN Matching ........................................................................................................................ 14

Mahalanobis Matching.......................................................................................................... 15

Genetic Matching.................................................................................................................. 15

Replacement.......................................................................................................................... 16

Dropped Observations .......................................................................................................... 16

Standardized Bias.................................................................................................................. 16

POTENTIAL OUTCOMES USING COUNT REGRESSION MODELS........................ 18

Mixed Effects Negative Binomial......................................................................................... 18

Mixed Effects Poisson .......................................................................................................... 19

CMF Estimation.................................................................................................................... 20

Cross-Sectional Modeling Comparison ................................................................................ 21

CHAPTER 5. DATA COLLECTION....................................................................................... 23

FLORIDA................................................................................................................................ 23

SOUTH CAROLINA.............................................................................................................. 31

CHAPTER 6. MATCHING....................................................................................................... 37

CHAPTER 7. CMF ESTIMATION.......................................................................................... 43

CHAPTER 8. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.................................................................................. 53

ASSUMPTIONS...................................................................................................................... 53

Sensitivity Analysis .............................................................................................................. 57

CHAPTER 9. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS................................................................. 59

Potential Issues with CGT Intersections............................................................................... 59

APPENDIX A. MATCHED DATA MODELS ........................................................................ 61

GENETIC MATCHING........................................................................................................ 61

MAHALANOBIS MATCHING............................................................................................ 63

APPENDIX B. UNMATCHED DATA MODELS................................................................... 65
iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... 69

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 71
v 

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Photo. Driver view of approach toward continuous through lanes at CGT 

intersection (latitude: 32.210420, longitude: -80.695000)........................................................ 4

Figure 2. Photo. Overhead view of approach toward continuous through lanes at CGT 

intersection (latitude: 32.240866, longitude: -80.816626)........................................................ 5

Figure 3. Equation. Binary logit model for propensity scores ...................................................... 12

Figure 4. Equation. Binary logit standard error ............................................................................ 13

Figure 5. Equation. Psuedo R-squared goodness-of-fit ................................................................ 13

Figure 6. Equation. Mahalanobis distance .................................................................................... 15

Figure 7. Equation. Genetic matching distance ............................................................................ 15

Figure 8. Equation. Standardized bias .......................................................................................... 16

Figure 9. Equation. K-S test .......................................................................................................... 17

Figure 10. Equation. Mixed effects negative binomial log-likelihood ......................................... 18

Figure 11. Equation. Mixed effects negative binomial variance function .................................... 19

Figure 12. Equation. Mixed effects predictions ............................................................................ 19

Figure 13. Equation. Mixed Poisson log-likelihood ..................................................................... 20

Figure 14. Equation. Mixed effects Poisson variance function .................................................... 20

Figure 15. Equation. Regression CMF estimation ........................................................................ 20

Figure 16. Equation. Regression CMF CI .................................................................................... 21

Figure 17. Graphs. Plots of estimated propensity scores by State and treatment status 

(South Carolina left and Florida right).................................................................................... 38

Figure 18. Graph. Absolute standardized bias for covariates in Florida ...................................... 39

Figure 19. Graph. Absolute standardized bias for covariates in South Carolina .......................... 40

Figure 20. Schematic. Traditional and CGT intersections ............................................................ 54

Figure 21. Equation. Total pavement required for low posted speed ........................................... 55

Figure 22. Equation. Total pavement required for high posted speed .......................................... 55

Figure 23. Equation. Total number of expected crashes for untreated intersections .................... 55

Figure 24. Equation. Total number of expected crashes per year for the untreated 

intersections ............................................................................................................................ 56
vi 

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Variable descriptions for Florida intersections ............................................................... 25

Table 2. Descriptive statistics of continuous variables for Florida CGT intersections ................ 27

Table 3. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables for Florida CGT intersections ................ 28

Table 4. Descriptive statistics of continuous variables for Florida comparison intersections ...... 29

Table 5. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables for Florida comparison intersections ...... 30

Table 6. Descriptive statistics of continuous variables for South Carolina CGT 

intersections ............................................................................................................................ 32

Table 7. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables for South Carolina CGT 

intersections ............................................................................................................................ 33

Table 8. Descriptive statistics of continuous variables for South Carolina comparison 

intersections ............................................................................................................................ 34

Table 9. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables for South Carolina comparison 

intersections ............................................................................................................................ 35

Table 10. Florida propensity score model ..................................................................................... 37

Table 11. South Carolina propensity score model ........................................................................ 38

Table 12. K-S test results .............................................................................................................. 41

Table 13. Genetic matched regression models and CMF estimates ............................................. 44

Table 14. Mahalanobis matched regression models and CMF estimates ..................................... 46

Table 15. CMF models for unmatched cross-sectional data ......................................................... 50

Table 16. Annual predicted crash frequencies .............................................................................. 56

Table 17. B/C ratios for different pavement types ........................................................................ 57
vii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AADT average annual daily traffic 

AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

B/C benefit-cost

CDF cumulative distribution function

CGT continuous green T

CI confidence interval

CMF crash modification factor

DCMF Development of Crash Modification Factors

EB empirical Bayes

ELCSI-PFS Evaluation of Low-Cost Safety Improvements Pooled Fund Study

FDOT Florida Department of Transportation

FHWA Federal Highway Administration

HSM Highway Safety Manual

K-S Kolmogorov-Smirnov

NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program

NN nearest-neighbor

PDO property damage only

PFS pooled fund study

SCDOT South Carolina Department of Transportation

SUTVA Stable Unit Treatment Value Assumption

1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This study used a propensity scores-potential outcomes framework to evaluate the safety 

performance of the continuous green T (CGT) intersection relative to a conventional signalized T

intersection. Data from 30 CGT (treated) and 38 conventional signalized (untreated) intersections 

from Florida were used in the evaluation, as were 16 treated and 21 untreated sites from South 

Carolina. In the propensity scores-potential outcomes framework, a propensity scores model was 

estimated using a binary logistic regression model, where the dependent variable was codified as 

a binary variable based on the presence of the CGT or the conventional T signalized intersection 

form. The independent variables in the propensity scores model included safety-influencing 

features present at the intersections, including the average annual daily traffic on the major and 

minor street approaches, the posted speed limit, cross-sectional widths, and the type of 

intersection channelization. The propensity scores were then used to match treated (CGT) to 

untreated (conventional signalized) intersections, mimicking a randomized experiment. After 

matching, the potential outcomes were estimated using mixed effects negative binomial or 

Poisson count regression models (where possible) and weighted using negative binomial 

regression with robust standard errors otherwise. The expected total, fatal and injury, and target 

crash frequencies were used as the dependent variables in the count models, while the 

intersection safety-influencing variables were used as independent variables. In addition, an 

indicator variable was used in the potential outcomes model to assess the safety performance of 

the CGT relative to a conventional T signalized intersection.

The results showed that there was a small but statistically insignificant benefit associated with 

the CGT intersection relative to the conventional signalized T intersection. The crash 

modification factors (CMFs) associated with total crashes, fatal and injury crashes, and target 

crashes were 0.958 (p-value = 0.699, 95-percent confidence interval (CI) = 0.772–1.189), 0.846 

(p-value = 0.211, 95-percent CI = 0.651–1.099), and 0.920 (p-value = 0.519, 95-percent CI = 

0.714–1.185), respectively. Because the propensity scores-potential outcomes framework 

involves matching, some treated and untreated intersections in the database were not included in 

the analysis sample. For purposes of comparison, cross-sectional regression models using all 

available data were estimated, and the results were similar to the propensity scores-potential 

outcomes results. In these models, the CMFs associated with total, fatal and injury, and target 

crashes were 0.886 (p-value = 0.389), 0.844 (p-value = 0.230), and 0.808 (p-value = 0.187), 

respectively. The benefit-cost analysis confirmed that the CGT is a cost-effective intersection 

design alternative to the conventional T signalized intersection.

3

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND ON CGT INTERSECTION

The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Development of Crash Modification Factors 

(DCMF) program was established in 2012 to address highway safety research needs for 

evaluating new and innovative safety strategies (improvements) by developing reliable 

quantitative estimates of their effectiveness in reducing crashes. The goal of the DCMF program 

is to provide measures of their safety effectiveness and benefit-cost (B/C) ratios for new safety 

strategies based on research. Promotion of the effective safety strategies has the potential benefit 

of decreasing total crashes and, subsequently, reducing fatalities. Furthermore, transportation 

agencies will be able to use safety effectiveness estimates and B/C ratios to manage safety on the 

highway and street network by making effective use of limited resources. There are 40 State 

transportation departments that provide technical feedback on safety improvements to the DCMF 

program and implement new safety improvements to facilitate evaluations. These States are 

members of the Evaluation of Low Cost Safety Improvements Pooled Fund Study (ELCSI-PFS)

and have selected this study to be conducted under this program.

At-grade intersections are an inherent conflict location on the highway and street network 

because the turning or crossing paths of motorized and non-motorized users frequently interact at 

these locations. As a result, crashes involving both user groups often occur at intersections.

FHWA estimates that, on average, 26 percent of fatal and 50 percent of injury crashes in the 

United States occur at intersections. National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 

Report 500, Volume 12, A Guide for Reducing Collisions at Signalized Intersections estimated 

that approximately 30 percent of fatal intersection crashes occur at locations with signalized 

control.(1) Intersection safety is a priority among transportation agencies in the United States.

Alternative intersection designs have emerged in recent years to improve traffic operations and

safety. Implementation of specific alternative intersection forms is dependent on the conditions 

present at the location of interest. The presence of traffic congestion, high crash frequencies, or 

severe crash outcomes at existing intersections often necessitates either operational or safety 

improvements. Rather than seeking traditional traffic measures to mitigate delay or traffic safety 

problems, practitioners are now seeking opportunities to convert conventional intersections into 

alternative, innovative forms. Examples of alternative intersections include the displaced leftturn, restricted crossing U-turn, and median U-turn. 

Another alternative intersection type that has been employed in several States is the continuous 

green T (CGT) intersection. CGT intersections are an alternative to conventional signalized T 

intersections. CGT intersections are characterized by a channelized left-turn movement from the 

minor street approach onto the mainline (major street), along with a continuous mainline through 

movement that occurs at the same time.

(2) The continuous-moving through lanes are not 

controlled by a traffic signal phase, while the other intersection movements are controlled by a 

three-phase signal. The through lanes on the mainline that have continuous flow typically contain 

a green through arrow signal indicator to inform drivers that they do not have to stop. The 

continuous through lanes are often separated from the left-turn and merge lanes with delineators, 

curbed islands, pavement markings, or other separations. Figure 1 shows a major street approach 
4

to the continuous through lanes of a CGT intersection. An aerial view of a full CGT intersection 

is shown in figure 2.

Original image: ©2014 Google®.

Figure 1. Photo. Driver view of approach toward continuous through lanes at CGT 

intersection (latitude: 32.210420, longitude: -80.695000).

(3)
5

Original image: ©2014 Google®.

Figure 2. Photo. Overhead view of approach toward continuous through lanes at CGT 

intersection (latitude: 32.240866, longitude: -80.816626).

(4)

BACKGROUND ON STUDY

In 1997, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) 

Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety, with the assistance of FHWA, the National 

Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Transportation Research Board Committee on 

Transportation Safety Management, met with safety experts in the fields of driver, vehicle, and 

highway issues from various organizations to develop a strategic plan for highway safety. These 

participants developed 22 key emphasis areas that affect highway safety. NCHRP published a 

series of guides to advance the implementation of countermeasures targeted to reduce crashes 

and injuries. Each guide addresses one of the emphasis areas and includes an introduction to the 

problem, a list of objectives for improving safety, and strategies for each objective. Each strategy 

is designated as proven, tried, or experimental. Many of the strategies discussed in these guides 

have not been rigorously evaluated; about 80 percent of the strategies are considered tried or 

experimental.

In 2005, to support the implementation of the guides, FHWA organized a PFS to evaluate lowcost safety strategies as part of this strategic highway safety effort. Over the years, the ELCSIPFS has grown in size and now includes 40 States. The purpose of the ELCSI-PFS is to evaluate 

the safety effectiveness of tried and experimental, low-cost safety strategies through 
6

scientifically rigorous crash-based studies. The use of CGT at signalized intersections was 

selected as a strategy to be evaluated as part of this effort.
7

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

SAFETY

CGT intersections have been used for several decades in Florida.

(5) It has been reported that 

Florida citizens do not feel that CGT intersections are safe, especially for unfamiliar drivers.

(5)

For this reason, Sando et al. completed a safety evaluation of the CGT intersection using only 

data from Florida.(5) The authors used a paired t-test and an ordered probit model to analyze 

crash type proportions and severity, respectively. The analysis compared crashes that were 

reported on the continuous through lane on the major CGT roadway with crashes that were 

reported on the major road turning lane (i.e., the lane that must stop at the signal). Data consisted 

of crashes at nine Florida intersections from the years 2003 through 2008. There were a total of 

398 crashes in the study sample.

The paired t-tests compared the proportions of total crashes in each direction that were lanechanging (sideswipe), rear-end, and angle. No differences were found in the proportion of rearend and angle crashes when comparing the two travel lanes (i.e., continuous flow versus signalcontrolled travel lane). The continuous flow lanes had a statistically significant higher proportion 

of sideswipe crashes than the lanes that had to stop. This was likely due to turning vehicles 

merging onto the continuous flow lanes. This analysis did not account for the total crash 

frequency or any potential confounding factors. Because the analysis results were based on a 

simple comparison of crash proportions between lane groups, rather than rigorous statistical 

methods, the results of the study have limited practical value.

The ordered probit was used to analyze crash severity outcomes. The severity levels considered 

in the model included no injury, non-incapacitating injury, incapacitating injury, and fatal.

Two ordered probit models were estimated—one model that controlled for crash type and one 

that controlled for geometric elements, lighting, weather, time of day, speed limit, and driver age.

The findings indicated that the continuous flow lanes on the CGT major road had lower severity 

outcomes when controlling for geometrics, lighting, weather, time of day, speed limit, and driver 

age when compared with the turning lane on the major road. The opposite finding occurred when 

only crash type was considered in the model. Neither of these findings, however, were

statistically significant. 

In a second study using Florida CGT intersection information to evaluate safety, Jarem compiled 

crash data from five intersections to compare crash rates at each CGT intersection with a critical 

crash rate.

(6) The method to determine the critical crash rate was not provided by the author; 

however, this method often involves determining the average crash rate for similar roadway 

types plus an adjustment for the desired level of statistical confidence. The study included 

reported crashes at the CGT intersections from 2000 through 2003, which included a total of 117 

crashes (10 of which were rear-end collisions caused by drivers inadvertently stopping in the 

continuous flow lanes). The crash rate analysis assumes a linear relationship between crash 

frequency and traffic volumes, which is rarely found in traffic-safety relationships.

(7) The 

findings from the analysis suggested that the reported crash rates for each of the CGT 

intersections were lower than the critical crash rates, likely indicating that the CGT intersections 

did not produce crash rates that exceeded average rates at similar intersections without the 
8

continuous green movement. A diagnostic review of the reported crashes at CGT intersections in 

Florida found that rear-end, sideswipe, and angle crashes were the most common types. The rearend crashes were often caused by drivers who unexpectedly stopped in the continuous flow lane.

Sideswipe and angle crashes occurred when drivers turning left from the minor leg of the 

intersection were turning or merging with the through traffic on the major road.

TRAFFIC OPERATIONS

Jarem also completed an analysis of the operational effectiveness of CGT intersections.(6) The 

analysis considered the five CGT intersections used in the safety analysis and subsequently 

performed traffic simulations using traffic analysis software to estimate the total delay savings

(per vehicle) and total fuel savings achieved by the continuous flow lanes (compared with a 

standard signalized T intersection). The findings indicated that the CGT intersections resulted in 

savings of 3.7 to 28.4 s of delay per vehicle (1,601 and 4,786 vehicles/h, respectively) and 0.005

to 0.015 gal of fuel saved per vehicle (5,275 and 1,622 vehicles/h, respectively). The traffic 

volumes for the movements other than for the through lanes were not provided.

Litsas and Rakha provided a more comprehensive operational analysis of CGT intersections.(8)

Simulation software was used to run 2,445 unique intersection condition combinations to 

compare CGT with traditional signalized T intersections.

(8) The analysis estimated the reduction 

in vehicle delay, fuel usage, hydrocarbon emissions, carbon monoxide emissions, nitrogen oxide 

emissions, and carbon dioxide emissions. The simulation results indicated that CGT intersections 

resulted in a 10.29 percent reduction in vehicle delay, 2.78 percent fuel savings, 12.47 percent

fewer hydrocarbon emissions, 14.44 percent fewer carbon monoxide emissions, 4.38 percent

fewer nitrogen oxide emissions, and 2.29 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than traditional 

signalized T intersections.

SUMMARY OF CGT INTERSECTIONS

Safety and operational evaluations of the CGT intersection are relatively limited in the literature.

With regards to safety, crash type proportion analyses have indicated that continuous flow 

movements at CGT intersections do not differ from the through lanes in the opposing direction.

There are preliminary findings to suggest that the proportion of sideswipe crashes on the 

continuous flow lanes on the major road were higher relative to the opposing through lanes, but 

there were not significant differences in other crash types. No statistically significant differences 

among severity outcomes have been reported when comparing the CGT continuous flow lanes to 

the lanes in the opposing direction. With regard to operations, published research indicates that 

the vehicle delay, emissions, and fuel consumption are lower at CGT intersections relative to 

traditional signalized T intersections.
9

CHAPTER 3. OBJECTIVES

The objective of the present study was to examine the safety effectiveness of CGT intersections 

in terms of crash frequency using a rigorous methodology. The propensity scores-potential 

outcomes framework described by Sasidharan and Donnell was used.(9) In this analysis, the

safety performance of CGT intersections was compared with the safety performance of 

traditional, signalized T intersections. The following target crashes were included in the 

evaluation:

• Total crashes within 250 ft of the intersection.

• Fatal and injury crashes within 250 ft of the intersection.

• Rear-end, angle, and sideswipe crashes within 250 ft of the intersection.

The 250-ft measurement was defined by Harwood et al. as the boundary for intersection-related 

crashes when assessing the safety performance of left- and right-turn lanes at three- and 

four-legged, stop- and signal-controlled intersections.

(10)

11

CHAPTER 4. METHODOLOGY

This chapter describes the propensity scores-potential outcomes framework that was used to 

estimate the safety effectiveness of the CGT intersection relative to a traditional signalized T

intersection. The propensity scores estimation method, matching methods, and the potential 

outcomes estimation method are described in this chapter. An observational before-after 

evaluation (using the empirical Bayes (EB) method) could not be used in the present study,

because the CGT intersections were either constructed as such or the conversion from a 

traditional signalized T intersection to a CGT intersection took place long ago, precluding the 

availability of electronic crash data from the before period. Recent research has shown that the 

propensity scores-potential outcomes framework produces safety effect estimates (i.e., CMFs) 

that are nearly identical to EB observational before-after and cross-sectional statistical models 

when treatments are deployed at locations that were not selected for countermeasure 

implementation based on high crash frequencies.(11) Because the CGT is an intersection form that 

is constructed to improve traffic operations when site conditions permit, and because only after 

data were available for analysis (i.e., no crash data were available when the intersections may 

have operated either under a different configuration or with different control), the analysis is 

therefore not subject to site-selection bias. Thus, it is assumed that the propensity scorespotential outcomes framework will produce results equivalent to the EB method.

The propensity scores-potential outcomes methodology used in the study controlled for the 

following:

• Comparability of the comparison intersections (traditional signalized T intersection).

• Missing traffic volume data.

• The need to pool data from multiple States to improve the sample size.

PROPENSITY SCORES FRAMEWORK 

Randomized experiments are considered the gold standard for determining the causal effects of 

treatments. Well-conducted randomized experiments yield unbiased estimates of average 

treatment effects because there is no correlation between the treatment and all other important 

covariates, other than the outcome of interest (i.e., there is no confounding).

(12,13) Thus, methods 

that remove correlation between the treatment and other important predictor (independent)

variables in observational studies lead to estimates of treatment effects that are similar to the 

results of a randomized experiment.

Propensity score analysis can be used to mimic randomized experiments by using observed 

covariates to estimate the probability that an observation received a treatment (i.e., the propensity 

score).

(14) Propensity scores can be viewed as a scalar summary of the multivariate covariates, 

and balancing the true propensity score will lead to balance of all observed covariates.(14) In the 

context of traffic safety, examples may include the probability that an at-grade intersection 

contains lighting (or not) based on site-specific features such as traffic volume, type of traffic 

control, and level of pedestrian demand. Another example may be the probability that a roadway 

segment contains a horizontal curve as a function of traffic volume, lane width, and roadside 

geometry. The estimated propensity scores are then used to match treated and untreated 
12

observations.

(15,16) This process removes correlation between the treatment and observed 

covariates. When propensity score matching is paired with regression analysis (performed after 

matching), selection bias is reduced.

Binary logit or probit models are commonly used to estimate propensity scores.

(9,15,16) The 

estimated propensity scores should include all variables that could potentially be relevant to the 

treatment. As such, the variables included in the propensity score model should not be selected 

based on statistical significance.

(9,17,18) Since the goal of propensity score analysis is to remove 

correlation between the treatment and other potentially important predictor variables, the 

functional form of the variables in the propensity score model should be selected based on which 

functional form yields the best matching results.

Propensity Score Assumptions

The following assumptions are associated with propensity score analysis:

(9,15,16)

1. Stable Unit Treatment Value Assumption (SUTVA): This assumption states that when a 

treatment is applied to an entity, it does not affect the outcome for any other entity. Since the 

CGT intersections and the comparison intersections were separated, it is not likely that the 

CGT intersections affected the safety outcomes for the comparison intersections. Thus, the 

SUTVA was met for this study.

2. Positivity: This assumption states that the probability of receiving the treatment is non-zero

for all observations. The comparison intersections were carefully selected to ensure that it 

would be possible to install CGT intersections at the reference intersection locations. The 

comparison intersections all had high enough traffic volumes on the main road to warrant 

continuous flow lanes (on major highways). In addition, they were all signalized T

intersections, were in urban/suburban areas, were located near the CGT intersections 

(whenever possible), and had existing left-turn lanes from the major road onto the 

intersecting road. Thus, this assumption was met for the current study.

3. Unconfoundedness: The treatment assignment is unconfounded if the treatment status 

(treated or untreated) is conditionally independent of the potential outcomes for a given set of 

covariates. It must be assumed that all confounding covariates were measured and available 

for this analysis. 

Binary Logit Estimation

The propensity score for a treatment was estimated in the present study using binary logit 

regression, which is specified in the equation in figure 3.

(19)

( ) ( )

( )i

i

x

x

p i

β

β

1 exp

exp

+ =

Figure 3. Equation. Binary logit model for propensity scores.
13

Where:

xi = A set of covariates for entity i (i.e., intersection safety-influencing features such as average 

annual daily traffic (AADT), the intersection skew angle, and the intersection’s location (if any) 

on a horizontal curve).

β = A vector of parameters to be estimated.

p(i) = The propensity score for entity i.

The standard error for the propensity score can also be calculated. The formula for the standard 

error of a binary logit is specified as seen in the equation in figure 4. (20)

( ( )) ( )( ( ))

n

p i p i SE p i − = 1

Figure 4. Equation. Binary logit standard error.

Where: 

n = The sample size used to estimate the propensity score.

SE(pn(i)) = The standard error of the propensity score for entity i.

In traffic safety evaluations, it is common to assess the quality of model fit using the McFadden 

Pseudo R-squared (ρ2), which is analogous to the R-squared value used to express the goodnessof-fit of an ordinary least squares regression model, where higher values indicate a better fit to 

the data, and can take a value between 0 and 1. It is expressed as seen in the equation in 

figure 5:

(19,21)

ρ2 = 1– (0)

( )

L

L full

Figure 5. Equation. Psuedo R-squared goodness-of-fit.

Where:

L(full) = Log-likelihood of the model with explanatory variables.

L(0) = Log-likelihood of the intercept-only model.

However, the best model when using matching, within the propensity scores-potential outcomes 

framework, is the model that yields the best covariate balance, not the model with the best

ρ2 value.

MATCHING ALGORITHMS AND METHODS

Numerous algorithms exist for propensity score matching. Among them are nearest-neighbor 

(NN) matching, K-nearest neighbor matching, radius matching, kernel matching, and 

Mahalanobis matching.

(9,15,16) The optimal method for matching is dependent on the available 
14

data. Typically, either caliper-based NN or Mahalanobis matching is used.

(16) Either 1:1 (one 

treated to one untreated) matching or 1:n (1 treated to n untreated) matching can be done using 

either NN or Mahalanobis matching. If the sample sizes of the treated and untreated groups are 

similar, 1:1 matching is often an appropriate choice. (16)

Other issues related to propensity score matching relate to allowing replacement (permitting a 

comparison or untreated entity to be matched to more than one treated entity) and eliminating 

data for use in the potential outcomes estimation.

(9,15,16) Discussion of these issues follow 

descriptions of the NN and Mahalanobis matching algorithms in the following subsections.

NN Matching

The first step in NN matching is to randomly order the data.

(9) If the data are not randomly 

ordered and there are multiple observations with the same propensity scores, the results may be 

biased.

(15) Once this is done, it is possible to use either 1:1 or 1:n matching. When closeness of 

the match is critical (how similar the matched entities are based on the estimated propensity 

score), or the sample size of the two groups are similar, 1:1 matching is preferred.

(16) On the 

other hand, 1:n matching increases the total sample size, leading to lower standard errors in 

regression estimates of the potential outcomes (with potentially smaller standard errors than in 

simple cross-sectional analysis of the data). (22) However, this often comes at the expense of 

making the treated and comparison groups less comparable.

(16) Issues related to replacement are

described in more detail in the following sections.

When using NN matching, the differences between treated and untreated observations may be 

small or large. In order to account for large differences, two things should be considered. First, 

the data should be checked for common overlap (the distribution of propensity scores that is 

shared between the treated and comparison groups). Second, use of calipers or confidence 

intervals (CIs) should be used to ensure that differences between matched treated and untreated 

observations are not significantly dissimilar.

(9,15,16)

Specifying a caliper width ensures that all matched observations will have a maximum 

propensity score difference within the range of the caliper width. Common caliper widths used

are 0.25 or 0.20 multiplied by the standard deviation of the propensity scores within the treated 

group.

(9,16) Other caliper widths can be used as long as the standardized bias in the matching 

results is not too large (typically assumed to be greater than 0.25 or 0.20). Larger caliper widths 

allow increased selection bias to remain in the data due to larger differences between the treated 

and comparison groups. Smaller caliper widths minimize the differences between the treated and 

comparison groups but often come at the expense of dropped observations.

(16) However, it has 

been shown that with large datasets, the treatment effects estimates do not change significantly 

as the caliper width changes.

(23)

Once the matching criteria have been established, the treated observations are matched to the 

untreated observations with the most similar propensity score (within the caliper width or 

CI).

(9,15,16) If replacement is allowed, a single untreated observation can be copied and matched to 

multiple treated observations if it has the nearest propensity score. If replacement is not 

permitted, then each untreated observation may only be used once. After matching has occurred, 

unmatched treated and comparison observations are dropped from the dataset and not used in the 
15

potential outcomes.

(9) The results should then be checked, and the standardized bias for the 

unmatched data and the matched data should be compared.

(9) The standardized bias indicates 

whether the matching was effective in achieving covariate balance.

Mahalanobis Matching

Mahalanobis matching uses the same algorithm as NN matching with one difference: the treated 

observations are matched to the untreated observations with the closest match based on multiple 

variables, not just the propensity score.

(16) The closest match based on multiple variables uses the 

Mahalanobis distance. This method may specify that the untreated observations available for 

matching to a treated observation be within a specified caliper or CI based on the propensity 

score, but this is not required as long as the matching results lead to small values of standardized

bias.

(9,15,16) As with NN matching, the data should be randomly ordered prior to matching. The 

Mahalanobis distance is calculated using the equation in figure 6.

(16)

d(x y) (x y) S (x y)     T   = − − −1 ,

Figure 6. Equation. Mahalanobis distance.

Where: 

d(x, y) = The Mahalanobis distance matrix between groups x and y (i.e., treated and untreated 

groups) using the variables specified for the matching. 

(x − y)  

= The matrix of the differences in values between groups x and y for the variables 

included in the matching.

S = The covariance matrix between x and y.

The propensity scores can be included as one of the variables in the Mahalanobis distance along 

with other important matching variables.

Genetic Matching

Genetic matching is a sequential process that optimizes covariate balance by finding the best 

matches for each treated entity.

(16) The genetic matching process minimizes imbalance across the 

covariates; therefore, it optimizes covariate balance.

(24) This is accomplished by minimizing a 

general Mahalanobis distance defined in figure 7.

(24)

GMD(x y W ) (x y) S S W (x y)

T     T    − 

 



 = − − − 2

1

2

1

, ,

Figure 7. Equation. Genetic matching distance.

Where:

GMD = The genetic matching distance.
16

S-1/2 = The Cholesky decomposition of S (i.e., S = S-1/2(S-1/2)

T

).

W = The weighting matrix.

With genetic matching, both the propensity score and other covariates can be included in the 

matching scheme. The iterative process uses Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) statistics to measure 

covariate balance in addition to standardized bias measures.

(24) Genetic matching results in 

optimal matches but often does so at the cost of high computation times.

(16)

Replacement

Replacement is defined as allowing a single untreated observation to be replicated and matched 

to multiple treated observations. Allowing replacement may be beneficial when the amount of 

common overlap (portion of distribution of propensity scores shared by the treated and 

comparison groups) is not sufficient to produce good matching or when a significant amount of 

dropped observations would result if replacement is not permitted. When there is only a 

moderate amount of common overlap, replacement reduces the amount of dropped observations 

and is likely to reduce the amount of bias in the data.

(16) When there is a significant amount of 

common overlap, matching without replacement is preferred.

(16)

Dropped Observations

Dropped observations can result from poor common overlap and from narrow caliper widths.

Dropped untreated observations often occur when matching. However, restricting caliper widths 

will result in treated observations being dropped from the analysis sample when no untreated 

observations have propensity scores within the acceptable range for matching. The tradeoffs 

between caliper width, replacement allowance, and the number of dropped observations must be 

considered in the propensity scores-potential outcomes framework. When caliper width is 

increased, the standardized bias (discussed in the next subsection) could increase, which will also 

increase the sample size used in the analysis (i.e., fewer dropped observations resulting from 

matching). An increased sample size often leads to greater statistical power (i.e., smaller 

standard errors of the estimates). It has been shown in previous research that when the 

standardized bias is kept within a small maximum value (usually 0.20 to 0.25), and the sample 

size is maximized, the matched estimates of treatment effects can yield unbiased estimates of the 

treatment effects that have smaller standard errors than an unmatched sample.

(22)

Standardized Bias

As noted previously, standardized bias should be checked for propensity scores and other

important covariates to assess the quality of covariate balance achieved from matching. The 

equation in figure 8 is used to compute the standardized bias.

(9)

( )

( )

2

100

2 2

T C

T C

S S

x x SB

+

− =

Figure 8. Equation. Standardized bias.
17

Where:

SB = The standardized bias.

T x = The sample mean of the treated group for variable x.

Cx = The sample mean of the comparison group for variable x. 2

T S = The sample variance of the treated group for variable x. 2

C S = The sample variance of the comparison group for variable x.

Before-after matching comparisons of standardized bias for the propensity score and other 

covariates provide an indication of the improvement in covariate balance resulting from

matching on the propensity score. A standardized bias with an absolute value of 20 or smaller 

indicates no statistical difference between the treated and comparison groups (i.e., they are 

equivalent).

(16)

It has also been pointed out that even when the mean and standard error two groups are similar, 

the distributions of the two groups may still be significantly different due to different 

distributional shapes.

(25) Thus, a K-S test is also used to assess covariate balance.(26) The K-S test 

compares the cumulative frequencies of two samples. Based on this comparison, the statistical fit 

of the two distributions is estimated.

(27) This test uses the maximum difference (Dn) between the 

two distributions to estimate the statistical fit. The distance is calculated using figure 9.

(27)

( ) ( ) n n i n i D = max F x − S x

Figure 9. Equation. K-S test.

Where:

Max = Maximize function.

Fn(xi) = The cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the treated group for variable x at value i.

Sn(xi) = The CDF of the untreated group for variable x at value i.

The p-values for the K-S tests are obtained from a standard mathematical table.

(27) This test can 

be used to test the covariate balance for any covariate of interest.

In summary, the present study estimated the propensity scores using a binary logistic regression 

model. The propensity scores compare the probability that a signalized intersection in the pool of 

observations is a CGT form versus a traditional signalized intersection based on the covariates 

(e.g., traffic volume, intersection skew angle, and presence of horizontal curve). NN matching 

was first used to match each CGT intersection (treatment site) to a traditional signalized 

intersection (comparison site). If, based on the reduction of the standardized bias in the 

covariates among the matched data, acceptable matching was not produced, then Mahalanobis 

matching was used. Replacement was permitted when matching to minimize the amount of 

dropped data from the analysis sample.
18

POTENTIAL OUTCOMES USING COUNT REGRESSION MODELS

After matching treated (CGT) and untreated sites (conventional signalized T intersections), the 

potential outcomes (crash frequency) were estimated using count regression models. The use of 

Poisson regression to model crash frequency was introduced in 1986.

(28) Negative binomial 

regression, a general form of Poisson regression that accounts for overdispersion, was later used 

to estimate crash frequencies in the traffic safety literature.

(29,30) Negative binomial regression 

was used to develop the safety performance functions in the first edition of the Highway Safety 

Manual (HSM).

(31) However, the standard Poisson and negative binomial models do not account 

for serial correlation, which results when crash data are recorded annually at a site over a period 

of years, and these repeated observations are the analysis unit (i.e., annual expected crash 

frequency is the dependent variable in a statistical model). Thus, the standard errors for the 

regression results using these models were likely underestimated.

Regression models that account for the count nature of crash frequency data, serial (spatial or 

temporal) correlation, and correlation between variables in the model (e.g., major and minor road 

traffic volumes) and that can estimate parameters for variables that do not vary over time include 

mixed effects negative binomial and Poisson models.

(21,32) Since this study used data with 

correlation between variables included in the model, the data included yearly data (repeated 

measurements) for each of the intersections and the variable of interest (if it was a CGT 

intersection or not), all of these issues were present in this study. A discussion of each of these 

models follows.

Mixed Effects Negative Binomial

The mixed effects negative binomial allows parameters to be fixed or random when specifying 

the model.

(21) The inclusion of random parameters corrects for serial correlation while allowing 

estimation of an overdispersion parameter to capture the effects of within-cluster overdispersion

(i.e., when the variance of crashes is greater than the mean for each individual intersection). The 

log-likelihood function for the mixed effects negative binomial is shown in figure 10.

(33)

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ∫ − − − ∑ = ∑ k k − k ∑ k k

q , , 2 f y | u , exp u' u / 2 du 1 / 2 1/ 2

 β α π α

Figure 10. Equation. Mixed effects negative binomial log-likelihood.

Where:

uk = The random intercept/slope for entity k.

yk = The outcome for entity k.

q = The number of covariates included in the model.

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) { ( )}

{ ( )} 







































+ − − −

− Γ + − Γ + − Γ − + + + − = ∑=

j n

i

ik ik k

ik ik ik k

k k

y x u

y y x u

f y u 1 log 1 exp log

log 1 exp log 1 1 log 1 log 1 log | , exp

β α

β α

α α α α

β = The vector of coefficients.

α = The overdispersion parameter.
19

A mixed effects negative binomial regression model with only the intercept allowed to be 

random is known as a random intercept model.

(21) If all parameters are specified to be random, 

the model is known as a random parameters model. The mixed effects model is sometimes 

referred to as a random parameter or random coefficient model, even if some of the parameters 

are specified as fixed parameters.

(21) When multiple parameters are allowed to be random, the 

model adds more adjustment for overdispersion into the model than the mixed-effects Poisson or 

the random intercept negative binomial. Thus, the model must be checked to ensure that it is not 

adjusting for more correlation than is warranted in the data.

(21) This can be done by assessing the 

statistical significance of the overdispersion parameter as well as using a chi-square test to assess 

if the mixed effects model is preferred to a standard negative binomial regression. The null 

hypothesis for the chi-square test is that the mixed effects model does not fit the data better than 

the standard negative binomial regression.

When multiple random coefficients are used, the variance function for a mixed effects model is 

difficult to derive. However, for the case of a random intercept negative binomial, the variance 

function (for observation i) is specified as seen in figure 11.

(33)

( ) { ( )( ) }( ) 2 2 Var μi = μi + exp σ 1−α −1 μi

Figure 11. Equation. Mixed effects negative binomial variance function.

Var = The variance.

μ = The expected mean.

σ = The standard deviation of the random intercept.

α = The overdispersion parameter.

When the overdispersion parameter is not statistically significant, the mixed effects negative 

binomial regression model reduces to a mixed effects Poisson model. The expected mean for 

observation i, based on the random intercept negative binomial model, is given as seen in 

figure 12.

(32)

( ) ( ) i i i μ = exp ξ exp βx

Figure 12. Equation. Mixed effects predictions.

Where:

ξ i = The random intercept for observation i.

xi = The vector of variables for observation i.

When a mixed effects model is used for prediction, the mean values of the estimated random 

parameters are used as the constant for the prediction model.

Mixed Effects Poisson

The mixed effects Poisson model is the same as a mixed effects negative binomial model but 

without overdispersion within clusters (a cluster for this study is defined as multiple repeated 
20

measurements at the same intersection over time). The log-likelihood for the mixed effects 

Poisson is shown in figure 13.

(33)

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ∫ − − − ∑ = ∑ k k − k ∑ k k

q , 2 f y | u exp u' u / 2 du 1 / 2 1/ 2

 β π

Figure 13. Equation. Mixed Poisson log-likelihood.

Where:

( ) { ( ) ( ) ( )}



 



 = ∑ + − + − =

n j

i

k k ik ik k ik k ik f y u y x u x u y

1

| exp β exp β log !

In figure 13, the subscript i refers to the observation, while all other variables and subscripts are 

defined in figure 10 and figure 12. In the context of this study, the observation i refers to a year 

associated intersection or entity k.

The variance function for a mixed effects Poisson model with the random term limited to the

intercept only (random intercept Poisson) is specified using the equation in figure 14.

(32)

( ) { ( ) }( ) 2 2 Var μi = μi + exp σ −1 μi

Figure 14. Equation. Mixed effects Poisson variance function.

The expected mean value for an observation using a random intercept Poisson model is found 

using the equation in figure 12.

CMF Estimation

CMFs derived from regression models in the propensity scores-potential outcomes framework 

are estimated using the coefficient for the treatment indicator variable (included in the model) as 

the exponent of the base number e. The formula for this is shown in figure 15.

( ) CMFTreatment β Treatment = exp

Figure 15. Equation. Regression CMF estimation.

Where:

CMFTreatment = The CMF for the treatment. β Treatment = The estimated coefficient for the treatment.

It should be noted that figure 15 uses the regression coefficient for the treatment indicator 

variable, which is included in the mixed effects Poisson or negative binomial regression model.

The 95-percent CIs for CMFs using count models are calculated using the equation in figure 16.
21

( ) CI β Treatment σ Treatment exp 1.96 95% = ±

Figure 16. Equation. Regression CMF CI.

Where:

CI95% = The 95-percent CI.

σTreatment = The standard error of β Treatment from the regression model.

Cross-Sectional Modeling Comparison

Because traffic safety evaluations often estimate CMFs using a cross-sectional regression model, 

the present study also utilized this approach with all of the observations as a means of 

comparison to the propensity scores-potential outcomes framework. The cross-sectional model 

did not use any matched data and was estimated using a mixed-effects negative binomial 

regression model, which was previously described. The cross-sectional statistical model was 

specified using the form shown in figure 12. In the model, an indicator variable (CGT versus 

conventional signalized T intersection) was included in the specification to assess the safety 

performance of the CGT relative to the conventional signalized T intersection.

23

CHAPTER 5. DATA COLLECTION

Florida and South Carolina are two States with multiple CGT intersections that have existed for 

several years. Data from both of these States were used in the present study. The data collection 

procedure and summary of the data are provided in this chapter of the report.

FLORIDA

Florida began installing CGT intersections as early as 1972. CGT intersections considered in this 

study were constructed between 1972 and 2004, and the geometry remained unchanged during 

the safety evaluation period. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) provided 

locations of CGT and comparable conventional signalized T intersections for analysis.

FDOT provided traffic volume data for the major and minor roads for each intersection where 

possible. When FDOT did not have traffic volume data, local jurisdictions were contacted to 

obtain traffic volume data. Traffic volumes for 2013 were available for all of the major roads, 

which included the high-speed, continuous through movement at the CGT intersections. When 

FDOT and the local jurisdictions did not have traffic volume data for the intersecting roadway, 

the Trip Generation Manual was used to predict the traffic volume based on the land uses along 

the properties adjacent to the minor intersecting roadway.

(34) After these steps were taken, there 

were 4 CGT and 11 comparison intersections from Florida with missing traffic volumes on the 

minor street approach. Because most of the minor street approaches with missing traffic volume 

data were in residential areas, it was assumed that the volumes on these approach roadways 

would be approximately equal to 500 vehicles per day. One local jurisdiction (Melbourne, FL) 

performed a multiday traffic count for one of the missing minor street approaches and confirmed 

that a 500 vehicle per day volume was accurate.

FDOT also provided crash data in geographic information system files. These files were used to 

identify all crashes (total crashes), fatal and injury crashes, rear-end crashes, sideswipe crashes, 

and angle crashes within 250 ft of the intersections for 2008–2012 (inclusive).

Google EarthTM was used to collect other key variables, including variables related to the 

intersection design and traffic control features. These variables included the following:

• Posted speed limits on the major and minor street approaches.

• Lane and shoulder widths on all approaches.

• The number of through lanes on the major and minor approaches.

• The presence of right- and left-turn lanes on the through and intersecting roadways.

• The presence of a channelized right-turn lane from the major approach to the 

minor street.

• The presence of a channelized right-turn lane from the minor approach to the 

major street.
24

• Whether right-turn-on-red movements were permitted on either the major or minor street 

approaches.

• Whether the intersection is located on a horizontal curve.

• Whether a rail line crosses the intersecting roadway near the intersection.

• Whether there was a driveway (right-in, right-out only) where a fourth leg of the 

intersection would be.

• The skew angle for the intersection. 

In total, there were 30 CGT intersections and 38 comparison intersections from Florida included 

in the analysis database. Variable names and the associated definitions are provided in table 1 for 

the Florida intersections. The variables include traffic volumes and posted speed limits on the 

through and intersecting roadways, lane-use controls, cross-section dimensions, geometric 

characteristics, and crash-related information.
25

Table 1. Variable descriptions for Florida intersections.

Variable Variable Description

AADTThrough Through road AADT (2013)

AADTIntersecting Intersecting road AADT (2013)

LN_AADTThrough The natural log of the through road AADT (2013)

LN_AADTIntersecting The natural log of the intersecting road AADT (2013)

AADTMiss AADT on intersecting road missing

THRU_SPEED Through road posted speed limit (mi/h)

INT_SPEED Intersecting road posted speed limit (mi/h)

RTOR Allowed 

Through

1 = right-turn-on-red allowed from through to intersecting legs, 

0 = otherwise

RTOR Intersecting 1 = right-turn-on-red allowed from intersecting to through legs, 

0 = otherwise

INT_LW Intersecting road lane width (ft)

INT_SW Intersecting road shoulder width (ft)

IntNumLane Intersecting road number of lanes

THRU_LW Through road lane width (ft)

THRU_SW Through road shoulder width (ft)

ThruNumLane Through road number of lanes

THRU_RLT 1 = right-turn lane from through road to intersecting road, 

0 = otherwise

INT_RTL 1 = right-turn lane from intersecting road to through road, 

0 = otherwise

THRU_LTL 1 = left-turn lane from through road to intersecting road, 

0 = otherwise

INT_LTL 1 = left-turn lane from intersecting road to through road, 

0 = otherwise

RAILCROSS 1 = railroad crossing intersecting road near the intersection, 

0 = otherwise

FRTH_LEG 1 = driveway where fourth leg would be (right-in, right-out only), 

0 = otherwise

CURVE 1 = intersection located on horizontal curve, 0 = otherwise

SKEW Intersection skew angle (degrees)

CHAN_RTL_THRU 1 = channelized right-turn lane from through road to intersecting road, 

0 = otherwise

CHAN_RTL_INT 1 = channelized right-turn lane from intersecting road to through road, 

0 = otherwise

TOT_2008 Total crashes in 2008

TOT_2009 Total crashes in 2009

TOT_2010 Total crashes in 2010

TOT_2011 Total crashes in 2011

TOT_2012 Total crashes in 2012

TOT_2013 Total crashes in 2013

FI_2008 Fatal and injury crashes in 2008

FI_2009 Fatal and injury crashes in 2009
26

FI_2010 Fatal and injury crashes in 2010

FI_2011 Fatal and injury crashes in 2011

FI_2012 Fatal and injury crashes in 2012

FI_2013 Fatal and injury crashes in 2013

RREND_2008 Rear-end crashes in 2008

RREND_2009 Rear-end crashes in 2009

RREND_2010 Rear-end crashes in 2010

RREND_2011 Rear-end crashes in 2011

RREND_2012 Rear-end crashes in 2012

RREND_2013 Rear-end crashes in 2013

ANGLE_2008 Angle crashes in 2008

ANGLE_2009 Angle crashes in 2009

ANGLE_2010 Angle crashes in 2010

ANGLE_2011 Angle crashes in 2011

ANGLE_2012 Angle crashes in 2012

ANGLE_2013 Angle crashes in 2013

SDSWPE_2008 Sideswipe crashes in 2008

SDSWPE_2009 Sideswipe crashes in 2009

SDSWPE_2010 Sideswipe crashes in 2010

SDSWPE_2011 Sideswipe crashes in 2011

SDSWPE_2012 Sideswipe crashes in 2012

SDSWPE_2013 Sideswipe crashes in 2013

Florida 1 = intersection located in Florida, 0 = otherwise

Treated 1 = CGT intersection, 0 = comparison intersection

Thru_Spd_35 1 = through road posted speed is 35 mi/h, 0 = otherwise

Thru_Spd_40 1 = through road posted speed is 40 mi/h, 0 = otherwise

Thru_Spd_45 1 = through road posted speed is 45 mi/h, 0 = otherwise

Thru_Spd_50 1 = through road posted speed is 50 mi/h, 0 = otherwise

Thru_Spd_60 1 = through road posted speed is 60 mi/h, 0 = otherwise
27

Descriptive statistics for CGT intersection variables included in the Florida analysis data files are 

provided in table 2 and table 3.

Table 2. Descriptive statistics of continuous variables for Florida CGT intersections.

Variable Mean Standard Deviation Minimum Maximum

AADTThrough 28,822 10,189 14,400 47,000

AADTIntersecting 11,269 9,997 500 40,000

THRU_SPEED 45.63 5.51 35 55

INT_SPEED 35.07 10.17 15 55

SKEW 7.42 12.71 0 54.37

INT_LW 11.42 0.84 10 14

THRU_LW 11.30 0.67 10 12

INT_SW 1.61 2.21 0 9

IntNumLane 3.36 1.10 2 6

THRU_SW 3.30 2.59 0 9

ThruNumLane 5.51 0.88 4 8

TOT_2008 3.36 2.64 0 13

TOT_2009 4.00 4.42 0 24

TOT_2010 3.93 4.82 0 25

TOT_2011 3.33 3.70 0 18

TOT_2012 4.96 4.38 1 23

RREND_2008 1.14 1.86 0 9

RREND_2009 1.37 2.27 0 11

RREND_2010 1.33 2.54 0 13

RREND_2011 1.37 1.94 0 9

RREND_2012 2.19 2.10 0 10

ANGLE_2008 0.36 0.68 0 2

ANGLE_2009 0.26 0.53 0 2

ANGLE_2010 0.37 0.63 0 2

ANGLE_2011 0.37 0.69 0 3

ANGLE_2012 0.42 0.64 0 2

FI_2008 1.36 1.28 0 5

FI_2009 1.78 1.40 0 5

FI_2010 1.56 1.25 0 4

FI_2011 1.67 1.57 0 6

FI_2012 2.27 1.95 0 9

SDSWPE_2008 0.32 0.61 0 2

SDSWPE_2009 0.33 0.55 0 2

SDSWPE_2010 0.19 0.40 0 1

SDSWPE_2011 0 0.00 0 0

SDSWPE_2012 0 0.00 0 0
28

Table 3. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables for Florida CGT intersections.

Variable

Proportion with a 

Value of 1

AADTMiss 0.15

RTOR Allowed 

Through

1.00

RTOR Intersecting 0.96

THRU_RLT 0.60

INT_RTL 0.85

THRU_LTL 1.00

INT_LTL 0.85

RAILCROSS 0.03

FRTH_LEG 0.11

CURVE 0.26

CHAN_RTL_THRU 0.38

CHAN_RTL_INT 0.22
29

Descriptive statistics for the comparison intersection variables included in the Florida analysis 

data files are provided in table 4 and table 5.

Table 4. Descriptive statistics of continuous variables for Florida comparison intersections.

Variable Mean Standard Deviation Minimum Maximum

AADTThrough 22,332 10,206 5,600 42,500

AADTIntersecting 8,372 9,134 500 43,000

THRU_SPEED 38.07 7.04 25 60

INT_SPEED 32.44 7.15 15 55

SKEW 5.21 8.13 0 29.40

INT_LW 11.09 0.83 9 12

THRU_LW 11.25 0.64 10 12

INT_SW 1.50 1.77 0 6

IntNumLane 3.53 1.01 2 6

THRU_SW 2.63 2.39 0 8

ThruNumLane 4.59 0.92 3 7

TOT_2008 2.79 2.05 0 9

TOT_2009 2.51 2.14 0 8

TOT_2010 2.87 2.87 0 15

TOT_2011 2.23 2.14 0 10

TOT_2012 2.53 2.33 0 9

RREND_2008 1.10 1.17 0 4

RREND_2009 0.95 1.43 0 5

RREND_2010 0.79 1.10 0 4

RREND_2011 0.85 1.17 0 5

RREND_2012 0.90 1.32 0 5

ANGLE_2008 0.23 0.43 0 1

ANGLE_2009 0.21 0.41 0 1

ANGLE_2010 0.36 0.74 0 4

ANGLE_2011 0.30 0.61 0 2

ANGLE_2012 0.30 0.61 0 3

FI_2008 1.28 1.38 0 7

FI_2009 1.33 1.42 0 6

FI_2010 1.41 1.80 0 9

FI_2011 0.98 1.00 0 4

FI_2012 1.13 1.45 0 6

SDSWPE_2008 0.23 0.43 0 1

SDSWPE_2009 0.05 0.22 0 1

SDSWPE_2010 0.13 0.34 0 1

SDSWPE_2011 0.00 0.00 0 0

SDSWPE_2012 0.00 0.00 0 0
30

Table 5. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables for Florida comparison intersections.

Variable

Proportion with a Value 

of 1

AADTMiss 0.279

RTOR Allowed 

Through

1.00

RTOR Intersecting 0.98

THRU_RLT 0.47

INT_RTL 0.82

THRU_LTL 0.92

INT_LTL 0.90

RAILCROSS 0.03

FRTH_LEG 0.18

CURVE 0.20

CHAN_RTL_THRU 0.19

CHAN_RTL_INT 0.13
31

SOUTH CAROLINA

CGT intersections in South Carolina included in the database for this evaluation were 

installed between the period prior to 1990 through 2010. The South Carolina Department of 

Transportation (SCDOT) worked with the research team to identify the CGT and comparison 

intersections for use in the analysis.

Traffic volume data for the major and minor approach roads for each intersection were obtained 

from SCDOT where possible. Traffic volumes for 2013 were available for all of the major roads.

When SCDOT did not have traffic volume data for the intersecting roadway, the Trip Generation 

Manual was used to predict the traffic volumes based on the land use of land adjacent to the 

minor street approach.

(34) After these steps were taken, there were no intersections from South 

Carolina with missing traffic volumes.

SCDOT also provided crash data for 2009 through 2013. These files were used to identify all 

crashes (total crashes), fatal and injury crashes, rear-end crashes, sideswipe crashes, and angle 

crashes within 260 ft of the intersections for each of the years. The distance of 260 ft was 

selected due to the measurement values associated with the crash data. (It was not possible to use 

250 ft.)

Google EarthTM was used to collect other geometric and traffic control data. The variables were 

the same as those collected for the Florida data.

In total, there were 16 CGT intersections and 21 comparison intersections from South Carolina

included in the analysis database. One CGT intersection was constructed in 2009, and one was 

constructed in 2010. Thus, data for the years of construction and the year before (in the case of 

the CGT intersection constructed in 2010) were excluded from the analysis period. The 

descriptive statistics for CGT intersections from South Carolina are provided in table 6 and 

table 7.
32

Table 6. Descriptive statistics of continuous variables for South Carolina CGT 

intersections.

Variable Mean Standard Deviation Minimum Maximum

AADTThrough 34,944 12,170 8,300 59,000

AADTIntersecting 5,957 4,667 1,075 15,000

THRU_SPEED 45.63 3.02 40 55

INT_SPEED 31.56 4.94 25 45

SKEW 6.84 12.74 0 35.34

INT_LW 11.94 0.24 11 12

THRU_LW 12.00 0.00 12 12

INT_SW 0.00 0.00 0 0

IntNumLane 3.19 0.53 2 4

THRU_SW 0.19 0.73 0 3

ThruNumLane 6.69 1.05 5 8

TOT_2009 8.13 7.56 0 27

TOT_2010 8.88 7.82 0 29

TOT_2011 4.69 3.63 0 14

TOT_2012 6.06 4.75 0 20

TOT_2013 7.56 4.16 1 17

FI_2009 2.31 2.09 0 7

FI_2010 2.13 1.75 0 7

FI_2011 1.19 1.05 0 4

FI_2012 2.13 1.86 0 6

FI_2013 1.50 1.55 0 4

RREND_2009 3.88 4.49 0 16

RREND_2010 5.38 6.26 0 24

RREND_2011 3.06 2.82 0 11

RREND_2012 3.69 3.55 0 14

RREND_2013 3.25 2.41 0 7

ANGLE_2009 2.25 2.96 0 9

ANGLE_2010 1.44 1.31 0 4

ANGLE_2011 0.88 0.96 0 3

ANGLE_2012 1.06 1.06 0 3

ANGLE_2013 2.13 1.89 0 6

SDSWPE_2009 0.06 0.25 0 1

SDSWPE_2010 0 0.00 0 0

SDSWPE_2011 0.06 0.25 0 1

SDSWPE_2012 0 0.00 0 0

SDSWPE_2013 0 0.00 0 0
33

Table 7. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables for South Carolina CGT 

intersections.

Variable

Proportion with a Value 

of 1

RTOR Allowed 

Through

1.00

RTOR Intersecting 1.00

THRU_RTL 0.44

INT_RTL 0.94

THRU_LTL 1.00

INT_LTL 0.94

RAILCROSS 0.06

FRTH_LEG 0.81

CURVE 0.06

CHAN_RTL_THRU 0.13

CHAN_RTL_INT 0.13
34

The descriptive statistics for comparison intersections from South Carolina are provided in 

table 8 and table 9.

Table 8. Descriptive statistics of continuous variables for South Carolina comparison 

intersections.

Variable Mean Standard Deviation Minimum Maximum

AADTThrough 22,452 10,499 8,500 45,450

AADTIntersecting 8,462 7,419 1,950 30,100

THRU_SPEED 42.62 3.68 35 45

INT_SPEED 34.52 6.56 25 55

SKEW 12.10 13.20 0 45.86

INT_LW 11.81 0.36 11 12

THRU_LW 11.79 0.37 11 12

INT_SW 0.76 2.01 0 8

IntNumLane 3.43 1.05 2 6

THRU_SW 2.00 4.05 0 15

ThruNumLane 5.57 1.18 4 9

TOT_2009 7.67 9.18 0 37

TOT_2010 6.71 8.14 0 31

TOT_2011 5.33 5.24 0 24

TOT_2012 6.57 5.30 0 22

TOT_2013 6.81 5.60 0 22

FI_2009 2.38 2.97 0 11

FI_2010 1.76 2.23 0 8

FI_2011 1.81 1.81 0 7

FI_2012 2.10 1.95 0 6

FI_2013 1.86 1.28 0 4

RREND_2009 3.38 4.64 0 19

RREND_2010 3.57 6.14 0 25

RREND_2011 3.10 3.92 0 18

RREND_2012 3.67 4.48 0 19

RREND_2013 3.38 3.79 0 15

ANGLE_2009 2.19 2.68 0 9

ANGLE_2010 1.71 1.49 0 4

ANGLE_2011 1.52 2.06 0 8

ANGLE_2012 2.00 1.61 0 6

ANGLE_2013 2.19 2.23 0 9

SDSWPE_2009 0.33 1.11 0 5

SDSWPE_2010 0.19 0.51 0 2

SDSWPE_2011 0.00 0.00 0 0

SDSWPE_2012 0.05 0.22 0 1

SDSWPE_2013 0.10 0.30 0 1
35

Table 9. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables for South Carolina comparison 

intersections.

Variable

Proportion with a Value 

of 1

RTOR Allowed 

Through

1.00

RTOR Intersecting 0.95

THRU_RLT 0.57

INT_RTL 0.86

THRU_LTL 0.95

INT_LTL 0.91

RAILCROSS 0.09

FRTH_LEG 0.29

CURVE 0.33

CHAN_RTL_THRU 0.33

CHAN_RTL_INT 0.19

37

CHAPTER 6. MATCHING

Since the intersections in Florida and South Carolina likely differ with regard to unobservable 

variables (e.g., reporting thresholds and driver demographics), matching was done separately for 

each State. As described in the methodology, binary logistic regression was used to estimate the 

propensity scores for both States. Since the goal of the binary logit model was to yield matches 

with good covariate balance, the functional form of the variables in the propensity score models 

differed between Florida and South Carolina.

The binary logit models estimated the probability that the intersections were CGT intersections 

(i.e., the propensity score). The models were estimated at the intersection level (all years of data 

for each intersection). The propensity score model for Florida is shown in table 10, and the 

model for South Carolina is shown in table 11. For Florida, there were 68 observations, the 

pseudo R2 was 0.1850, and the log-likelihood was -37.546. For South Carolina, there were 37 

observations, the pseudo R2 was 0.3318, and the log-likelihood was -16.911.

Table 10. Florida propensity score model.

Variable Coefficient Standard Error p-Value

AADTThrough 0.00009 0.00003 0.010

AADTIntersecting 0.00001 0.00003 0.743

AADTmiss -1.09534 0.99280 0.270

THRU_RLT 0.13667 0.67546 0.840

INT_RTL -0.29956 0.83036 0.718

RAILCROSS 2.53527 1.60811 0.115

FRTH_LEG -0.03758 0.95639 0.969

CURVE 0.99022 0.70849 0.162

SKEW 0.02244 0.02772 0.418

THRU_SW 0.99344 0.79216 0.210

INT_SW -0.48141 0.66091 0.466

Intercept -3.33964 1.56424 0.033
38

Table 11. South Carolina propensity score model.

Variable Coefficient Standard Error p-Value

LN_AADTThrough 1.49003 1.37409 0.278

LN_AADTIntersecting -0.70140 0.41815 0.093

THRU_RLT -0.19744 0.92572 0.831

INT_RTL 0.53584 1.55880 0.731

FRTH_LEG 1.73509 1.14918 0.131

CURVE -0.93645 1.36229 0.492

Through_Shoulder -0.24410 1.50289 0.871

Intercept -10.5416 13.05849 0.420

The distributions of the estimated propensity scores for Florida and South Carolina (by 

intersection type) are shown in figure 17. The box plot of distributions of propensity scores for 

the unmatched groups show that the ranges of values were similar for Florida and dissimilar for 

South Carolina. Since the sample size for both States was small, the amount of overlap in the 

propensity score distributions between CGT and comparison intersections was not large enough 

to obtain covariate balance using NN matching. When NN matching was used, there were fewer

than 10 total intersections from both States combined that matched well based strictly on the 

estimated propensity scores.

Figure 17. Graphs. Plots of estimated propensity scores by State and treatment status

(South Carolina left and Florida right). 

Since NN matching did not yield the desired covariate balance without a significant reduction in 

sample size, Mahalanobis matching was implemented. For the Mahalanobis matching using the 

Florida data, the propensity score, through and intersecting road traffic volumes, through and 

intersecting road posted speed limits, and intersecting road shoulder width were included as 

covariates. For Mahalanobis matching using the South Carolina data, the natural log of through 

and intersecting road traffic volumes, through and intersecting road posted speed limits, and 
39

through and intersecting road lane and shoulder widths were included as covariates. Replacement 

was allowed. No CGT intersection was dropped from the dataset. The majority of comparison 

intersections were not duplicated for replacement. (Eight intersections were used more than 

once: seven in Florida and one in South Carolina.)

The matching results for both States indicated no significant differences for the majority of the 

covariates based on the standardized bias. Plots of the absolute standardized bias for each of the 

covariates are shown for Florida and South Carolina in figure 18 and figure 19, respectively. For 

Florida, the variables with significant bias (greater than 25 percent) remaining after matching 

included the through road traffic volumes and posted speeds. For South Carolina, the variables 

with significant bias remaining after matching included the natural log of through and 

intersecting road traffic volumes, as well as the through road posted speeds. The Mahalanobis 

matching was effective at removing the bias in all of the other observed covariates. The variables 

with significant bias remaining were included in each of the CMF models (added as predictor 

variables) to account for the differences in the CGT and comparison intersections. By adding the 

variables with significant remaining bias to the regression model as a predictor variable, the 

regression model adjusts for the remaining differences in the data for the treated and untreated 

intersections.

Figure 18. Graph. Absolute standardized bias for covariates in Florida.
40 

Figure 19. Graph. Absolute standardized bias for covariates in South Carolina. 

Since there were still a number of covariates that were not balanced based on the standardized 

bias measures, genetic matching was also implemented to improve the matching. K-S tests were

then done using the entire sample (both states combined) to help determine the level of covariate 

balance (for both matching methods and the unmatched data). The results of the tests are shown

in table 12. 
41 

Table 12. K-S test results.

Matching Scheme AADTThrough AADTIntersecting AADTMiss THRU_SPEED INT_SPEED 

Unmatched < 0.0001 0.009 0.237 < 0.0001 0.032 

Mahalanobis

matching < 0.0001 0.04 0.713 < 0.0001 0.06 

Genetic matching 0.081 0.083 0.104 0.073 0.05 

Matching scheme IntNumLane THRU_LW THRU_SW ThruNumLane FRTH_LEG 

Unmatched 0.265 0.001 0.133 < 0.0001 0.003 

Mahalanobis

matching 0.052 0.053 0.051 < 0.0001 0.126 

Genetic matching 0.259 0.078 0.627 < 0.0001 0.02 

Bold = Statistically significant difference (i.e., p-Value ≤ 0.05). 
42 

As shown in table 12, the K-S tests indicate that the following variables were all significantly 

different at the 95-percent confidence level using Mahalanobis matching: 

• AADTThrough.

• AADTIntersecting.

• THRU_SPEED.

• ThruNumLane.

• DEFLECTION.

The following variables were all marginally different when using Mahalanobis matching:

• INT_SPEED.

• IntNumLane.

• THRU_LW.

• THRU_SW.

When using genetic matching, the covariate balance was improved over the Mahalanobis 

matching. The results of the genetic matching indicate that the only variables that were 

significantly different between the two groups were INT_SPEED, TruNumLane, and 

FRTH_LEG.
43 

CHAPTER 7. CMF ESTIMATION

Due to the small sample sizes of the two datasets, the data from both States were combined to

estimate CMFs for CGT intersections. The resulting CMFs indicated the average safety effect of 

the CGT intersections between the two states. CMFs for total, fatal and injury, and target crashes

(rear-end, angle, and sideswipe) are described in the following subsections. 

Variable selection and model specification were based on the crash prediction model forms 

found in the HSM.(31) In addition, matching was used to remove the correlation between the 

treatment (CGT) and other variables in the model. The potential outcomes models considered 

these same variable forms, as well as the standardized bias, to further minimize the correlation 

between the treatment and other variables in the model. If the K-S test found that the difference 

was statistically significant, the variable was included in the regression model to adjust for the 

remaining correlation between it and the treatment (for both matching methods and the 

unmatched data). Failing to account for this correlation produces biased treatment effect 

estimates.(15,35) The decision to use indicator variables for the posted speed limit on the 

continuous flow lane was made to fully account for the correlation in the full distribution of 

posted speed limits between the CGT and comparison group. If the posted speeds were grouped 

into ranges (e.g., lower than 50 mi/h and greater than or equal to 50 mi/h), the aggregation led to 

bias resulting from correlation between the posted speed indicator variables and the treatment.

As discussed in the Methods section, mixed effects negative binomial or Poisson regression was 

used to estimate the CMFs whenever possible. The optimal weights found using the genetic 

matching could not be accommodated using mixed effects regression, so weighted standard 

negative binomial regression with robust standard errors was used with the genetic matching 

results. The regression models for estimating the CMFs, along with the CMFs and 95-percent

CIs, are shown in table 13 and table 14 for the genetic and Mahalanobis matching, respectively. 

For table 13, there were 297 observations used in the analysis. A weighted standard negative 

binomial regression model, with robust standard errors, was used to estimate the CMFs. The loglikelihood for the total, fatal and injury, and target crashes was -717.62695, -491.9991, and 

-599.30626, respectively. For table 14, there were 434 observations and 73 group (i.e.,

intersections) used in the analysis. A mixed-effects negative binomial regression model was used

to estimate the CMF for total crashes, which had a log-likelihood of -938.44178. A mixed-effects

Poisson regression model was used to estimate the CMF for fatal and injury crashes, which

had a log-likelihood of -805.2616. Finally, a mixed-effects negative binomial regression

model was used to estimate the CMF for target crashes, which had a log-likelihood of

-665.20078.The statistical modeling output for the potential outcomes models for each crash

type shown in table 13 and table 14 is provided in appendix A.
44 

Table 13. Genetic matched regression models and CMF estimates.

Variable

Total Crash Fatal and Injury Crash

Target (R

Sid

Coefficient

Standard

Error Coefficient

Standard 

Error Coeffic

Treated -0.043 0.110 -0.167 0.133 -0.08

LN_AADTThrough 0.492 0.146 0.303 0.172 0.563 

LN_AADTIntersecting 0.216 0.039 0.191 0.044 0.225 

Thru_Spd_40 -0.106 0.327 0.048 0.363 -0.46

Thru_Spd_45 0.211 0.282 0.169 0.310 -0.08

Thru_Spd_50 -0.647 0.362 -0.224 0.419 -1.24

Thru_Spd_55 0.326 0.303 0.335 0.342 -0.17

Int_Spd_25 0.290 0.354 0.149 0.394 0.257 

Int_Spd_30 0.460 0.326 0.457 0.357 0.673 

Int_Spd_35 0.494 0.343 0.260 0.385 0.638 

Int_Spd_40 0.311 0.382 0.195 0.405 0.198 

Int_Spd_45 0.680 0.354 0.386 0.387 0.905 

Int_Spd_55 0.461 0.399 0.352 0.451 0.443 

Florida -0.636 0.163 -0.332 0.196 -1.17

ThruLane5Up -1.066 0.213 -0.585 0.275 -1.44

IntShoulder -0.295 0.124 -0.233 0.167 -0.50

ThruShoulder -0.566 0.472 -0.705 0.564 -1.92

Thru5UpShoulder 1.115 0.518 0.937 0.627 2.53

FRTH_LEG -0.241 0.138 -0.253 0.183 -0.27

Constant -4.542 1.448 -3.636 1.696 -4.83

Overdispersion Parameter 0.239 0.041 0.077 0.045 0.284 

CMF 0.958 0.846 

CMF 95-percent Upper Bound 1.189 1.099 
45 

Variable

Total Crash Fatal and Injury Crash

Target (R

Sid

Coefficient

Standard

Error Coefficient

Standard 

Error Coeffic

CMF 95-percent Lower Bound 0.772 0.651 

Italics = Significant at the 90-percent confidence level. 

Bold = Significant at the 95-percent confidence level. 

Bold and italics = Significant at the 99-percent confidence level. 
46 

Table 14. Mahalanobis matched regression models and CMF estimates.

Model Type

Mixed-Effects Negative 

Binomial Mixed-Effects Poisson

Variable

Total Crash Fatal and Injury Crash

Ta

Coefficient

Standard 

Error Coefficient

Standard 

Error C

Treated -0.046 0.160 -0.134 0.139 

LN_AADTThrough 0.591 0.058 0.443 0.185 

LN_AADTIntersecting 0.183 0.058 0.116 0.052 

Thru_Spd_40 0.102 0.322 0.429 0.292 

Thru_Spd_45 0.305 0.246 0.405 0.222 

Thru_Spd_50 -0.246 0.379 0.107 0.340 

Thru_Spd_55 0.724 0.323 0.881 0.284 

Thru_Spd_60 -0.352 0.613 -0.653 0.690 

ThruLane5Up -0.614 0.316 -0.519 0.278 

SKEW 0.009 0.006 0.004 0.005 

Florida -0.724 0.149 -0.191 0.132 

Constant -5.541 1.969 -4.805 1.751 

Overdispersion Parameter 0.028 0.004 — — 

σ

2 0.212 0.048 0.102 0.036 

CMF 0.955 0.874 

CMF 95 percent Upper Bound 1.307 1.148 

CMF 95 percent Lower Bound 0.697 0.666 

— Indicates that no estimate of this parameter for the given model. 

Italics = Significant at the 90-percent confidence level. 

Bold = Significant at the 95-percent confidence level. 

Bold and italics = Significant at the 99-percent confidence level. 
47

The weighted negative binomial model was used for total crashes, fatal and injury crashes, and 

target crashes (rear-end, angle, and sideswipe) using the genetic matched data. The models 

shown in table 13 included all independent variables that, theoretically, correlated with total, 

fatal and injury, or target crashes (based on the K-S tests in table 12). Variables that were not 

statistically significant in the negative binomial models were included in the model because 

Mannering and Bhat pointed out that parsimonious models are biased, are fundamentally flawed, 

and have little practical value.(36) Thus, the statistical models estimated in this evaluation were 

not specified based on statistical significance at the 95-percent confidence level.

The coefficients for all of the models were consistent with engineering intuition. The purpose of 

CGT intersections is to improve traffic operations. The results indicate that there were no 

statistically significant differences (at the 95-percent confidence level) between signalized T

intersections without continuous flow lanes and CGT intersections in terms of total, fatal and 

injury, or target crashes (rear-end, angle, and sideswipe). It is worth noting, however, that the 

point estimates of the CMFs for total, fatal and injury, and target crashes were all less than 1, 

suggesting that there is a potential reduction in crash frequency associated with the CGT 

intersection relative to the conventional signalized-T intersection and that the lack of statistical 

significance is likely due to the small sample size rather than the lack of an effect. Thus, it is 

concluded that CGT intersections can have a beneficial effect on crash frequency. The CGT 

CMFs for each crash type and severity, with the associated 95-percent CIs, are shown in 

table 13.

The signs and magnitudes of the coefficients for traffic volumes are consistent with the major 

and minor road coefficients for at-grade intersections found in the HSM.

(31) For the through 

street posted speed limit, the baseline condition was a posted speed limit of 35 mi/h. For the 

intersecting street posted speed limit, the baseline condition was a posted speed limit of 20 mi/h.

A positive coefficient indicates that the expected number of crashes is higher for the speed limit 

shown relative to the baseline condition. The posted speed limit indicator variables, while mostly 

insignificant, were retained in the model to minimize bias associated with the covariates in the 

matched data used to estimate the potential outcomes model that were not balanced after 

matching. The indicator variable for Florida indicated that there were fewer crashes in Florida

than in South Carolina, which matches the descriptive statistics. The indicator variable for five or 

more through lanes was used because using individual indicator variables for the individual 

number of through lanes resulted in estimates that were nearly identical for any indicator 

variables for five or more lanes. The negative signs that indicate whether there were shoulders on 

the through and intersecting roads are logical because shoulders provide a recovery area for 

vehicles that leave the travel lanes. The variable Thru5UpShoulder is an interaction variable 

between five or more through lanes and the existence of a shoulder. The positive value indicates 

that intersections with five or more through lanes and shoulders on the through street did not 

receive the same safety benefits from the shoulders as intersections with fewer than five lanes on 

the through street. Finally, the presence of a fourth leg at the intersection that only allowed rightin and right-out movements correlated with lower crash frequencies. This was likely due to the 

fourth leg only being allowed on intersections with specific characteristics that were not 

collected as a part of this study but that are associated with lower crash frequencies.

Since traffic volume data were missing for several of the Florida intersections, a sensitivity 

analysis was performed by varying the traffic volumes for the missing locations. Traffic volumes 
48 

of 500, 1,000, and 3,000 vehicles per day were tested. (As mentioned in the Data Collection 

section, a local jurisdiction performed a traffic count for one of the missing locations and found 

the AADT to be 500 vehicles per day; most missing minor street approaches had similar land use 

characteristics.) The difference in results was minimal when using 500, 1,000, and 3,000 vehicles 

per day for the missing minor street approach traffic volumes. Thus, only the results with the 

missing traffic volumes set at 500 vehicles per day are provided in this report. 

The mixed effects negative binomial model was used for total crashes and target crashes (rearend, angle, and sideswipe) using the Mahalanobis matched data. For fatal and injury crashes, the 

overdispersion parameter was not statistically significant when the mixed effects negative 

binomial was used, so the mixed effects Poisson was used for the final model. The random 

intercept was statistically significant in all of the models.

The results of the models in table 14 indicate that there were no statistically significant 

differences (at the 95-percent confidence level) between signalized T intersections without 

continuous flow lanes and CGT intersections in terms of total, fatal and injury, or target crashes 

(rear-end, angle, and sideswipe). As with the results from the genetic matching, the point 

estimates of the CMFs for total, fatal and injury, and target crashes are all less than 1.0, 

suggesting that there is a potential reduction in crash frequency associated with the CGT 

intersection relative to the conventional signalized T intersection. The lack of statistical 

significance is likely due to the small sample size rather than the lack of an effect. The CGT 

CMFs for each crash type and severity, with the associated 95-percent confidence level, are 

shown in table 14. 

The signs and magnitudes of the coefficients for traffic volumes are consistent with the major 

and minor road coefficients for at-grade intersections found in the HSM.

(31) For the posted speed

limit, the baseline condition is a posted speed limit of 35 mi/h. A positive coefficient indicates 

that the expected number of crashes is higher for the speed limit shown relative to the baseline 

condition. The posted speed limit indicator variables, while mostly insignificant, were retained in 

the model to minimize bias associated with the covariates from the Mahalanobis matched data

that were significantly different (based on the K-S tests in table 12). 

The sensitivity analysis for the missing traffic volumes that was used with the genetic matching 

CMF models was also performed with the Mahalanobis CMF models. The results were the same, 

and the missing traffic volumes were set to 500 vehicles per day. 

The models in table 14 also indicate that crash frequency increased as intersection skew angle 

increased. This is consistent with the HSM.

(31)

 The finding that the expected crash frequency in 

Florida was lower than in South Carolina was consistent with the descriptive statistics.

As noted earlier, the propensity scores-potential outcomes framework reduced the overall sample 

size from the original data due to matching (i.e., some intersections are dropped). As such, crosssectional models using the unmatched data were also estimated for comparison. The CMFs 

estimated using the full, unmatched database were provided to show the magnitude of bias that 

the CMFs would have had if matching was not used. The regression models and CMFs for total, 

fatal and injury, and the target crashes using the full dataset (i.e., no matching) are shown in 

table 13. The statistical modeling outputs for the models shown in table 13 and table 14 are
49

provided in appendix A. The statistical modeling outputs for the models shown in table 15 are 

provided in appendix B. For table 15, there were 516 observations and 104 groups (i.e., 

intersections) used in the analysis. A mixed-effects negative binomial regression model was used 

to estimate the CMF for total crashes, which had a log-likelihood of -1134.5724. A mixed-effects 

Poisson regression model was used to estimate the CMF for fatal and injury crashes, which had a 

log-likelihood of -795.8822. Finally, a mixed-effects negative binomial regression model was 

used to estimate the CMF for target crashes, which had a log-likelihood of -960.89489.

The CMFs estimated using the unmatched data are more likely to be biased than the estimates 

using the matched data, so the CMFs from the latter should be regarded as more robust. It is 

encouraging that the CMFs estimated using the unmatched data are similar to the CMFs from the 

matched data, although the safety benefit estimated with both sets of models is statistically 

insignificant. Based on the K-S test results, the genetic matching resulted in the best covariate 

balance. Thus, the CMFs estimated from the genetic matching are preferred over the other 

two methods.
50 

Table 15. CMF models for unmatched cross-sectional data. 

Model Type

Mixed-Effects Negative 

Binomial Mixed-Effects Poisson

M

Variable

Total Crash Fatal and Injury Crash

Targ

Coefficient

Standard 

Error Coefficient

Standard 

Error Co

Treated -0.065 0.145 -0.126 0.147 

LN_AADTThrough 0.883 0.150 0.788 0.154 

LN_AADTIntersecting 0.114 0.052 0.133 0.053 

Thru_Spd_30 -0.066 0.647 0.391 0.675 

Thru_Spd_35 0.119 0.619 0.230 0.655 

Thru_Spd_40 0.301 0.642 0.528 0.677 

Thru_Spd_45 0.379 0.638 0.643 0.673 

Thru_Spd_50 -0.358 0.704 0.234 0.738 

Thru_Spd_55 0.611 0.692 1.068 0.723 

Thru_Spd_60 0.447 0.964 0.028 1.067 

Int_Spd_25 0.407 0.466 0.309 0.477 

Int_Spd_30 0.625 0.446 0.489 0.457 

Int_Spd_35 0.640 0.450 0.326 0.462 

Int_Spd_40 0.604 0.491 0.525 0.501 

Int_Spd_45 0.929 0.479 0.434 0.488 

Int_Spd_55 0.912 0.529 0.598 0.540 

THRU_LW 0.134 0.117 0.093 0.123 

ThruLane5Up -0.431 0.204 -0.382 0.210 

FRTH_LEG -0.053 0.151 -0.191 0.156 

SKEW 0.008 0.005 0.002 0.005 

Florida -0.588 0.159 -0.224 0.164 

Constant -10.382 2.288 -10.227 2.353 -

Overdispersion Parameter 0.061 0.013 — — 

σ

2 0.216 0.042 0.158 0.043 
51 

Model Type

Mixed-Effects Negative 

Binomial Mixed-Effects Poisson

M

Variable

Total Crash Fatal and Injury Crash

Targ

Coefficient

Standard 

Error Coefficient

Standard 

Error Co

CMF 0.937 0.882 

CMF 95 percent Upper Bound 1.245 1.176 

CMF 95 percent Lower Bound 0.705 0.661 

— Indicates that no estimate of this parameter for the given model. 

Italics = Significant at the 90-percent confidence level. 

Bold = Significant at 95-percent confidence level. 

Bold and italics = Significant at the 99-percent confidence level.

53

CHAPTER 8. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

A B/C analysis compared the safety benefits with the construction costs of a CGT relative to a 

conventional signalized three-leg intersection. This chapter describes the assumptions used in the 

analysis, describes the differences in the construction costs between the CGT and the 

conventional signalized three-leg intersection, derives the safety benefits associated with the 

CGT, and computes the B/C ratio for the CGT relative to a conventional signalized three-leg 

intersection.

ASSUMPTIONS

Because this study was unable to use an observational before-after study methodology, the B/C

analysis presented in this report compared two different intersection forms (CGT versus 

conventional three-leg signalized intersection). To complete the B/C analysis, the following 

assumptions were made:

• The median width was as wide as the left-turn lane adjacent to the continuous flow lane 

on the major street.

• The median was unpaved.

• There were shoulders on both the major and minor streets.

• There was no fourth leg at the intersection.

• There were fewer than five through lanes.

• The comparison intersection was a signalized T intersection.

• The pavement design life was 20 years.

• The average traffic volume for the comparison group was constant over the 20-year 

period (to be used for predictions).

• All safety benefits were derived using the South Carolina data, so the Florida indicator 

variable in table 13 was set equal to zero. It should be noted that the Florida indicator 

variable was negative, so the B/C ratios for Florida were larger than those computed 

using the South Carolina data.

• There were no maintenance costs because the project design life was equivalent to the 

pavement design life.

• The existing traffic signals could be used for the CGT intersection.

• The only cost associated with the treatment was the additional pavement for the 

acceleration lane, as shown in figure 20.
54

Traditional T Intersection

Continuous Green T Intersection

Paved Area for

Acceleration Lane

Figure 20. Schematic. Traditional and CGT intersections.
55

The CMFs used for the evaluation were those estimated using the propensity scores-potential 

outcomes framework (genetic matching results (table 13)). The treatment cost was dependent on 

the posted speed limit. A minimum (35 mi/h on the major road) and maximum (55 mi/h on the 

major road) cost for the treatment are estimated in figure 21 and figure 22.

For the new pavement, the low (posted speed = 35 mi/h) value required is as follows:

• 210 ft to the beginning of the taper at 12 ft wide = 210 x 12 = 2,520 ft2

.

• 125-ft taper with an average of 6 ft wide = 125 x 6 = 750 ft2.

Total Pavement Required = 2,520 ft + 750 ft = 3,270 ft2 = 363 yd2

Figure 21. Equation. Total pavement required for low posted speed.

For the new pavement, the high (posted speed = 55 mi/h) value required is as follows:

• 435 ft to the beginning of the taper at 12 ft wide = 435 x 12 = 5,220 ft2

.

• 540-ft taper with an average of 6 ft wide = 540 x 6 = 3,240 ft2

.

Total Pavement Required= 5,220 ft + 3,240 ft = 8,460 ft2 = 940 yd2

Figure 22. Equation. Total pavement required for high posted speed.

The cost for asphalt pavement used for the analysis was $28/yd2. The cost for concrete pavement 

was $70/yd2

. Thus, the cost for 35 mi/h was $10,173.33 for asphalt and $25,433.33 for concrete.

The cost for 55 mi/h was $26,320 for asphalt and $65,800 for concrete.(35)

The number of crashes (total, fatal and injury, and property damage only (PDO)) with and 

without the CGT, using the average AADTs from the comparison group, were predicted for the 

20-year service life. For example, the total expected number of crashes for the untreated 

intersections were computed using the equation in figure 23, assuming that the posted speed limit 

on the major road was 35 mi/h (indicator variable for Thru_Spd was set equal to zero because it 

is the baseline value), minor (intersecting) roadway was 35 mi/h (indicator variable for 

Int_Spd_35 in table 13 was 0.494), the site was a comparison site (treated variable was set equal 

to zero), and the intersection was located in South Carolina (Florida indicator was zero).

NNtttttttttt = ee−4.542 × AAAAAAAAtthrr rrrr h

0.492 × AAAAAAAAiiii ii ii iiii

0.216 × ee0 × ee0.494 × ee−0.295 × ee−0.566

Figure 23. Equation. Total number of expected crashes for untreated intersections.

Ntotal = Total number of expected crashes.

e = The exponential function.

through = The subscript related to through street traffic volume (veh/day).

intersecting = The subscript related to the intersecting road traffic volume (veh/day).

The descriptive statistics for the South Carolina comparison group are shown in table 8 and 

table 9, and the average through and intersecting roadway AADT volumes are 22,452 and 

8,452 vehicles per day, respectively. Inputting these values produced the expected number of 

total crashes per year, as seen in figure 24.
56

NNtttttttttt = ee−4.542 × 22,4520.492 × 8,4620.216 × ee0 × ee0.494 × ee−0.295 × ee−0.566 = 720 crashes/year

Figure 24. Equation. Total number of expected crashes per year for the untreated 

intersections.

As such, the expected annual total crash frequency for the South Carolina comparison group sites 

was 7.20 crashes per year, as shown in table 16. Multiplying the annual crash frequency by 

20 years produces 144 crashes. The number of property damage only (PDO) crashes was 

estimated by subtracting the number of fatal and injury crashes from the total crashes. The 

treated crash frequency predictions were derived by applying the CMFs shown in table 13. The 

total treated crash frequency estimates were derived by multiplying 144 crashes (untreated 

crashes) times the CMF for total crashes. This resulted in 144 times 0.958, which equals 137.95

crashes over a 20-year period. All of the predicted crash frequency estimates for the untreated 

and treated intersections are shown in table 16.

Table 16. Annual predicted crash frequencies.

Posted 

Speed 

(mi/h)

Untreated Treated

Reduction 

(Untreated - Treated)

Total

Fatal 

and 

Injury PDO Total

Fatal 

and 

Injury PDO Total

Fatal 

and 

Injury PDO

35 7.20 1.57 5.63 6.90 1.33 5.57 0.30 0.24 0.06

55 9.97 2.19 7.78 9.55 1.85 7.70 0.42 0.34 0.08

Bold = Reduction in annual crash frequencies.

The comprehensive crash costs used for this analysis were derived using 2001 dollar values from 

Council et al.(38) As suggested by the authors, the crash cost values were multiplied by the ratio 

of the Consumer Price Index for 2001 and 2014. This ratio was 2.425. The 2001 comprehensive 

crash costs were $129,418 for fatal and injury crashes and $10,249 for PDO crashes on roads 

with posted speed limits below 50 mi/h. The 2001 comprehensive crash costs were $146,281 for 

fatal and injury crashes and $4,015 for PDO crashes on roads with posted speed limits equal to or 

above 50 mi/h. This produces crash cost savings of $1,536,250 for the 35 mi/h posted speed and 

$2,427,752 for the 55 mi/h posted speed limit for the 20-year project life. The annual benefits 

(from crash costs) were $76,813 for the 35 mi/h posted speed limit major roads and $121,388 for 

the 55 mi/h posted speed limit major roads. Thus, the B/C ratio, by pavement type and posted 

speed limit, were estimated and are provided in table 17.
57

Table 17. B/C ratios for different pavement types.

Posted Speed Limit (mi/h) Asphalt Pavement Concrete Pavement

35 76,813/956.30 = 80.3 76,813/2,390.70 = 32.1

55 121,388/2,474.10 = 49.1 121,388/6,185.20 = 19.6

The annual costs (based on the initial paving costs and no maintenance over the 20-year project 

life), discounted at 7 percent over the 20-year project life, were $956.30 for asphalt and $2390.70

for concrete pavements at 35 mi/h intersections and $2474.10 for asphalt and $6185.20 for 

concrete at 55 mi/h intersections, respectively.

Sensitivity Analysis

In order to test the sensitivity of the B/C ratios to variability in the safety benefits, the upper and 

lower bound of the 95-percent CI of the CMF estimate for total crashes in table 13 was applied to 

the safety benefit estimates shown in table 17. This produced B/C ratios that ranged from 62.0 to 

95.5 for the 35 mi/h posted speed limit on asphalt pavements and from 37.9 to 58.4 for the 

55 mi/h posted speed limit on asphalt pavement. The B/C ratio ranged from 24.8 to 38.2 for 

35 mi/h posted speed limits on concrete pavements and from 15.1 to 23.3 for 55 mi/h posted 

speed limits on concrete pavements.

Further sensitivity analysis was done to determine the construction costs that would still achieve 

a B/C ratio of 2.0 (lower bound) for the 35 and 55 mi/h posted speed limits. (The crash costs 

were equal for asphalt and concrete pavements.) For the 35 mi/h posted speed limit, a B/C ratio 

of 2.0 could be achieved with annual construction costs up to $38,407. For a 55 mi/h posted 

speed limit, annual construction costs up to $60,694 produce a B/C ratio up to 2.0. 

59

CHAPTER 9. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety impacts of CGT intersections. Total, fatal 

and injury, and target (rear-end, angle, and sideswipe) crash types were considered. Data from 

Florida and South Carolina were used for this study to estimate CMFs for CGT intersections 

relative to conventional signalized T intersections. The propensity scores—potential outcomes—

was used to estimate the CMFs. Genetic matching provided better matching results than NN or 

Mahalanobis matching. The CMFs were estimated using weighted negative binomial regression 

with the genetic matched data.

Based on the propensity scores-potential outcomes results (with genetic matching), the CMF 

point estimates for total, fatal and injury, and target crashes were 0.958, 0.846, and 0.920, 

respectively, suggesting that there was a potential reduction in crash frequency associated with 

the CGT intersection relative to the conventional T signalized intersection. Although the results 

were not statistically significant, it was likely due to the small sample rather than the lack of an 

effect. Because the CGT was not expected to compromise safety performance relative to a 

conventional signalized T intersection but affords improved traffic operational performance and 

fewer environmental impacts (lower vehicle emissions), it should be considered as a candidate 

alternative intersection form when conditions exist to effectively implement.

Based on the findings of this research and the literature review, CGT intersections are likely to 

be favorable over traditional signalized intersections when there are high through traffic volumes 

on the major street approach on the far side of the intersection (opposite the minor street 

approach). This approach could function as the continuous flow lane. The CGT intersection is 

also likely to be a favorable form if there is low cyclist demand and either no pedestrian demand 

or an alternative pedestrian crossing nearby.

The B/C analysis confirmed that the CGT is a cost-effective intersection design alternative to the 

conventional signalized T intersection (based on the point estimates of the CMFs). The B/C

ratios for both asphalt and concrete pavements, as well as 35 and 55 mi/h posted speed limits on 

the major road, produced B/C ratios that significantly exceeded 1.0.

Potential Issues with CGT Intersections

Throughout the course of the present study, it was learned that several CGT intersections were 

being converted to conventional signalized T intersections in Florida. Anecdotal feedback 

indicated that non-motorized users at these locations have expressed concern with the highspeed, continuous flow lanes on the major approach. Pedestrians and bicyclists wishing to cross 

from the minor street approach to the far side of the high-speed continuous flow lanes may have 

difficulty identifying adequate gaps. As such, implementation of the CGT intersections at 

locations with anticipated pedestrian and bicycle users should be weighed against the operational 

and environmental benefits.

61

APPENDIX A. MATCHED DATA MODELS

This appendix contains the regression output for the models using the matched data (genetic and 

Mahalanobis matching). These models were used to develop the CMFs.

GENETIC MATCHING

Total Crashes

Negative binomial regression Number of obs = 297

Dispersion = mean Wald chi2(19) = 287.53

Log pseudolikelihood = -717.62695 Prob > chi2 = 0.0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 | Robust

 TOT | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval]

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 Treated | -.0425862 .1101659 -0.39 0.699 -.2585075 .1733351

 LNAADTMaj | .4923199 .1459936 3.37 0.001 .2061778 .7784621

 LNAADTMin | .2154684 .0385375 5.59 0.000 .1399363 .2910006

 Florida | -.6362596 .162479 -3.92 0.000 -.9547125 -.3178067

 ThruLane5Up | -1.065885 .212755 -5.01 0.000 -1.482878 -.6488932

 IntShoulder | -.2946033 .1243796 -2.37 0.018 -.5383828 -.0508239

ThruShoulder | -.5656151 .4716386 -1.20 0.230 -1.49001 .3587795

Thru5UpShlder | 1.115338 .5175464 2.16 0.031 .1009653 2.12971

 FRTH_LEG | -.2411121 .1375897 -1.75 0.080 -.510783 .0285588

 |

 INT_SPEED |

 25 | .2900747 .354013 0.82 0.413 -.4037781 .9839275

 30 | .4594779 .326298 1.41 0.159 -.1800544 1.09901

 35 | .4942091 .3434051 1.44 0.150 -.1788526 1.167271

 40 | .3111814 .3817203 0.82 0.415 -.4369766 1.059339

 45 | .6799561 .3540597 1.92 0.055 -.0139882 1.3739

 55 | .4608651 .3985745 1.16 0.248 -.3203266 1.242057

 |

 THRU_SPEED |

 40 | -.1062967 .3269923 -0.33 0.745 -.7471898 .5345964

 45 | .2109157 .2818383 0.75 0.454 -.3414772 .7633087

 50 | -.6465204 .3619147 -1.79 0.074 -1.35586 .0628194

 55 | .3262764 .3029884 1.08 0.282 -.26757 .9201229

 |

 _cons | -4.541765 1.447841 -3.14 0.002 -7.379481 -1.704048

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 /lnalpha | -1.429498 .1727079 -1.767999 -1.090997

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 alpha | .239429 .0413513 .1706741 .3358815

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
62

Fatal and Injury Crashes

Negative binomial regression Number of obs = 297

Dispersion = mean Wald chi2(19) = 56.78

Log pseudolikelihood = -491.09991 Prob > chi2 = 0.0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 | Robust

 FI | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval]

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 Treated | -.1669481 .1334598 -1.25 0.211 -.4285246 .0946283

 LNAADTMaj | .3027534 .1719295 1.76 0.078 -.0342222 .6397291

 LNAADTMin | .1910633 .0442966 4.31 0.000 .1042436 .277883

 Florida | -.3316629 .1961931 -1.69 0.091 -.7161943 .0528685

 ThruLane5Up | -.5849208 .2753746 -2.12 0.034 -1.124645 -.0451965

 IntShoulder | -.232926 .1670391 -1.39 0.163 -.5603168 .0944647

ThruShoulder | -.7050994 .5639856 -1.25 0.211 -1.810491 .400292

Thru5UpShlder | .9365371 .6267288 1.49 0.135 -.2918288 2.164903

 FRTH_LEG | -.2530672 .1826752 -1.39 0.166 -.6111041 .1049696

 |

 INT_SPEED |

 25 | .1490696 .3936889 0.38 0.705 -.6225465 .9206857

 30 | .4573904 .3566774 1.28 0.200 -.2416845 1.156465

 35 | .2598806 .3846343 0.68 0.499 -.4939888 1.01375

 40 | .195327 .4051539 0.48 0.630 -.5987601 .9894141

 45 | .3861851 .3871922 1.00 0.319 -.3726977 1.145068

 55 | .3522804 .4505391 0.78 0.434 -.53076 1.235321

 |

 THRU_SPEED |

 40 | .047759 .3633107 0.13 0.895 -.664317 .759835

 45 | .1691577 .3103545 0.55 0.586 -.439126 .7774414

 50 | -.2235057 .4191268 -0.53 0.594 -1.044979 .5979676

 55 | .3347177 .3418134 0.98 0.327 -.3352244 1.00466

 |

 _cons | -3.635727 1.696434 -2.14 0.032 -6.960676 -.3107779

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 /lnalpha | -2.569357 .5916134 -3.728898 -1.409816

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 alpha | .0765848 .0453086 .0240193 .2441883

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
63

Target Crashes

Negative binomial regression Number of obs = 297

Dispersion = mean Wald chi2(19) = 324.75

Log pseudolikelihood = -599.30626 Prob > chi2 = 0.0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 | Robust

 Target | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval]

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 Treated | -.0835338 .1294228 -0.65 0.519 -.3371979 .1701303

 LNAADTMaj | .562835 .1689981 3.33 0.001 .2316047 .8940652

 LNAADTMin | .2251839 .0441408 5.10 0.000 .1386696 .3116982

 Florida | -1.173519 .2142147 -5.48 0.000 -1.593372 -.7536656

 ThruLane5Up | -1.448441 .3416042 -4.24 0.000 -2.117973 -.7789092

 IntShoulder | -.5076138 .1700634 -2.98 0.003 -.840932 -.1742957

ThruShoulder | -1.920895 .7262517 -2.64 0.008 -3.344322 -.4974676

Thru5UpShlder | 2.536511 .7922779 3.20 0.001 .9836746 4.089347

 FRTH_LEG | -.273681 .1758453 -1.56 0.120 -.6183315 .0709695

 |

 INT_SPEED |

 25 | .256837 .5060215 0.51 0.612 -.734947 1.248621

 30 | .6727153 .4797619 1.40 0.161 -.2676008 1.613031

 35 | .6383726 .5020733 1.27 0.204 -.3456729 1.622418

 40 | .1977973 .5548589 0.36 0.721 -.8897061 1.285301

 45 | .9045994 .5159448 1.75 0.080 -.1066339 1.915833

 55 | .4433076 .5625622 0.79 0.431 -.659294 1.545909

 |

 THRU_SPEED |

 40 | -.4655281 .4043569 -1.15 0.250 -1.258053 .3269969

 45 | -.0891576 .3453978 -0.26 0.796 -.7661249 .5878096

 50 | -1.248241 .4890602 -2.55 0.011 -2.206782 -.2897009

 55 | -.1768242 .3604577 -0.49 0.624 -.8833083 .5296598

 |

 _cons | -4.831303 1.644516 -2.94 0.003 -8.054495 -1.60811

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 /lnalpha | -1.257409 .2205592 -1.689697 -.8251205

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 alpha | .2843901 .0627248 .1845755 .4381822

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MAHALANOBIS MATCHING

Total Crashes

Mixed-effects nbinomial regression Number of obs = 434

Overdispersion: mean

Group variable: Location Number of groups = 73

 Wald chi2(11) = 76.07

Log likelihood = -938.44718 Prob > chi2 = 0.0000

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 TOT | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval]

-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 Treated | -.0464587 .160353 -0.29 0.772 -.3607448 .2678274

 LNAADTMaj | .5911802 .2070058 2.86 0.004 .1854563 .9969041

 LNAADTMin | .1827335 .0580069 3.15 0.002 .0690421 .2964249

 |

 THRU_SPEED |

 40 | .1020133 .322451 0.32 0.752 -.5299791 .7340057

 45 | .3045244 .2456019 1.24 0.215 -.1768465 .7858953

 50 | -.2461067 .3788936 -0.65 0.516 -.9887245 .4965112

 55 | .7239126 .3226377 2.24 0.025 .0915543 1.356271

 60 | -.3522544 .6128105 -0.57 0.565 -1.553341 .8488322

 |

ThruLane5Up | -.6136113 .3164582 -1.94 0.053 -1.233858 .0066354

 DEFLECTION | .008991 .0058116 1.55 0.122 -.0023995 .0203816

 Florida | -.7244923 .1486832 -4.87 0.000 -1.015906 -.4330787

 _cons | -5.541216 1.969354 -2.81 0.005 -9.401079 -1.681353

-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 /lnalpha | -3.567961 .4746443 -7.52 0.000 -4.498246 -2.637675

-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
64

Location |

 var(_cons)| .2120851 .0475991 .1366066 .3292674

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LR test vs. nbinomial regression:chibar2(01) = 133.20 Prob>=chibar2 = 0.0000

Fatal + Injury Crashes

Mixed-effects Poisson regression Number of obs = 434

Group variable: Location Number of groups = 73

 Wald chi2(11) = 33.52

Log likelihood = -665.20078 Prob > chi2 = 0.0004

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 FI | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval]

-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 Treated | -.1341782 .1386713 -0.97 0.333 -.405969 .1376126

 LNAADTMaj | .4430583 .1845915 2.40 0.016 .0812656 .8048511

 LNAADTMin | .1164183 .0520172 2.24 0.025 .0144663 .2183702

 |

 THRU_SPEED |

 40 | .4292983 .2915357 1.47 0.141 -.1421011 1.000698

 45 | .4049865 .2221222 1.82 0.068 -.0303651 .840338

 50 | .1067951 .3398837 0.31 0.753 -.5593647 .772955

 55 | .880773 .2837816 3.10 0.002 .3245713 1.436975

 60 | -.6526719 .6898198 -0.95 0.344 -2.004694 .6993501

 |

ThruLane5Up | -.5191403 .2780189 -1.87 0.062 -1.064047 .0257668

 DEFLECTION | .0038474 .0051373 0.75 0.454 -.0062215 .0139162

 Florida | -.1913353 .1319369 -1.45 0.147 -.4499269 .0672564

 _cons | -4.805059 1.750959 -2.74 0.006 -8.236877 -1.373242

-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

Location |

 var(_cons)| .1022855 .0363784 .0509425 .2053754

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LR test vs. nbinomial regression:chibar2(01) = 24.23 Prob>=chibar2 = 0.0000

Target Crashes

Mixed-effects nbinomial regression Number of obs = 433

Overdispersion: mean

Group variable: Location Number of groups = 73

 Wald chi2(11) = 91.98

Log likelihood = -805.26016 Prob > chi2 = 0.0000

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Target | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval]

-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 Treated | -.0337268 .1915727 -0.18 0.860 -.4092025 .3417488

 LNAADTMaj | .5266724 .2497115 2.11 0.035 .0372468 1.016098

 LNAADTMin | .1948996 .0712121 2.74 0.006 .0553264 .3344728

 |

 THRU_SPEED |

 40 | -.0171329 .398288 -0.04 0.966 -.7977631 .7634973

 45 | .3838796 .3013736 1.27 0.203 -.2068017 .974561

 50 | -.1985112 .4589208 -0.43 0.665 -1.097979 .700957

 55 | .6631016 .393477 1.69 0.092 -.108099 1.434302

 60 | -.4246656 .7859793 -0.54 0.589 -1.965157 1.115826

 |

ThruLane5Up | -.8200212 .3790982 -2.16 0.031 -1.56304 -.0770024

 DEFLECTION | .0100721 .0069324 1.45 0.146 -.0035152 .0236594

 Florida | -1.158089 .1774422 -6.53 0.000 -1.505869 -.8103083

 _cons | -5.133955 2.36076 -2.17 0.030 -9.76096 -.5069502

-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 /lnalpha | -3.240642 .5155851 -6.29 0.000 -4.251171 -2.230114

-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

Location |

 var(_cons)| .2840945 .0674521 .1783871 .4524413

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LR test vs. nbinomial regression:chibar2(01) = 108.78 Prob>=chibar2 = 0.0000
65

APPENDIX B. UNMATCHED DATA MODELS

This appendix contains the regression output for the models using the unmatched data. These 

models were used to develop the CMFs.

Total Crashes

Mixed-effects nbinomial regression Number of obs = 516

Overdispersion: mean

Group variable: Location Number of groups = 104

 Wald chi2(21) = 121.79

Log likelihood = -1134.4724 Prob > chi2 = 0.0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 TOT | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval]

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 Treated | -.0651048 .1452097 -0.45 0.654 -.3497105 .219501

 LNAADTMaj | .8827815 .1499963 5.89 0.000 .5887942 1.176769

 LNAADTMin | .1138795 .0520072 2.19 0.029 .0119472 .2158118

 |

 THRU_SPEED |

 30 | -.0663538 .6472018 -0.10 0.918 -1.334846 1.202138

 35 | .1191612 .6194883 0.19 0.847 -1.095014 1.333336

 40 | .3005828 .6417147 0.47 0.639 -.9571549 1.558321

 45 | .3793965 .6377301 0.59 0.552 -.8705315 1.629325

 50 | -.3578762 .7042309 -0.51 0.611 -1.738143 1.022391

 55 | .6114627 .6921769 0.88 0.377 -.745179 1.968104

 60 | .4465226 .9637542 0.46 0.643 -1.442401 2.335446

 |

 INT_SPEED |

 25 | .40674 .4660948 0.87 0.383 -.506789 1.320269

 30 | .62461 .4456572 1.40 0.161 -.248862 1.498082

 35 | .6398991 .4503864 1.42 0.155 -.2428419 1.52264

 40 | .6039956 .4907412 1.23 0.218 -.3578394 1.565831

 45 | .9291992 .4785334 1.94 0.052 -.008709 1.867107

 55 | .9122952 .528974 1.72 0.085 -.1244748 1.949065

 |

 THRU_LW | .1335091 .1174843 1.14 0.256 -.0967559 .3637741

 ThruLane5Up | -.4314039 .2038598 -2.12 0.034 -.8309617 -.031846

 FRTH_LEG | -.0529904 .1514085 -0.35 0.726 -.3497457 .2437649

 DEFLECTION | .0075639 .0051582 1.47 0.143 -.002546 .0176739

 Florida | -.5879068 .158542 -3.71 0.000 -.8986434 -.2771703

 _cons | -10.38209 2.287736 -4.54 0.000 -14.86597 -5.89821

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 /lnalpha | -2.793322 .3145283 -8.88 0.000 -3.409786 -2.176858

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

Location |

 var(_cons)| .2162566 .0420769 .1476902 .3166556

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LR test vs. nbinomial regression:chibar2(01) = 112.31 Prob>=chibar2 = 0.0000
66

Fatal + Injury Crashes

Mixed-effects Poisson regression Number of obs = 516

Group variable: Location Number of groups = 104

 Wald chi2(21) = 69.20

Log likelihood = -795.8822 Prob > chi2 = 0.0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 FI | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval]

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 Treated | -.1258947 .1468064 -0.86 0.391 -.4136299 .1618406

 LNAADTMaj | .7880994 .1538588 5.12 0.000 .4865418 1.089657

 LNAADTMin | .1330427 .0530407 2.51 0.012 .0290847 .2370006

 |

 THRU_SPEED |

 30 | .3913529 .6747264 0.58 0.562 -.9310865 1.713792

 35 | .2297819 .6552667 0.35 0.726 -1.054517 1.514081

 40 | .5284284 .6771754 0.78 0.435 -.7988111 1.855668

 45 | .6428837 .6733534 0.95 0.340 -.6768647 1.962632

 50 | .2340186 .7384256 0.32 0.751 -1.213269 1.681306

 55 | 1.067968 .7230297 1.48 0.140 -.3491446 2.48508

 60 | .0281176 1.067012 0.03 0.979 -2.063187 2.119422

 |

 INT_SPEED |

 25 | .3085697 .4771768 0.65 0.518 -.6266796 1.243819

 30 | .4888562 .4565184 1.07 0.284 -.4059034 1.383616

 35 | .3264459 .46244 0.71 0.480 -.5799198 1.232812

 40 | .5251068 .5007958 1.05 0.294 -.4564349 1.506648

 45 | .4338082 .4880265 0.89 0.374 -.5227062 1.390323

 55 | .5979823 .5404798 1.11 0.269 -.4613386 1.657303

 |

 THRU_LW | .0928152 .1228663 0.76 0.450 -.1479983 .3336287

 ThruLane5Up | -.3819944 .2096644 -1.82 0.068 -.7929291 .0289403

 FRTH_LEG | -.191284 .1558754 -1.23 0.220 -.4967942 .1142263

 DEFLECTION | .0018598 .0053054 0.35 0.726 -.0085386 .0122583

 Florida | -.2244251 .1642601 -1.37 0.172 -.546369 .0975188

 _cons | -10.22665 2.353285 -4.35 0.000 -14.839 -5.614294

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

Location |

 var(_cons)| .15825 .0429838 .0929268 .2694924

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LR test vs. nbinomial regression:chibar2(01) = 33.71 Prob>=chibar2 = 0.0000
67

Target Crashes

Mixed-effects nbinomial regression Number of obs = 515

Overdispersion: mean

Group variable: Location Number of groups = 104

 Wald chi2(21) = 161.72

Log likelihood = -960.89489 Prob > chi2 = 0.0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Target | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval]

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 Treated | -.1857775 .1645152 -1.13 0.259 -.5082214 .1366663

 LNAADTMaj | .9044383 .1715841 5.27 0.000 .5681397 1.240737

 LNAADTMin | .1174335 .059866 1.96 0.050 .0000983 .2347687

 |

 THRU_SPEED |

 30 | 1.081438 .9507476 1.14 0.255 -.7819933 2.944869

 35 | 1.167648 .9267098 1.26 0.208 -.6486698 2.983966

 40 | 1.464637 .9456078 1.55 0.121 -.3887202 3.317994

 45 | 1.642442 .9423246 1.74 0.081 -.2044807 3.489364

 50 | .8048887 1.001211 0.80 0.421 -1.157449 2.767226

 55 | 1.700048 .9904233 1.72 0.086 -.2411461 3.641242

 60 | 1.461301 1.296715 1.13 0.260 -1.080214 4.002816

 |

 INT_SPEED |

 25 | .394 .5664751 0.70 0.487 -.7162708 1.504271

 30 | .6714898 .5448975 1.23 0.218 -.3964897 1.739469

 35 | .6295828 .5501377 1.14 0.252 -.4486673 1.707833

 40 | .4781859 .5966062 0.80 0.423 -.6911408 1.647513

 45 | 1.09181 .5774279 1.89 0.059 -.0399283 2.223548

 55 | .967884 .6306965 1.53 0.125 -.2682584 2.204026

 |

 THRU_LW | .1072025 .1375266 0.78 0.436 -.1623447 .3767496

 ThruLane5Up | -.5540126 .234327 -2.36 0.018 -1.013285 -.09474

 FRTH_LEG | .0024002 .1702609 0.01 0.989 -.3313051 .3361054

 DEFLECTION | .0072983 .0057975 1.26 0.208 -.0040647 .0186612

 Florida | -1.003687 .1794622 -5.59 0.000 -1.355426 -.6519472

 _cons | -11.66765 2.713689 -4.30 0.000 -16.98638 -6.348917

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

 /lnalpha | -2.431527 .3402199 -7.15 0.000 -3.098346 -1.764709

--------------+----------------------------------------------------------------

Location |

 var(_cons)| .2455567 .0538776 .1597311 .3774975

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LR test vs. nbinomial regression:chibar2(01) = 75.34 Prob>=chibar2 = 0.0000

69

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This report was prepared for FHWA’s Office of Safety Research and Development under 

Contract DTFH61-13-D-00001. The FHWA Contracting Officer’s Representative for this project 

was Roya Amjadi. 

The project team gratefully acknowledges the participation of the following organizations for 

their assistance in this study:

• FDOT.

• SCDOT.

71

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