Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational 

Guide

Publication No. FHWA-SA-14-070 August 2014

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20590
FOREWORD

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative is designed to 

identify and deploy innovation aimed at reducing project delivery time, enhancing safety and 

protecting the environment. In 2012, FHWA chose Intersection & Interchange Geometrics (IIG) 

to feature as one of the innovative technologies in EDC-2. Specifically, IIG consists of a family 

of alternative intersection designs that improve intersection safety while also reducing delay, and 

at lower cost and with fewer impacts than comparable traditional solutions.

As part of the effort to mainstream these intersections, FHWA has produced a series of guides to 

help transportation professionals routinely consider and implement these designs. Concurrent 

with this Restricted Crossing U-turn (RCUT) Informational Guide, FHWA developed and 

published guides for three other designs: Median U-turn (MUT), Displaced Left Turn (DLT), 

and Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI). These guides represent summaries of the current 

state of knowledge and practice, and are intended to inform project planning, scoping, design and 

implementation decisions.

An electronic version of this document is available on the Office of Safety website at 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/. Additionally, limited quantities of hard copies are available from the 

Report Center; inquiries may be directed to report.center@dot.gov or 814-239-1160. 

Michael S. Griffith

Director

Office of Safety Technologies

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. This report does not constitute a standard, 

specification, or regulation. 

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. 
i 

Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.

FHWA-SA-14-070

2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle

Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

5. Report Date

August 2014

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Authors

Joe Hummer, Wayne State University; Brian Ray, Andy Daleiden, Pete Jenior, 

Julia Knudsen, Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

8. Performing Organization Report No.

Project 13517

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

610 SW Alder Street, Suite 700 

Portland, OR 97205

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.

TO DTFH61-00023-T-13002

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20590

13. Type of Report and Period 

Technical Report

Informational Report

September 2013 to August 2014

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

FHWA

15. Supplementary Notes

Jeffrey Shaw (jeffrey.shaw@dot.gov), Office of Safety Technologies (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/), served as the Technical

Manager for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The following FHWA staff contributed as technical working group 

members, reviewers and/or provided input or feedback to the project at various stages: Joe Bared, Mark Doctor, Brian Fouch, 

Elizabeth Hilton, Jim McCarthy, George Merritt, Will Stein, Jim Sturrock and Wei Zhang.

16. Abstract

This document provides information and guidance on Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) intersections. To the extent possible, 

the guide addresses a variety of conditions found in the United States, to achieve designs suitable for a wide array of potential 

users. This guide provides general information, planning techniques, evaluation procedures for assessing safety and operational 

performance, design guidelines, and principles to be considered for selecting and designing RCUT intersections.

17. Key Words

RCUT, Superstreet, J-turn, Restricted Crossing U-turn, Reduced Conflict 

Intersection, Synchronized Street, Alternative Intersections, Innovative 

Intersections

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions. 

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

186 

22. Price

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed pages authorized
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

ii
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1— INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1

OVERVIEW OF ALTERNATIVE INTERSECTIONS AND INTERCHANGES ................... 1

INTERSECTION CONTROL EVALUATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS ......................... 1

ORGANIZATION OF THE GUIDELINES .............................................................................. 2

SCOPE OF THE GUIDE ............................................................................................................ 3

RCUT INTERSECTION OVERVIEW ...................................................................................... 3

APPLICATION .......................................................................................................................... 7

RESOURCE DOCUMENTS .................................................................................................... 13

CHAPTER 2— POLICY AND PLANNING ........................................................................... 15

PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE INTERSECTIONS AND 

INTERCHANGES .................................................................................................................... 15

STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH ............................................................................................... 17

POLICY CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................................ 21

PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS .......................................................................................... 22

PLANNING CHALLENGES ................................................................................................... 24

PROJECT PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................... 25

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ................................................................................. 26

SUMMARY OF RCUT ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES ................................... 27

CHAPTER 3—MULTIMODAL CONSIDERATIONS .......................................................... 31

DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND APPROACH ............................................................................ 31

PEDESTRIANS ........................................................................................................................ 32

BICYCLISTS ............................................................................................................................ 42

TRANSIT VEHICLE CONSIDERATION .............................................................................. 47

HEAVY VEHICLE CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................... 49

CHAPTER 4 — SAFETY .......................................................................................................... 51

SAFETY PRINCIPLES ............................................................................................................ 51

OBSERVED SAFETY PERFORMANCE ............................................................................... 54

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................................ 58

INCIDENT RESPONSE CONSIDERATIONS ....................................................................... 61

SAFETY EVALUATION CONSIDERATIONS ..................................................................... 61

CHAPTER 5 — OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS .................................................... 63

OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLES ............................................................................................... 63

SYSTEM-WIDE CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................... 76

COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE STUDIES ...................................................................... 79
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

iv

CHAPTER 6 — OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS ....................................................................... 83

OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS OVERVIEW ........................................................................... 84

PLANNING ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 87

HIGHWAY CAPACITY MANUAL (HCM) ANALYSIS ...................................................... 88

MICROSIMULATION ANALYSIS ........................................................................................ 91

CHAPTER 7 — GEOMETRIC DESIGN ................................................................................ 95

DESIGN APPROACH.............................................................................................................. 95

GEOMETRIC DESIGN PARAMETERS/PRINCIPLES......................................................... 98

RANGE OF RCUT CONFIGURATIONS ............................................................................... 98

OPERATIONAL EFFECTS OF GEOMETRIC DESIGN ..................................................... 102

DESIGN GUIDANCE ............................................................................................................ 104

CHAPTER 8--SIGNALS, SIGNING, MARKING, AND LIGHTING ................................ 121

DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND APPROACH .......................................................................... 121

SIGNALIZED VERSUS UNSIGNALIZED RCUT INTERSECTIONS .............................. 121

SIGNALS ................................................................................................................................ 122

SIGNING ................................................................................................................................ 129

PAVEMENT MARKINGS .................................................................................................... 137

LIGHTING ............................................................................................................................. 138

CHAPTER 9 – CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE ................................................ 141

CONSTRUCTION .................................................................................................................. 141

COSTS .................................................................................................................................... 145

MAINTENANCE ................................................................................................................... 149

LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS ........................................................................................... 150

REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 153

Appendix A CATALOG OF ALL KNOWN INSTALLATIONS IN THE UNITED 

STATES ....................................................................................................... 157

Appendix B SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONAL AND SAFETY DETAILS .......... 159

Appendix C MARKETING AND OUTREACH MATERIALS .................................. 165
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

v 

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1-1. Example of a RCUT intersection with signals............................................................ 5

Exhibit 1-2. Example of a RCUT intersection with stop-control. .................................................. 5

Exhibit 1-3. Example of a RCUT intersection with merges. .......................................................... 6

Exhibit 1-4. Locations of RCUT Intersections. .............................................................................. 7

Exhibit 1-5. Signalized RCUT intersection on US-281 in San Antonio, TX with four-lane major 

street and four-lane minor street.(2) ................................................................................................. 8

Exhibit 1-6. Stop-controlled RCUT intersection on US-1 near Southern Pines, NC.(2) ................. 9

Exhibit 1-7. Merge-controlled RCUT intersection on US-15 in Emmitsburg, MD.(3) ................... 9

Exhibit 1-8. RCUT intersection on US-15/501 in Chapel Hill, NC with no left-turn crossovers.(2)

....................................................................................................................................................... 10

Exhibit 1-9. Loon implemented on RCUT intersection in Wilmington, NC.(3) ............................ 11

Exhibit 1-10. Signalized RCUT intersection in operation near San Antonio, TX showing a 

pedestrian “Z” crossing.(3) ............................................................................................................. 11

Exhibit 1-11. Three-legged RCUT intersection on US-17 at Brunswick Forest Parkway in 

Leland, NC.(2) ................................................................................................................................ 12

Exhibit 1-12. RCUT corridor on US-17 in Leland, NC.(4)............................................................ 13

Exhibit 2-1. Relationship between total entering volume and intersection type. ......................... 17

Exhibit 2-2. Superstreet intersection public brochure from NCDOT.(4) ....................................... 19

Exhibit 2-3. Superstreet intersection graphic by NCDOT.(15) ....................................................... 20

Exhibit 2-4. Reduced conflict intersection video by MnDOT.(16) ................................................ 20

Exhibit 2-5. J-Turn intersection video by MoDOT.(17) ................................................................. 21

Exhibit 2-6. Project development process. ................................................................................... 26

Exhibit 3-1. Pedestrian movements in a RCUT intersection. ....................................................... 32

Exhibit 3-2. Signalized RCUT with “Z” crossing near San Antonio, TX.(3) ................................ 33

Exhibit 3-3. Pedestrian-vehicle conflict points at conventional intersection. ............................... 34

Exhibit 3-4. Pedestrian-vehicle conflict points at RCUT intersection. ......................................... 34

Exhibit 3-5. RCUT intersection with minor street approaches offset to produce a shorter 

pedestrian crossing. ....................................................................................................................... 35

Exhibit 3-6. Three types of signalized mid-block crossing feasible on RCUT corridor. ............. 36

Exhibit 3-7. Pedestrian crossing of three-legged RCUT intersection. .......................................... 37

Exhibit 3-8. Alternative crossing treatments and modeled operational performance for 

pedestrians..................................................................................................................................... 38

Exhibit 3-9. Median shared-use path design for the US Route 15/501 RCUT intersection in North 

Carolina.(25) ................................................................................................................................... 39

Exhibit 3-10. Two-stage channelized pedestrian crossing at conventional intersection.(25) ......... 40

Exhibit 3-11. Right-turn lane with bicycle lane. ........................................................................... 43

Exhibit 3-12. Minor street through options for bicycles. .............................................................. 44

Exhibit 3-13. Curb cut design used in North Carolina to assist bicyclists crossing at a rural 

RCUT with stop sign.(27) ............................................................................................................... 45

Exhibit 3-14. Alternative crossing treatments and modeled operational performance for 

bicyclists. ...................................................................................................................................... 46

Exhibit 3-15. Potential bus stop locations at a RCUT intersection............................................... 47

Exhibit 3-17. RCUT intersection major street bus stop placement options between U-turn 

crossovers. ..................................................................................................................................... 49

Exhibit 4-1. Conflict point comparison. ....................................................................................... 52
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

vi 

Exhibit 4-2. Vehicular conflict points at a four-approach conventional intersection. .................. 52

Exhibit 4-3. Vehicular conflict points at a four-approach RCUT intersection. ............................ 52

Exhibit 4-4. Typical site in NCDOT study of RCUT intersections with stop signs.(2) ................. 55

Exhibit 4-5. Results of analyses of RCUT intersections with stop signs in North Carolina.(11) ... 56

Exhibit 4-6. Typical site from FHWA study of Maryland RCUT intersections with merges.(3) .. 57

Exhibit 4-7. Summary of empirical safety studies of unsignalized RCUT intersections. ............ 58

Exhibit 4-8. Example of U-turn/right-turn conflict.(3) .................................................................. 59

Exhibit 4-9. U-turn crossover detail.(28) ........................................................................................ 60

Exhibit 4-10. Dual-lane crossover design overtracking potential. ................................................ 61

Exhibit 5-1. Concurrent movements at conventional intersection and signalized RCUT 

intersection. ................................................................................................................................... 64

Exhibit 5-2. Signal placement at signalized RCUT intersection. ................................................. 65

Exhibit 5-3 Signal progression on a RCUT corridor. ................................................................... 66

Exhibit 5-4. Signal phasing for a RCUT intersection with four controllers. ................................ 69

Exhibit 5-5. Signal phasing for a RCUT intersection with one controller and a single concurrent 

pedestrian phase to allow pedestrians to cross the major street. ................................................... 70

Exhibit 5-6. Signal phasing for a RCUT intersection with one controller in which pedestrians 

cross the major street at two separated signal-controlled crosswalks. .......................................... 71

Exhibit 5-7. Feasible demand space for signalized RCUT intersection. ...................................... 75

Exhibit 5-8. RCUT corridor in Leland, NC.(4) .............................................................................. 77

Exhibit 5-9. Progression in RCUT corridors radiating outward from one non-RCUT intersection.

....................................................................................................................................................... 78

Exhibit 5-10. Corridor with RCUT intersections only where needed to provide two-way 

progression. ................................................................................................................................... 79

Exhibit 5-11. RCUT simulation results, average of four time of day periods .............................. 80

Exhibit 5-12. Operational measures on US-281 north of San Antonio before and after RCUT 

intersection installation.(35) ............................................................................................................ 82

Exhibit 6-1. RCUT Analysis Techniques ..................................................................................... 85

Exhibit 6-2. Translating turning movements at a conventional intersection into a RCUT 

intersection. ................................................................................................................................... 86

Exhibit 6-3. CAP-X planning level tool screen capture.(36) .......................................................... 88

Exhibit 6-4. Preliminary guidance from FHWA research on key parameters in operation analysis 

of signalized RCUT intersections. ................................................................................................ 91

Exhibit 6-5. Final gap values after calibration.(11) ........................................................................ 93

Exhibit 7-1. Characteristics of a RCUT intersection with signals. ............................................... 96

Exhibit 7-2. Characteristics of a RCUT intersection with stop-control. ....................................... 96

Exhibit 7-3. Characteristics of a RCUT intersection with merges................................................ 97

Exhibit 7-4. Stop-controlled RCUT intersection on US-1 near Southern Pines, NC.(2) ............. 100

Exhibit 7-5. Merge-controlled RCUT intersection on US-15 in Emmitsburg, MD.(3) ............... 100

Exhibit 7-6. Signalized RCUT intersection on OH-4 outside Hamilton, OH with six-lane major 

highway and four-lane minor road.(2).......................................................................................... 101

Exhibit 7-7. Signalized RCUT intersection on Big Beaver Road in Troy, MI with six-lane major 

street and four-lane minor street.(3) ............................................................................................. 102

Exhibit 7-8. RCUT intersection with three-approaches. ............................................................. 102

Exhibit 7-9. RCUT intersection angle considerations. ............................................................... 104
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

vii 

Exhibit 7-10. RCUT intersection schematic from NCDOT showing left-turn crossover 

dimensions.(37) ............................................................................................................................. 106

Exhibit 7-11. Minor street left turn crossover with a merge on Woodward Avenue in 

Birmingham, MI.(2) ..................................................................................................................... 107

Exhibit 7-12. Schematic of RCUT intersection with one-lane, minor street approaches. .......... 109

Exhibit 7-13. Signalized RCUT intersection with multiple lanes and channelization on the minor 

street. ........................................................................................................................................... 110

Exhibit 7-14. Area near U-turn crossover where access point should be avoided. .................... 111

Exhibit 7-15. Back-to-back crossovers on Big Beaver Road in Troy, MI.(2).............................. 112

Exhibit 7-16 Loon implemented on RCUT intersection in Wilmington, NC.(3) ........................ 113

Exhibit 7-17. Other treatments used at U-turn crossovers on Twelve Mile Road in Farmington 

Hills, MI to accommodate large vehicles.(2) ............................................................................... 114

Exhibit 7-18. AASHTO-recommended minimum median widths for U-turn crossovers.(5) ...... 115

Exhibit 7-19. RCUT intersection with back-to-back two-lane crossover storage bays. ............. 115

Exhibit 7-20. U-turn crossover design on highway with curbs.(28) ............................................. 116

Exhibit 7-21. U-turn crossover design on highway without curbs.(28) ........................................ 116

Exhibit 7-22. Spacing consideration for a minor street through or left movement. ................... 118

Exhibit 8-1. RCUT intersection with four separate controllers. ................................................. 122

Exhibit 8-2. RCUT intersection with three separate controllers. ................................................ 123

Exhibit 8-3. RCUT intersection with two separate controllers. .................................................. 124

Exhibit 8-4. RCUT intersection with a single controller. ........................................................... 124

Exhibit 8-5. Possible signal pole and mast arm locations for RCUT intersection. ..................... 126

Exhibit 8-6. Signal pole locations at the main intersection of a RCUT intersection on US-17 in 

North Carolina.(3) ........................................................................................................................ 126

Exhibit 8-7. Signal pole locations at the main intersection of another RCUT intersection on US17 in North Carolina.(3) ............................................................................................................... 127

Exhibit 8-8. Signal pole locations at the U-turn crossover of a RCUT intersection on US-17 in 

North Carolina.(3) ........................................................................................................................ 127

Exhibit 8-9. Signal pole locations on the minor street approaches of a RCUT intersection on US17 in North Carolina.(3) ............................................................................................................... 128

Exhibit 8-10. Potential detector placements. .............................................................................. 129

Exhibit 8-11. Signalized RCUT intersection signing plan derived from Maryland practice.(3) . 131

Exhibit 8-12. Guide signs for U-turn crossovers based on Maryland (left side) and Texas (right 

side) practice. .............................................................................................................................. 132

Exhibit 8-13. Overhead lane use signs provided on minor street (Evans Road) approaching major 

street (US-281 in San Antonio, TX). .......................................................................................... 133

Exhibit 8-14. RCUT intersection with traffic island separating minor street right turn movements 

from minor street through and left turn movements.(2) ............................................................... 134

Exhibit 8-15. Overhead guide signs at the RCUT intersection on US-15/501 in Chapel Hill, 

NC.(27).......................................................................................................................................... 135

Exhibit 8-16. Stop-controlled RCUT intersection signing guidance from NCDOT practice.(40) 136

Exhibit 8-17. Signing at a merge-controlled RCUT intersection in Emmitsburg, Maryland.(3) . 137

Exhibit 8-18. Typical pavement marking at a directional crossover.(28) ..................................... 138

Exhibit 8-19. Pavement markings at a directional crossover with dual lanes.(28) ....................... 138

Exhibit 9-1. Construction staging when widening the street when converting two-lane road to 

multilane RCUT intersection.(3) .................................................................................................. 142
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

viii

Exhibit 9-2. Construction staging for converting a conventional intersection to a RCUT 

intersection.(3) .............................................................................................................................. 144

Exhibit 9-3. Summary of costs associated with RCUT intersections. ........................................ 146

Exhibit 9-4. RCUT intersection used in theoretical cost comparison.(3) ..................................... 147

Exhibit 9-5. Conventional intersection alternatives used for cost comparison.(3)....................... 148

Exhibit 9-6. Footprint comparisons of a RCUT intersection versus conventional intersections. 149
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

1 

CHAPTER 1— INTRODUCTION

OVERVIEW OF ALTERNATIVE INTERSECTIONS AND INTERCHANGES

Alternative intersections and interchanges offer the potential to improve safety and reduce delay 

at a lower cost and with fewer impacts than traditional solutions. However, transportation 

professionals are generally unfamiliar with many alternative intersection and interchange forms, 

partially because some forms have only a few installations in operation or because installations 

are concentrated in a few states. Furthermore, at the national level, well-documented and 

substantive resources needed for planning, analysis, design and public outreach and education, 

were limited. 

Concurrent with this Restricted Crossing U-turn (RCUT) Informational Guide, the Federal 

Highway Administration (FHWA) developed and published informational guides for three other 

alternative intersection and interchange forms: Median U-turn (MUT), Displaced Left Turn 

(DLT), and Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI). These guides are intended to increase 

awareness of these specific alternative intersections and interchanges and provide guidance on 

how to plan, design, construct, and operate them. These guidelines represent summaries of the 

current state of knowledge with the intent of supporting decisions when considering and 

potentially selecting alternative intersection and interchange forms for appropriate applications.

INTERSECTION CONTROL EVALUATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS

The term “intersection” means the junction of two or more street facilities. In some cases, this 

may specifically mean an “at-grade” intersection form. In others, it may include the junction of 

two or more streets requiring partial or complete grade separation (“interchanges”). A number of 

state and city transporation agencies have or are implementing intersection control evaluation 

processes or policies as a means of integrating the widest range of intersection forms as project 

solutions. For example, California, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have policies or processes 

to objectively consider and select the most appropriate intersection form for a given project 

context. 

Many of the policies or processes include common objectives in selecting the optimal or 

preferred intersection control alternative for a given project context. The common elements 

generally include but are not limited to the following:

• Understanding the intended context, and how operations, safety, and geometry fit the 

context for each intersection or corridor including intended users (pedestirans, bicyclists, 

passenger cars, transit vehicles, freight, emergency responders, and over size/over weight 

[OSOW] vehicles)

• Identifying and documenting the overall corridor or intersection context including the 

built, natural, and community environment and the intended performance outcomes of the 

intersection form 

• Considering and assessing a wide range of traffic control strategies and other practical 

improvement concepts to identify worthy project-level technical evaluation
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

2 

• Comparing engineering and economic analysis results of practical alternatives that 

consider implementation costs, performance benefits and impacts (safety, multimodal, 

operations, environment, etc.), and the estimated service life of alternatives 

ORGANIZATION OF THE GUIDELINES

This guide is structured to address the needs of a variety of readers, including the general public, 

policy makers, transportation planners, operations and safety analysts, and conceptual and 

detailed designers. This chapter distinguishes RCUT intersections from conventional 

intersections and provides an overview of each chapter in the guide. The remaining chapters in 

increase in the level of detail provided. 

Chapter 2: Policy and Planning—This chapter provides guidance on when to consider 

alternative intersections in general and RCUT intersections in particular. This chapter provides 

an overview of the policies, project challenges, performance measures, and project development 

process throughout the duration of the project to balance trade-offs.

Chapter 3: Multimodal Considerations—This chapter provides an overview of multimodal 

facilities at RCUT intersections and how various types of users can be safely integrated into the 

design. 

Chapter 4: Safety—This chapter summarizes the safety performance at RCUT intersections 

based on studies completed by state agencies and recent research efforts. Although the 

documented safety performance of RCUT intersections is limited, information about conflict 

points and emergency services are discussed in this chapter.

Chapter 5: Operational Characteristics—This chapter provides information on the unique 

operational characteristics of RCUT intersections and how they affect elements such as traffic 

signal phasing and coordination. The chapter also provides guidance for practitioners related to 

design elements such as driveways that may affect the operational performance of RCUT 

intersections. It describes the unique operational characteristics of RCUT intersections and 

prepares transportation professionals for conducting operational analysis as described in Chapter 

6. 

Chapter 6: Operational Analysis—This chapter presents an overview of the approach and tools 

available for conducting a traffic operations analysis of a RCUT intersection. 

Chapter 7: Geometric Design—This chapter describes the typical RCUT intersection design 

approach and provides guidance for geometric features. Design of a RCUT intersection will also 

require reviewing and integrating the intersection’s multimodal considerations (Chapter 3), 

safety assessment (Chapter 4), and traffic operational analysis (Chapters 5 and 6). 

Chapter 8: Signal, Signing, Marking, and Lighting—This chapter presents information 

relating to the design and placement of traffic control devices at RCUT intersections, including 

traffic signals, signs, and pavement markings, as well as intersection lighting. 

Chapter 9: Construction and Maintenance—This chapter focuses on the constructability and 

maintenance of a RCUT intersection. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

3 

An Appendix is included at the end of this guide for the purpose of providing more detailed 

information about many of the resources and best practices presented in the guide. The Appendix 

contains the following information: 

• A - Catalog of all known installations in the United States

• B - Supplemental operational and safety details

• C - Marketing and outreach materials

• D - Supplemental construction and design details

SCOPE OF THE GUIDE

This document provides information and guidance on RCUT intersections, resulting in designs 

suitable for a variety of typical conditions commonly found in the United States. To the extent 

possible, the guide provides information on the wide array of potential users as it relates to the 

intersection form. This guide provides general information, planning techniques, evaluation 

procedures for assessing safety and operational performance, design guidelines, and principles to 

be considered for selecting and designing RCUT intersections. This guide does not include 

specific legal or policy requirements; however, Chapter 2 provides information on planning 

topics and considerations when investigating intersection control forms. This first edition of the 

Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide has been developed from documented practices 

and prior research. As more RCUT intersections are built, there will be opportunities to conduct 

research to refine existing and develop new methods to inform project decisions about this 

intersection form.

RCUT INTERSECTION OVERVIEW

The Restricted Crossing U-turn (RCUT) intersection is also known as a superstreet intersection, 

a J-turn intersection, and synchronized street intersection. The RCUT intersection differs from a 

conventional intersection by eliminating the left-turn and through movements from cross street 

approaches. To accommodate these movements, the RCUT intersection requires drivers to turn 

right onto the main road and then make a U-turn maneuver at a one-way median opening at least 

400 feet after the intersection. At the main street approaches, the left turns are typically 

accommodated similar to left turns at conventional intersections. In some cases, such as rural 

unsignalized RCUT intersection designs, left-turn movements from the main street could also be 

removed. RCUT intersections can have either three or four legs. In the case of a four-legged 

RCUT intersection, there are two U-turn crossovers, and minor street left-turn and through 

movements are not allowed to be made directly at the intersection. 

There are three main types of RCUT intersections, including: 

• Signalized – A signalized RCUT intersection can provide favorable progression along an 

urban or suburban corridor. RCUT intersection signals typically require only two phases, 

which can minimize the loss time at the intersection. Efficient progression can be 

provided in both directions with any speed or signal spacing. Additional progression 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

4 

advantages can be realized if there is more than one RCUT intersection along the 

corridor. Signalized RCUT intersections are able to easily accommodate pedestrians and 

adjacent access driveways. As there is a capacity limit for the cross street for signalized 

RCUT intersections, this option may not be appropriate at the intersection of two 

arterials. 

• Stop-controlled – A stop-controlled RCUT intersection is sometimes used as a safety 

treatment at an isolated intersection on a four-lane divided arterial in a rural area. There 

are known safety benefits for this type of RCUT intersection. In some cases, a stopcontrolled RCUT intersection is later converted to a signalized RCUT intersection as 

traffic volumes increase.

• Merge- or yield-controlled – A merge-controlled RCUT intersection can allow a rural 

high-speed divided four-lane corridor to function similar to a freeway corridor in cases 

where funding for interchanges and overpasses may not be readily available. This type of 

RCUT intersection relies on long distances to U-turn crossovers to allow for the weaving 

movement. 

Hybrids of the three main types of RCUT intersections are possible and a RCUT intersection is 

sometimes converted from one type to another. 

The RCUT intersection is similar to the MUT intersection. However, these alternative 

intersection types each have unique design features and are implemented at different locations 

with unique characteristics. The RCUT intersection reroutes minor street left-turn and through 

movements, while the MUT reroutes major street and minor street left-turn movements. The 

RCUT intersection typically has better signal progression than a MUT intersection, but does not 

serve minor street approaches with high through demand as well as the MUT intersection. The 

RCUT intersection may complement a corridor with MUT intersections by serving the corridors 

between the major intersections. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

5 

Exhibits 1-1 through 1-3 illustrate examples of the three types of RCUT intersections. 

Exhibit 1-1. Example of a RCUT intersection with signals. 

Exhibit 1-2. Example of a RCUT intersection with stop-control. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

6 

Exhibit 1-3. Example of a RCUT intersection with merges. 

An intersection design like the RCUT, but without the major street left-turn crossovers, has been 

in use on urban arterials in North Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent for years. 

For most of these intersections, the design operates without traffic signals, even with heavy 

traffic volumes. In these countries, the design helps to create adequate traffic flow, reduces 

conflicts, and reduces delay compared to uncontrolled intersections with similar demands. 

The intersection design we now know as the RCUT intersection was first developed in the 

United States by Richard Kramer and was also developed independently in Maryland and North 

Carolina. Kramer published his concept in the mid-1980s.(1) Concerned with congestion on 

suburban arterials, Kramer developed a set of principles defining an ideal suburban arterial to 

overcome congestion and presented a design (he called it a “superstreet”) reflecting those ideals. 

The superstreet’s key design features include large, uninterrupted progression bands in both 

directions along the arterial and an arterial through movement that receives two-thirds to threefourths of the green cycle. Kramer pursued his concept for years, and his influence eventually 

helped Alabama build RCUT intersections on US-231 in Dothan in the late 2000s. 

Independently of Kramer, the Maryland State Highway Administration (MSHA) began 

developing concepts in as early as 1988 to address concerns related to maintaining adequate 

traffic flow on rural high-speed four-lane highways. At some minor road intersections along 

those highways, growing traffic volumes and conflicts created the potential need for traffic 

signals. However, MSHA was concerned signalization would reduce arterial mobility and attract 

more development (and minor street traffic) to the intersections. Instead of a signal, an 

unsignalized RCUT intersection (called a J-turn by MSHA) was used in some locations. The first 

J-turn was installed on US-15 near the Pennsylvania border and later on US-301 east of the Bay 

Bridge. 

Another independent development of the RCUT intersection occurred in western North Carolina 

on a narrow, high-speed, four-lane highway through the mountains (US-23/74 near the Blue 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

7 

Ridge Parkway). At this location, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) 

was attempting to mitigate an issue with conflicts from left-turning minor street traffic without 

installing signals. However, there was insufficient right-of-way to widen the median to create a 

refuge. The solution at this location was to install a series of RCUT intersections in 2000 that 

continue to operate effectively. 

APPLICATION

Exhibit 1-4 shows the location of each existing RCUT intersection in the United States, as of the 

publication of this guide. 

Exhibit 1-4. Locations of RCUT Intersections. 

Exhibit 1-5 through Exhibit 1-12 feature photos of RCUT intersections that illustrate different 

contextual environments and a variety of design features. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

8 

Exhibit 1-5. Signalized RCUT intersection on US-281 in San Antonio, TX with four-lane 

major street and four-lane minor street.

(2)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

9 

Exhibit 1-6. Stop-controlled RCUT intersection on US-1 near Southern Pines, NC.(2)

Exhibit 1-7. Merge-controlled RCUT intersection on US-15 in Emmitsburg, MD.(3)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

10 

Exhibit 1-8. RCUT intersection on US-15/501 in Chapel Hill, NC with no left-turn 

crossovers.

(2)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

11 

Exhibit 1-9. Loon implemented on RCUT intersection in Wilmington, NC.(3)

Exhibit 1-10. Signalized RCUT intersection in operation near San Antonio, TX showing a 

pedestrian “Z” crossing.(3) 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

12 

Exhibit 1-11. Three-legged RCUT intersection on US-17 at Brunswick Forest Parkway in 

Leland, NC.

(2)

 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

13 

Exhibit 1-12. RCUT corridor on US-17 in Leland, NC.

(4)

RESOURCE DOCUMENTS

This RCUT intersection guide is supplemental to major resource documents including but not 

limited to: 

• A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (American Association of State 

Highway and Transportation Officials [AASHTO] Green Book)(5)

• Highway Capacity Manual (HCM)(6)

• Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)(7)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

14 

• Highway Safety Manual (HSM)(8)

• Other research documents that appear and are more specialized to specific areas of the 

guide include various National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 

reports, Transportation Research Board (TRB) papers, and Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) publications

The following supplemental resource documents related to the RCUT are also available: 

• Economic Effects of Access Management Techniques in North Carolina by Cunningham, 

et al.(9)

• Operational Effects of Signalized Superstreets in North Carolina by Haley et al.(10)

• Superstreet Benefits and Capacities by Hummer et al.(11)

• Field Evaluation of a Restricted Crossing U-turn Intersection by Inman and Haas.

(12)

• Safety Effects of Unsignalized Superstreets in North Carolina, Accident Analysis and 

Prevention by Ott et al.(13)

• Evaluation of J-turn Intersection Design Performance in Missouri, by Edara, et al.

(14)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

15 

CHAPTER 2— POLICY AND PLANNING

This chapter contains guidance on how to consider alternative intersections in general and RCUT 

intersections in particular. This chapter summarizes policy and planning considerations related to 

RCUT intersections. The remaining chapters of this guide will provide specific details of the 

multimodal, safety, operations, geometric design, and traffic control features of RCUT 

intersections. 

Alternative intersections are often initially considered for operational or safety needs, and other 

key factors may include spatial requirements and multimodal needs. This chapter provides 

approximate footprints for different types of RCUT intersections to allow for planning-level 

screening and feasibility analysis.

PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE INTERSECTIONS AND 

INTERCHANGES

Alternative intersection evaluations may vary depending on the stage of the project development 

process. Each project stage can affect how the policy and technical considerations are assessed. 

While the operational aspects, design, safety, human factors, and signing controls are considered 

at every stage of the development process, a planning-level design evaluation may not require 

the same level of analysis or detailed evaluation of each consideration as projects in later 

development stages. Evaluations may vary but should generally be as comprehensive as needed 

to answer key project questions for each unique project context. 

Serving Pedestrians and Bicycles

The unique geometrics and traffic control at a RCUT intersection can introduce both benefits and 

challenges to pedestrians and bicyclists. Integrating pedestrian and bicycle needs at an early 

stage of the project planning process, rather than simply incorporating these elements in the latter 

stages of design, yields a higher quality solution. 

A RCUT intersection reduces the total number of vehicle-pedestrian conflict points compared to 

a conventional intersection, creates shorter and more direct paths at some pedestrian crossings, 

and—at a signalized RCUT intersection—pedestrians will be able to use a larger portion of the 

cycle. A RCUT intersection also provides opportunities for additional mid-block crosswalks, 

particularly at the U-turn crossovers. 

At a RCUT intersection, the layout of pedestrian crossings may be quite different from most 

other intersection designs (including other alternative intersections), so details related to 

navigation for visually impaired pedestrians are critical. Some paths for crossing pedestrians are 

longer than at a conventional intersection, and some crossing movements will require pedestrians 

to wait in the median. Accommodating bicycles at an RCUT, as with any intersection, begins 

with the decision about whether or not to provide exclusive bicycle facilities, including marked 

and buffered bike lanes, off-road shared-use paths, shoulder accommodations, etc. Once this 

decision is made, the RCUT design must properly accommodate the ability of bicyclists to 

navigate through or turn at the intersection. The unique geometry and channelization of an 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

16 

RCUT may necessitate bicycle movements that are dissimilar from motor vehicle movements. 

Chapter 3 provides more detail on multimodal design options. 

Traffic Volume Relationships

Exhibit 2-1 conceptually depicts the relationship of conventional intersections, alternative 

intersections, and grade separations in their ability to serve increasing traffic volumes. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

17 

Exhibit 2-1. Relationship between total entering volume and intersection type.

STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH

Similar to other transportation projects, stakeholder outreach is a critical part of the overall 

planning process. Successfully implementing the first RCUT intersection in a community may 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

18 

benefit from explicit and proactive outreach and education to affected stakeholders and the 

general public. This would create opportunities to familiarize others with how the intersections 

work while creating opportunities to hear of general project and RCUT intersection specific 

issues and considerations. Creating multiple forums to engage the public (including presentations 

at local council or board meetings, briefs at community organization functions, and projectspecific open house meetings) results in opportunities so listen to community interests and share 

objective information about the intersection form. 

Media campaigns through local newspapers, television, and public meetings can be effective 

methods of keeping the community informed. Exhibit 2-2 is an example of an informational map 

used by NCDOT for explaining RCUT intersections (superstreet intersections) to drivers. 

Stakeholder outreach should also target other uses including pedestrians and bicyclists. Once the 

intersection is open to the public, monitoring driver behavior and using law enforcement as 

necessary to promote proper use of the new form can aid driver acclimation. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

19 

Exhibit 2-2. Superstreet intersection public brochure from NCDOT.(4) 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

20 

NCDOT has developed a graphic to provide additional information and visuals for users of the 

superstreet intersection, as shown in Exhibit 2-3. 

Exhibit 2-3. Superstreet intersection graphic by NCDOT.(15) 

Videos are another helpful tool for public outreach and user education implemented by many 

agencies to demonstrate RCUT intersections. Some of the videos are developed through 

simulation tools, and others may show a road view to illustrate what drivers may expect when 

they travel through this type of intersection. Exhibit 2-4 illustrates multiple screen shots from a 

simulation video used by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Exhibit 2-5 

shows screen shots from a video used by MnDOT to demonstrate a school bus and heavy vehicle 

using a RCUT intersection. 

Exhibit 2-4. Reduced conflict intersection video by MnDOT.(16) 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

21 

Exhibit 2-5. J-Turn intersection video by MoDOT.(17) 

FHWA has created alternative intersection and interchange informational videos and video case 

studies, which can be viewed on the FHWA YouTube channel 

(https://www.youtube.com/user/USDOTFHWA).(18) In addition, FHWA has developed 

alternative intersection brochures that can be found on the FHWA website ( 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov).(19) Examples of this information are shown in the appendix. 

POLICY CONSIDERATIONS 

Designing, operating, and managing a street and its intersections should align with the 

appropriate jurisdictional policies associated with that facility. The facility location and type can 

often dictate the appropriateness of the right-of-way and access management needs associated 

with alternative intersections. The degree to which motor vehicle throughput should or should 

not be prioritized over other modes also plays a role in determining the appropriateness of 

alternative intersections at specific locations.

Some of the policy considerations that should be addressed while planning and designing a 

RCUT intersection include: 

• Access management 

o Typical, minimum, and maximum U-turn crossover spacing

o Driveway spacing or signal spacing criteria

• Operational measures of effectiveness

• If signalized, acceptable cycle lengths, progression speeds, and progression bandwidths 

• Design vehicles in crossovers

• Pedestrian facilities with access and wayfinding for persons with disabilities, including 

the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 (the 

Rehabilitation Act)(20)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

22 

• Bicycle facilities

• Snow removal and storage 

• Incident management

• Emergency response needs

The RCUT intersection is a corridor treatment for an arterial and is not typically needed on 

collectors or local streets. This intersection type is not typically suitable for an intersection of 

two arterials. RCUT intersections with stop-control or merges are typically used as safety 

treatments or as an interim treatment at an isolated intersection on rural high-speed four-lane 

arterials. While signalized RCUT intersections may be used at isolated intersection locations, a 

corridor treatment with multiple installations in an urban or suburban area can provide the most 

efficient progression benefits. 

Access management considerations when reviewing potential RCUT intersection installations. 

are listed below: 

• Access management particularly applies to signalized RCUT intersections. However, as 

many unsignalized RCUT intersections eventually become signalized, access should be 

considered in all types of RCUT intersections. 

• RCUT intersections can provide opportunities for adjacent driveways and side streets. 

There are also opportunities for a driveway at the end of a U-turn crossover. 

• RCUT intersection designs have significant flexibility with locating the crossover. 

Crossovers can be moved within generous limits to accommodate access needs. 

Crossover spacing is typically based on signal visibility and queuing. 

• RCUT intersections provide significant progression benefits along a corridor, which can 

allow for speed control using the signals. Areas with multiple access points and high 

pedestrian activity may choose to use lower speeds. 

• RCUT intersection corridors can accommodate more signals than a conventional 

intersection corridor, while still producing lower through vehicle delays, due to the 

efficient progression of the signalized RCUT intersections. This allows agencies to 

provide signalized driveways and crossovers for various types of development. 

PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS

The following are planning considerations for alternative intersection design:

• Community goals – Outside of formalized land use policies, cities and communities 

often have general goals that provide insights about the nature and character of their 

community. These goals can range from concepts that preserve a historic character or 

identified heritage to creating walkable communities or complete streets. Other goals can 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

23 

be to encourage economic development by preserving existing business or residential 

areas while encouraging thoughtful development. Regardless of the specific goals or 

vision, these considerations may influence street and intersection design. 

• Surrounding land uses and zoning – RCUT intersections are well suited for any type of 

zoning or surrounding land uses. RCUT intersections could particularly provide benefit 

on a main street through a dense downtown area.

• Project context – Key questions that help to identify stakeholders for a particular project 

might include:

o What is the purpose and function of the existing or planned road facilities? 

o What are the existing and planned land uses adjacent to and in the vicinity of the 

road facilities?

o Who will likely desire to use the road facilities given the existing and planned 

land uses? 

o What are the existing and anticipated future socio-demographic characteristics of 

the populations adjacent to and in the vicinity of the existing or planned road 

facilities? 

o What are the perceived or actual shortcomings of the existing road facilities? 

o Who has jurisdiction over the facility? 

o Where is capital funding for the project originating (or expected to originate)? 

o Who will operate and maintain the facility?

• Multimodal considerations – Pedestrian, bicycle, and transit needs should play a role in 

selecting an intersection form and the developing design elements of the intersection.

• Design vehicles – The intersection geometry will need to accommodate transit, 

emergency vehicles, freight, and potentially oversize and overweight (OSOW) vehicles.

• Types of RCUT intersections – Stop-controlled RCUT intersections are typically used 

as a safety countermeasure, RCUT intersections with merges are often used as an interim 

measure instead of implementing an interchange, and RCUT intersections with signals 

are an arterial corridor treatment.

• Kramer’s Arterial Theory – Kramer’s arterial theory describes the goal of wide and 

continuous progression bands along an arterial at a desirable speed in both directions of 

the corridor. In some cases, adjusting the lead and lag left-turn phases at conventional 

signals can allow those desired progression bands. Signalized RCUT intersections are 

needed where conventional signals with lead and lag left turns do not provide sufficient 

bandwidths. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

24 

• Side street demand – A signalized RCUT intersection has a side street demand limit of 

approximately 25,000 vehicles per day (vpd), which is derived from HCM calculations. 

This assumes a U-turn crossover accommodates the minor street left-turn and through 

movement, the crossover is a maximum of two lanes, and the crossover uses no more 

than one-third of the signal cycle.

• CAP-X – CAP-X is a suitable tool for evaluating a RCUT intersection capacity at a 

planning level. Additional information on CAP-X can be found in the Appendix. 

• RCUT and other alternative intersections – RCUT intersections have the potential to 

complement other alternative intersections such as MUT or DLT intersections. A 

signalized RCUT intersection is typically used along a corridor, while MUT and DLT 

intersections are often used in high-demand locations. MUT and DLT intersections can 

provide good progression, but not as favorable as the RCUT intersection, particularly in 

both directions of the corridor. 

PLANNING CHALLENGES

The following are several challenges associated with planning RCUT intersections:

• Driver education – Successful implementations of alternative intersections are often 

preceded by public outreach and education campaigns, which are typically not conducted 

for conventional intersection improvements. 

• Driver expectation – Alternative intersections relocate one or more movements from 

their conventional location, potentially resulting in driver confusion. However, a RCUT

intersection is typically easier to navigate than a MUT or DLT intersection since major

street drivers follow the same path as a conventional intersection and minor street 

vehicles are only given the choice to turn right at the main junction.

• Multimodal facilities– As with any street segment or intersection, each configuration 

must consider and serve the various users who currently or may be expected to use the 

facilities. This should always include pedestrians and bicycles, understanding that the 

exact provisions may necessarily vary from site to site. However, pedestrian facilities 

must always be made accessible. RCUT intersections are generally compatible with 

transit as well.

• Sufficient corridor right-of-way – Some alternative intersections can have a larger 

overall footprint or require more right-of-way in certain areas compared to an equivalent 

conventional design. Although RCUT intersections generally are known to have wide 

medians, they can also work with narrower medians when bump-outs or “loons” are used 

to accommodate U-turn crossovers. There is flexibility in locating the U-turn crossover, 

allowing agencies to minimize the right-of-way cost of loons. 

• Emergency vehicle use and fire or ambulance station location – Emergency vehicles 

operating along the main street at a RCUT intersection or serving a crash on the RCUT 

intersection are not expected to have concerns. However, vehicles responding from an 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

25 

emergency station along the minor street near a RCUT intersection would likely 

experience delay. 

PROJECT PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Measuring the effectiveness of overall project performance depends on the nature or catalyst for 

the project. Understanding the intended specific operational, safety, and geometric performance 

context for each intersection or corridor, including intended users, guides project assessments. 

The project performance may be directly linked to the specific design choices and performance 

of the alternatives considered. The project performance categories described below can influence 

and are influenced by the specific RCUT intersection design elements and their 

characteristics.(21) 

Accessibility

Chapter 3 of this guide describes accessibility as it relates to special consideration given to 

pedestrians with disabilities including accommodating pedestrians with vision or mobility 

impairments. However, for the purposes of considering a project’s general context and the 

performance considerations, the term “accessibility” goes beyond the conversation of policy 

related to ADA and Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) and is meant to 

be considered in broader terms.(22) With respect to considering applicable intersection forms for 

a given project context, accessibility is defined broadly as the ability to approach a desired 

destination or potential opportunity for activity using highways and streets (including the 

sidewalks and/or bicycle lanes provided within those rights-of-way). This could include the 

ability for a large design vehicle to navigate an intersection as much as it might pertain to the 

application of snow mobiles or equestrian uses in some environments or conditions. 

Mobility

Mobility is defined as the ability to move various users efficiently from one place to another 

using highways and streets. Mobility can sometimes be associated with motorized vehicular 

movement and capacity. For the purposes of this guide, mobility is meant to be independent of 

any particular travel mode.

Quality of Service

Quality of service is defined as the perceived quality of travel by a road user. It is used in the 

2010 Highway Capacity Manual to assess multimodal level of service for motorists, pedestrians, 

bicyclists, and transit riders. Quality of service may also include the perceived quality of travel 

by design vehicle users such as truck or bus drivers. 

Reliability

Reliability is defined as the consistency of performance over a series of time periods (e.g., hourto-hour, day-to-day, year-to-year).
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

26 

Safety

Safety is defined as the expected frequency and severity of crashes occurring on highways and 

streets. Expected crash frequencies and severities are often disaggregated by type, including 

whether or not a crash involves a non-motorized user or a specific vehicle type (e.g., heavy 

vehicle, transit vehicle, motorcycle). In cases where certain crash types or severities are small in 

number, as is often the case with pedestrian- or bicycle-involved, it may be necessary to review a 

longer period of time to gain a more accurate understanding.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

For the purposes of this guide, the project development process is defined as consisting of the 

stages described below. Federal, state, and local agencies may have different names or other 

nomenclature with the overall intent of advancing from planning to implementation. Exhibit 2-6 

illustrates the overall project development process.

Exhibit 2-6. Project development process.

Planning Studies

Planning studies often include exercises such as problem identification and other similar steps to 

ensure there is a connection between the project purpose and need and the geometric concepts 

being considered. Planning studies could include limited geometric concepts on the general type 

or magnitude of project solutions to support programming. 

Alternatives Identification and Evaluation 

The project needs identified in prior planning studies inform concept identification, 

development, and evaluation. At this stage, it is critical to understand the project context and 

intended outcomes so potential solutions may be tailored to meet project needs within the 

opportunities and constraints of a given effort. FHWA describes context sensitive solutions as 

“... a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders in providing a 

transportation facility that fits its setting.”(23) In considering the concept of “context sensitive 

design/solutions,” this stage calls for meaningful and continuous stakeholder engagement to 

progress through the project development process. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

27 

Preliminary Design

Concepts advancing from the previous stage are further refined and screened during preliminary 

design. For more complex, detailed, or impactful projects, the preliminary design (typically 30-

percent design level plans) and subsequent documentation are used to support more complex 

state or federal environmental clearance activities. The corresponding increased geometric 

design detail allows for refined technical evaluations and analyses that inform environmental 

clearance activities. Preliminary design builds upon the geometric evaluations conducted as part 

of the previous stage (alternatives identification and evaluation). Some of the common 

components of preliminary design include: 

• Horizontal and vertical alignment design 

• Typical sections

• Grading plans 

• Structures

• Traffic/intelligent transportation systems (ITS)

• Signing and pavement markings 

• Illumination

• Utilities

Final Design

The design elements are advanced and refined in final design. Typical review periods include 60-

percent, 90-percent, and 100-percent plans before completing the final set of PS&E. During this 

stage, there is relatively little variation in design decisions as the plan advances to 100-percent. 

Functionally, in this stage of the project development process, the targeted performance 

measures have a lesser degree of influence on the form of the project.

Construction

Construction may be related to temporary streets, connections, or conditions that facilitate 

construction. Project performance measures may relate to project context elements. 

SUMMARY OF RCUT ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

As described in Chapter 1 and the previous sections of this chapter, RCUT intersections have 

unique features and characteristics, including multimodal considerations, safety performance, 

operations, geometric design, spatial requirements, constructability, and maintenance. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

28 

Exhibit 2-7 provides an overview of the primary advantages and disadvantages of RCUT 

intersections for users, policy makers, designers, and planners to understand when considering 

this type of alternative intersection form.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

29 

Exhibit 2-7. Summary of RCUT intersection advantages and disadvantages. 

Advantages Disadvantages

Non-motorized 

users

• Reduces conflicts between vehicles and 

pedestrians for most crossing movements

• Creates shorter pedestrian crossing 

distance for some movements 

• Creates opportunities to install mid-block 

signalized crossings in many places along 

an arterial

• Increases conflicts between vehicles and 

pedestrians for some crossing movements

• Creates longer pedestrian crossing 

distances for some movements, which 

could add delay and reduce convenience

• Requires pedestrians to cross in two 

stages in some cases, which could add 

delay and reduce convenience

• Overall pedestrian wayfinding may 

require additional signs and other features 

to create appropriate crossings for 

pedestrians of all abilities

• Provisions for bicycle facilities may be 

very different from conventional 

intersections, and may result in reduced 

convenience.

Safety

• At rural four-lane sites, reduces crashes, 

injuries, and fatalities

• Reduces turning and angle crashes 

• Reduces vehicle-pedestrian conflict points

• Increases sideswipe crashes

• Increases travel distances which could 

lead to more crashes that are related to 

distance traveled, such as animal and runoff-road crashes

Operations

• Creates the possibility for the largest 

possible progression bands in both 

directions of the arterial at any speed with 

any signal spacing

• Provides potential to reduce overall travel 

time at signalized sites 

• Provides potential to reduce delay and 

travel time for arterial through traffic at 

signalized sites

• Provides potential for shorter signal cycle 

lengths 

• Allows larger portion of signal cycle to be 

allocated to the arterial through movement 

• Reduces the need for signalization of 

intersections along rural, high-speed, 

divided highways

• Increases travel distance (and potentially 

travel time) for minor street left turn and 

through movements

• Experiences a firm capacity

• Creates potential for spillback out of 

crossover storage lane 

• Minor street left turn and through drivers 

must make unusual maneuvers and may 

need additional guidance

Access 

management

• Provides multiple driveway or side street 

locations along the RCUT corridor

• Signals for driveways or side streets may 

be installed without introducing significant 

extra delay for arterial through movement

• Allows flexibility for crossover locations 

to accommodate adjacent driveways and 

side streets

• Does not require frontage roads

• Does not allow driveway or side street 

near entrance to U-turn crossover

• Landowners will not have driveways with 

direct left turns out of their properties
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

30 

Advantages Disadvantages

Traffic calming

• Two-way progression capabilities provide 

the opportunity to set any progression 

speed (even low speed) 

• Provides an additional barrier to fast minor 

street through traffic across arterial

• The additional barrier to direct minor 

street through traffic across arterial could 

be a concern for communities that 

straddle the arterial and desire direct 

vehicle connections

Space

• The greater arterial throughput creates 

possibility to reduce the basic number of 

through lanes on the arterial and achieve 

similar service levels

• May require additional right-of-way for 

loons or wider medians

Maintenance

• Less queuing on the arterial may reduce 

pavement rutting and wear

• When signalized, there are more signal 

controllers and cabinets than a 

comparable conventional intersection

• There are more signs than a comparable 

conventional intersection

• If designed with a larger median, there is 

more to maintain than a comparable 

conventional intersection

• More pavement to maintain in U-turn

crossovers and loons

Aesthetics • Median and islands provide opportunity 

for landscaping
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

31 

CHAPTER 3—MULTIMODAL CONSIDERATIONS

This chapter provides an overview of multimodal facilities at RCUT intersections and how 

provisions for pedestrians and bicycles should influence the overall planning and design of these 

intersections. Several of the guidelines presented here are based on elements of the AASHTO

Green Book, but applied within the unique context of a RCUT intersection.

(5) The overall 

objective is to develop a design, regardless of the type of intersection, compatible with a 

Complete Street. A Complete Street is a facility that serves many types of users including 

freight, transit, and non-motorized users. 

DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND APPROACH

A RCUT intersection has the potential to deliver more safety and efficiency benefits to motor 

vehicles than a comparable conventional intersection in some contexts. With proper design, a 

RCUT intersection can also benefit users of other modes, especially pedestrians, bicyclists, and 

transit passengers. The RCUT intersection is an adaptable design that can be effective in rural 

setting as well as in urban settings where the objectives are to provide a suitable environment for 

pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users while moving vehicles at an appropriate speed. 

• Signalized RCUT forms can be used in various land use settings to meet the need of a 

variety of modal users

• Unsignalized RCUT forms may also serve a variety of users, including farm equipment in 

rural areas. Some unsignalized RCUT intersections in Minnesota have slightly depressed 

channelizing islands to allow farm equipment to directly make a minor street through 

movement 

RCUT intersection planning and design should consider the variety of transportation modes 

using the intersection. The following elements should be evaluated when considering a RCUT 

intersection: 

• RCUT intersections may be unfamiliar for many users. Pedestrians and bicyclists will 

need to learn how to use or cross the intersection. Both the intersection’s geometry and 

traffic control devices can help pedestrians and bicyclists to navigate the intersection 

safely and effectively. 

• The RCUT may have a wider median and reduced number of traffic signal phases 

compared to a conventional intersection, which can introduce both benefits and 

challenges to pedestrians, bicyclists, transit passengers, and persons with disabilities. 

• Large vehicles require adequate paved areas to accommodate their swept paths. 

Therefore, the geometry of the intersection and all its associated movements need to 

accommodate the design vehicle for the facility.

• RCUT intersections may be designed with merges on high-speed rural four-lane 

highways as an alternative to an interchange or overpass. In these cases, designers should 

expect heavy vehicles. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

32 

This chapter describes the unique characteristics of the four primary non-auto modes 

(pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, and heavy vehicles) that should be considered when analyzing 

and designing RCUT intersections. Understanding and identify the various users and their needs 

within the RCUT configuration will guide planning and design decisions at a given intersection 

location. 

PEDESTRIANS

RCUT intersections require pedestrian crossings that differ from conventional intersections. 

More movements are unsignalized, and there are a greater percentage vehicles turning right. The 

RCUT intersection’s wide geometric footprint can make it challenging to accommodate 

pedestrians but the short cycle lengths associated with RCUT intersection operations can help 

make pedestrian movements more comparable to crossing times at conventional intersections. 

Pedestrian crossings at RCUT intersections must be accessible for all users, including those with 

visual impairments. Therefore, the provisions for pedestrians must take into account the need to 

communicate crossing patterns in non-visual ways, using wayfinding techniques that are 

discussed in the PROWAG.(22) This may include audible devices, channelization, and separation 

and detectable delineation of the pedestrian route and crossing. 

At this time, the most common means of serving pedestrians at a RCUT intersection is a “Z” 

crossing treatment. Exhibit 3-1 shows a “Z” crossing treatment. 

Exhibit 3-1. Pedestrian movements in a RCUT intersection.

A “Z” crossing allows all six desired pedestrian movements at an intersection. The two minor 

street crossings (A to B, C to D) are made similarly to a conventional intersection. Three of the 

movements (A to C, B to D, and A to D) require pedestrians to take a longer, unconventional 

route. The sixth movement (B to C) requires pedestrians to take a shorter, unconventional route. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

33 

Unintended crossing routes (A to C directly, B to D directly) should be discouraged through the 

use of buffer treatments. Exhibit 3-2 shows a “Z” crossing at a signalized RCUT intersection 

near San Antonio, TX. 

The major road crossing distance could be shortened by adding a raised barrier or channelization 

between major street through lanes and major street right turn lanes.

Exhibit 3-2. Signalized RCUT with “Z” crossing near San Antonio, TX.(3) 

Pedestrians using the “Z” crossing at a RCUT intersection encounter fewer conflicting traffic 

streams than at a conventional intersection. At a conventional intersection, pedestrians cross the 

entire street width during the vehicle phase of the parallel road. Exhibit 3-3 shows the traffic 

movements and conflict points that pedestrians experience at a conventional intersection. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

34 

Exhibit 3-3. Pedestrian-vehicle conflict points at conventional intersection. 

In comparison, Exhibit 3-4 shows the pedestrian conflict points with a RCUT intersection 

design. At a RCUT intersection, the left turns are removed from the minor street and occur away 

from the intersection, thus removing potential pedestrian exposure to left-turning vehicles. 

However, the volume of vehicles turning right to the minor street is higher than at a conventional 

intersection.

Exhibit 3-4. Pedestrian-vehicle conflict points at RCUT intersection. 

A RCUT intersection reduces the number of vehicle-pedestrian conflict points from 24 to 8 using 

a “Z” crossing. Movements requiring a longer unconventional route or having more conflict 

points may tempt some pedestrians to directly cross the major street (i.e., C to A or B to D), or 

cross from the center diagonal island (E) to one of the alternate quadrants (i.e., A or D). Several 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

35 

options, described in the next section, can be considered for discouraging undesirable pedestrian 

crossings. 

Additional Crossing Options

Exhibit 3-5 shows a variation of the RCUT intersection design in which the minor street 

approaches are offset to allow a perpendicular pedestrian crossing of the major street. This has a 

minimal impact on vehicle operations at most RCUT intersections. A shorter crossing distance 

decreases the pedestrian exposure to moving vehicles on the major street. Wayfinding signing 

and other devices would be needed to direct pedestrians to the crossing locations and deter them 

from crossing at the minor street intersections. This minor street offset design is typically not 

feasible where streets already exist, but in a developing area where minor street or driveway 

locations have not been established this variation should be strongly considered. 

Exhibit 3-5. RCUT intersection with minor street approaches offset to produce a shorter 

pedestrian crossing.

An advantage of the RCUT intersection, compared to many other at-grade intersections and 

arterials, is the flexibility for traffic signal placement on the corridor. Because each direction of 

travel on the arterial can operate independently (i.e., similar to individual one-way streets),

negligible vehicle delay to major-street vehicles results when installing additional traffic signals, 

as the signals can be timed to progress major-street vehicles. This feature allows mid-block 

pedestrian signals to be installed with minimal impact on vehicular travel time. Exhibit 3-6 

shows three U-turn crossover configurations lending themselves to signalized mid-block 

pedestrian crossings, including one where there are two U-turn crossovers near each other, one 

where there are two U-turn crossovers some distance from each other, and one where there is one 

U-turn crossover. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

Exhibit 3-6. Three types of signalized mid-block crossing feasible on RCUT corridor.

36 

In the latter case in Exhibit 3-6, the signal controlling the lower crossing can be a specialized 

signal, such as a pedestrian hybrid beacon (PHB; formerly known as a HAWK signal), to further 

minimize the impact to main street vehicle traffic. A PHB is only applicable in the latter case 

because in the first and second cases a conventional signal is needed to control vehicle traffic at 

the U-turn crossover.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

37 

The pedestrian crossing of a three-legged RCUT intersection requires at least one mid-block 

crosswalk, as shown in Exhibit 3-7. The crossing route is direct. The optional second mid-block 

crosswalk, just beyond the U-turn crossover, would reduce the amount of out-of-direction travel 

for some pedestrians. As it provides sizeable benefits to pedestrians at a minimal cost and impact 

to major street vehicles, the second crossing should be strongly considered.

Exhibit 3-7. Pedestrian crossing of three-legged RCUT intersection.

Travel Time Experiment

Four pedestrian crossing treatments, shown in Exhibit 3-8, were evaluated by a recent research 

project sponsored by the NCDOT.(24) The researchers used a calibrated microsimulation model in 

a factorial experiment, systematically varying cycle length from 90 to 180 seconds, major street 

green split from 60- to 80-percent, and signal offsets. Pedestrians had origins and destinations in 

all four quadrants around the intersection, half of the pedestrians complied with all signals and 

half did not comply if a suitable gap presented itself, the major and minor streets both had four 

lanes, and the median was 40 feet wide. Exhibit 3-8 summarizes the pedestrian treatments and 

the modeled operational results of the four alternatives. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

38 

Exhibit 3-8. Alternative crossing treatments and modeled operational performance for 

pedestrians.

Mean Total Delay 

Mean Travel Time per Pedestrian 

Crossing Type Illustration per Pedestrian (Sec) (Sec) 

“Z” 465 132 

Signalized Mid-block 479 119 

Median Cross 487 160 

Barnes Dance (exclusive 422 102 pedestrian phase)

In many situations where an RCUT is being considered, the Barnes Dance exclusive pedestrian 

phase may not be practical due to operational trade-offs, but was included in the experiment to 

provide perspective to the other alternatives. As seen in Exhibit 3-8, the Barnes Dance produced 

the least pedestrian delay, while the median cross produced the greatest pedestrian delay of the 

modeled scenarios. Based on the extent of vehicle delay created by the Barnes Dance signal 

phasing, the researchers recommended a “Z” crossing or a combination of the “Z” crossing along 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

39 

with signalized mid-block crossings.(24) Choosing the appropriate type of crossing, including 

signalization, depends on the context of the corridor and intersection under study. 

Channeling Pedestrians to Cross Correctly

Wayfinding signing (and other wayfinding devices for the visually-impaired) can help direct 

pedestrians through the intersection to their desired destinations. Adequate wayfinding signing 

and other devices help direct pedestrians who are unfamiliar with a RCUT intersection’s 

designated crossing patterns to cross streets at the appropriate locations.

Channelization, such as curbs, railings or landscaping, may be used to help pedestrians locate 

and use intended crossing locations. However, choices on the types of channelizing devices or 

features should take into account the proximity to traffic and appropriate roadside design 

principles. An example of a shared use path across a RCUT intersection is shown in in Exhibit 3-

9. Exhibit 3-10 shows an example of a two-stage channelized pedestrian crossing at a 

conventional intersection in Tucson, AZ. Similar to a RCUT intersection, each crossing operates 

independently to enable bi-directional progression on the corridor.

Exhibit 3-9. Median shared-use path design for the US Route 15/501 RCUT intersection in 

North Carolina.(25) 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

Exhibit 3-10. Two-stage channelized pedestrian crossing at conventional intersection.

(25) 

40 

ADA and PROWAG Accessibility Considerations

Accessibility was previous described in Chapter 2 in the broader contexts of considering a 

project’s contextual environment and the ability for various users to approach a desired 

destination or potential opportunity for activity using highways and streets (including the 

sidewalks and/or bicycle lanes provided within those rights-of-way). In this section, accessibility 

is explicitly focused on the policies related to ADA and Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility 

Guidelines (PROWAG).(22) Special consideration should be given to pedestrians with disabilities 

including accommodating pedestrians with vision or mobility impairments. Being relatively new 

on a national level, specific guidance for “Accessible RCUTs” is not yet available. However, 

general accessibility principles can be borrowed from other forms of intersections and applied 

here. The United States Access Board provides many additional resources on accessibility and 

specific requirements for Accessible Public Rights of Way, to which the transportation 

professional should refer to and be familiar.(22) 

The basic principles for accessible design can be divided into the pedestrian walkway and the 

pedestrian crossing location. For the pedestrian walkways, the following considerations apply: 

• Delineate the walkway through landscaping, curbing, or fencing to assist with wayfinding 

for blind pedestrians

• Provide sufficient space (length and width) and recommended slope rates for wheelchair 

users and other non-motorized users such people pushing strollers, walking bicycles, and 

others 

• Construct an appropriate landing with flat slope and sufficient size at crossing points 

For pedestrian crossing locations, these additional considerations apply: 

• Provide curb ramps and detectable warning surfaces at the edge of the sidewalk and 

transition to the street
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

41 

• Separation of the pedestrian path from the back of curb and delineation of the pedestrian 

route using vegetative or other type of buffer 

• Provide accessible pedestrian signals with locator tone at signalized crossings

• There is little experience with pedestrian crossings at unsignalized RCUT intersections. 

Treatments such as pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHB) and rectangular rapid flash beacons

(RRFB) may be appropriate. 

• Locate push-buttons to be accessible by wheelchairs and adjacent to the crossing at a 

minimum separation of 10 feet 

• Use audible speech messages where spacing is less than 10 feet, or where additional 

narrative for the expected direction of traffic is needed (as may be the case for many 

major street crossings at RCUT intersections)

• Align the curb ramp landing to the intended crossing direction 

• Crosswalk width through the intersection should be wide enough to permit pedestrians 

and wheelchairs to pass without delay from opposing directions, and the medians should 

provide sufficient storage for all non-motorized users to safely wait when two-stage 

crossing is required

All pedestrians—but especially those with vision, mobility, or cognitive impairments—may 

benefit from targeted outreach and additional informational material created with pedestrians in 

mind. These outreach materials include information on crosswalk placement and intended 

behavior, as well as answers to frequently asked questions. For blind pedestrians, materials need 

to be presented in an accessible format, with sufficient descriptions of all features of the RCUT

intersection.

If all minor street lanes of a RCUT are channelized, accessibility considerations are similar to a 

conventional intersection approach without channelization. If a RCUT has a channelizing island 

separating some right-turn lanes from others, like the RCUT shown in Exhibit 1-5, sections of 

the PROWAG for channelized turn lanes at conventional signalized intersections will apply.(22) 

The pedestrian and vehicle paths in a RCUT intersection will likely be new to pedestrians, and 

extra guidance should be provided, especially for those users with vision or cognitive 

impairments who may not be able to use wayfinding signs. Some of the cues that pedestrians 

with vision impairments rely on to cross intersections (e.g., sound of traffic parallel to their 

crossing) will be different at the RCUT intersection. Locator tones on pedestrian signals and 

detectable warning surfaces are suggested. Audible pedestrian signals will be required at all new 

pedestrian traffic signals and are particularly beneficial at an unconventional intersection like a

RCUT configuration. 

Design features, such as smaller curb radii, minimize crossing distances at these locations and 

encourage pedestrians to cross in crosswalks. Minimizing conflicts between pedestrians and 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

42 

vehicles by prohibiting right-turn-on-red (RTOR), especially for the major street right turns 

which typically have long green phases, may also provide safer pedestrian crossings. 

Signal Phasing

For the “Z” crossing, pedestrians can cross the major street in one or two stages, depending on 

the signal timing offsets that define when a progression band arrives in each direction on the 

major street. A one-stage crossing occurs when the pedestrian can cross the main street without 

waiting in the median for a “walk” signal to cross the second direction. A two-stage crossing 

results when the pedestrian must wait in the median. Two signal phases are used to operate most 

RCUT intersections, which can result in a shorter cycle length. Therefore, the delay experienced 

by a pedestrian making a two-stage crossing should be relatively small compared to a two-stage 

crossing at a conventional intersection.(3)

Some pedestrian crossings at a RCUT intersection may have longer crossing distances and more 

conflict points compared to a conventional intersection despite the overall reduction in vehiclepedestrian conflict points at the intersection. However, in contrast to most conventional 

signalized intersections with permissive (green ball) left and right turns, most pedestrian-vehicle 

conflict points at a RCUT intersection are protected. The only permissive conflict at a signalized 

RCUT intersection with a “Z” crossing involves the main street right-turning traffic and 

pedestrians crossing the minor street, although there will be a heavier volume of main street 

right-turning volume at a RCUT than at a comparable conventional intersection. 

Signal design considerations are discussed in Chapter 8 of this guide. 

BICYCLISTS 

Bicycles on the major roadway travel though a RCUT the same way they travel through a 

conventional intersection. Minor street left-turning or through bicycles do not have a direct route 

at a RCUT intersection if they are travelling in vehicular lanes. At the same time, newer and 

reconstructed streets in many communities typically integrate Complete Streets policies that 

include bicycle facilities. RCUT intersections can be designed to reduce or eliminate out-ofdirection travel by bicyclists. Consequently, both the challenges and benefits RCUT intersections 

offer bicyclists must be carefully evaluated to guide project planning and design decisions. 

Major Street

Major street through and right-turning bicyclists at a RCUT intersection encounter relatively 

more green time percentages for their movements, resulting in lower delay and, potentially, 

fewer stops for red lights. RCUT intersections are generally constructed on higher-volume 

roadways, so physically separating bicycle lanes from general purpose lanes using buffered bike 

lanes, cycle tracks or similar treatments may be appropriate. Major street bicyclists turning left 

can ride in the left-turn lane or stop at the crosswalk and use the “Z” crossing like a pedestrian. 

On the other hand, a higher volume of major street right-turning vehicles occur at RCUT 

intersections, compared to conventional intersections, resulting in more exposure between 

bicycle through and vehicle right-turn movements. An increasingly common practice at 

conventional or alternative intersections is to shift the right turn lane to the right of the bicycle 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

43 

lane, illustrated in Exhibit 3-11. This exhibit identifies the conflict areas between through 

bicyclists and right-turning vehicles. 

Exhibit 3-11. Right-turn lane with bicycle lane.

Minor Street

There are three primary ways to serve minor street through and left-turn bicyclists in a RCUT 

intersection: (1) similar to pedestrians, (2) similar to motor vehicle traffic, or (3) direct bicycle

crossings. These options are illustrated in Exhibit 3-12. Bicyclists who desire to make a left turn 

or through movement from the minor street will be required to choose between using the “Z” 

crossing like a pedestrian, using the U-turn crossovers like a motorist, or passing through/across 

the channelizing island. The “Z” crossing is the best choice for bicyclists if the pathway through 

the intersection is designed for shared-use and wide enough to be comfortable for bicyclists. 

Otherwise, bicyclists may have to dismount and walk their bicycles across. If a direct bicycle 

crossing is not available, the choice of crossing with pedestrians or motorists will likely depend 

on the distance to the U-turn crossover and the type of bicyclist. A commuter bicyclist is more 

likely to prefer to travel in the street while novice (or recreational) bicyclists may prefer the path 

through the median. The choice will also depend on the quality of bicycling possible if riding 

with the motorists, determined by features such as the speed of the main street vehicle traffic, 

shoulder width or the presence of a bicycle lane, the volume of main street traffic, and the 

distance to the U-turn crossover. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

44 

Exhibit 3-12. Minor street through options for bicycles. 

The U-turn may be difficult for bicyclists. Vehicles executing U-turns will have difficulty 

staying in lanes, and large vehicles may produce greater off-tracking causing some vehicles to 

encroach into lanes occupied by bicyclists. This includes a lane beside a heavy vehicle at a 

multilane U-turn crossover, and a major street lane or shoulder opposite a U-turn crossover. 

The third option, a direct bicycle crossing, would only be available without a pedestrian “Z” 

crossing. This option would be appropriate to design on a rural bicycle touring route without 

pedestrian facilities or at a RCUT intersection where a different pedestrian crossing treatment is 

used. 

Appropriate signing is needed to direct bicycles to the pathway through the median and to assist 

a bicyclist in making decisions about riding or walking through the intersection. Exhibit 3-9 

(above) shows a shared-use path through the median at a RCUT intersection, and Exhibit 3-10 

(above) shows channelizing treatments that could be added to such a crossing (although more 

width would probably be necessary for bicycles). Design guidelines for shared-use paths for 

individual jurisdictions and at the national level should be referenced for specific 

recommendations on geometric elements of the path.

(26) 

Exhibit 3-13 shows a treatment used in North Carolina to aid minor street left-turning and 

through bicyclists in negotiating a rural RCUT intersection with stop-control and no pedestrian 

facilities due to the lack of nearby pedestrian-generating land uses. The treatment consists of 

curb cuts and narrow paths through the median. Signs should be used to direct bicyclists to the 

crossing, since it otherwise may not be apparent it is intended for them. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

Exhibit 3-13. Curb cut design used in North Carolina to assist bicyclists crossing at a rural 

RCUT with stop sign.(27)

45 

Travel Time Experiment

Alternative bicycle crossing treatments at signalized RCUT intersections were explored with a 

research project sponsored by the NCDOT.(24) Like the pedestrian crossing experiment presented 

earlier, the researchers used a calibrated microsimulation model in a factorial experiment, 

systematically varying cycle length from 90 to 180 seconds, major street green split from 60 to 

80 percent, and signal offsets. Bicyclists had origins and destinations in all four quadrants around 

the intersection, all bicyclists complied with all signals, the major and minor streets both had 

four lanes, and the median was 40 feet wide. Exhibit 3-14 summarizes the bicycle treatments and 

the operational results of the four modeled alternatives. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

46 

Exhibit 3-14. Alternative crossing treatments and modeled operational performance for

bicyclists. 

Mean Travel Time Total Delay per 

Crossing Type 

Vehicle U-turn

Crossover 

Illustration per Bicyclist (Sec)

564 

Bicyclist (Sec) 

420 

Signalized Shared-use 

Mid-block Crossing

Bicycle U-turn

Crossover 

Direct Cross

428 

542 

328 

282 

403 

210 

The minimum free-flowing bicycling time through the network was about 120 seconds. The 

direct cross treatment had the lowest modeled delay to bicyclists, while the U-turn crossovers 

generally had the highest delay of the modeled scenarios. Although the direct cross treatment 

looks promising, there are no known implementations, and there are many details related to

geometric design, signing, and signaling that have not been studied and developed. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

47 

TRANSIT VEHICLE CONSIDERATION

A RCUT intersection can provide significant benefits to most transit users due to the ability to 

progress traffic in both directions along the major street, which results in higher average bus 

speeds. However, bus routes following the minor street at a RCUT intersection, or making a 

minor street left turn, will likely experience extra time compared to a conventional intersection 

as the buses use the U-turn crossovers. U-turn crossovers designed to accommodate large 

combination trucks without curb encroachments, as Chapter 8 presents, should be able to 

accommodate standard transit and school buses. 

Bus Stop Locations

RCUT intersections may serve bus stops on either the intersection’s near- or far-sides, just like at 

conventional intersections. Mid-block stops near the U-turn crossover are also an option, 

particularly if a signalized crossing on the major street is also provided at this location. Exhibit 

3-15 shows these three options. Unique aspects of RCUT intersections that should be considered 

when locating bus stops are discussed below. 

Exhibit 3-15. Potential bus stop locations at a RCUT intersection. 

Far-side bus stops typically result in lower levels of vehicular delay than near-side bus stops. 

However, far-side stops at a RCUT intersection with a “Z” crossing place the bus stops away 

from the pedestrian crosswalk across the minor street. This placement may encourage prohibited 

pedestrian crossings and will increase the time required for alighting bus passengers to reach 

destinations on the other side of the street. A far-side stop would be located, in order of 

preference, (1) in an exclusive bus lane, (2) in a pullout accessed via the near-side right-turn lane 

(exempting buses from the right-turn requirement), and (3) in the curbside travel lane (potentially 

blocking cross-street right turns). If a pullout is used, consideration should be given to how the 

bus will re-enter the travel lanes. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

48 

A nearside stop is also an option at a RCUT intersection. In this case, a bus stopped at a nearside 

stop in the right-turn lane will block right-turn movements, which could cause motorists to make 

undesirable turns in front of the bus from an inside lane. One alternative would be to channelize 

the right turn, develop a short bus lane out of the right-turn lane up to the intersection, and to 

place the bus stop on the channelizing island. This alternative keeps buses from blocking the 

right-turn lane. The two-phase signal operation minimizes delay to buses that fall out of 

progression while serving passengers at the bus stop. Buses could be provided with a queuejump phase when exiting the stop or could continue on an extension of the bus lane. 

When bus routes run along the minor street and must cross the intersection, offering bus stops on 

both the near- and far-side of the intersection is preferred. Far-side stops can be located on the 

major street at a shared major street/minor street bus stop if major street bus service is present. 

Exhibit 3-16 shows major street nearside bus stops can be located in conjunction with minor 

street stops and the “Z” crossing. 

Exhibit 3-16. Bus stop locations on the minor and major streets at a RCUT intersection. 

When a bus route turns left from the major street, the bus stop should be located on the minor 

road so buses do not have to weave from the outside lane into the inside lane to use the U-turn. 

Bus stops should not be located in loons to keep them free for turning vehicles. An additional 

option for bus stop placement at a RCUT intersection is between two U-turn crossovers, as 

shown in Exhibit 3-17. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

49 

Exhibit 3-17. RCUT intersection major street bus stop placement options between U-turn

crossovers. 

The advantage of this option is that there is no major street right-turning traffic and bus conflicts

and pedestrians have a signal-controlled crossing of the arterial nearby. However, the 

disadvantage of this stop placement is that it is not near the minor street. Bus stops could be 

“nearside” in front of the stop bar or “far-side” beyond the stop bar, as Exhibit 3-16 shows; 

nearside placement could mean loss of efficiency in the lane where the bus stops are while farside placement could mean longer lost times for main street traffic.

RCUT with Bus Rapid Transit or Light Rail

A RCUT corridor is efficient for major street movements and could be beneficial to rail transit 

operations. As with conventional intersections, bus rapid transit (BRT) or light rail transit (LRT) 

could be incorporated at a RCUT intersection. Key elements to be evaluated with the RCUT 

operations include route alignment, stop or station placement, and connectivity with pedestrian 

crossing locations. 

HEAVY VEHICLE CONSIDERATIONS

The typical RCUT crossover can serve heavy vehicle U-turn movements given the wide median 

provided in a typical RCUT corridor. The crossover design detail is further described in Chapter 

7. A single-lane crossover is designed to provide adequate turning radii and tracking for both the 

front and rear ends of trucks. If the median width is less than adequate for larger vehicle U-turns, 

additional pavement can be added at the far side of the U-turn crossover in the form of loons (see 

Chapter 7). 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

50 

This page intentionally left blank. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

51 

CHAPTER 4 — SAFETY

This chapter provides an overview of the safety considerations and elements affecting decisions 

about RCUT intersections. The chapter begins with a discussion of safety principles and the 

theoretical safety attributes of RCUT intersections. The next section describes the empirical 

evidence available regarding crash frequency and severity at RCUT intersections. Finally, the 

chapter contains sections discussing additional safety considerations, emergency vehicle 

considerations, and techniques for evaluating safety at RCUT intersections. RCUT intersections 

with stop signs or merges are often installed as safety countermeasures at conventional 

intersections to reduce crash frequency and severity. Many other alternative intersection forms, 

including RCUT intersections with signals, may offer safety benefits to all road users but are 

generally installed to improve traffic operations.

SAFETY PRINCIPLES

Conducting an appropriate level of safety assessment corresponding to the stage of project 

development process (planning, alternatives identification and evaluation, preliminary design, 

final design, and construction) supports decisions about RCUT intersections. The analysis should 

be consistent with the available data, and the data should be consistent with the applied tools. 

Multimodal safety principles, including vehicle-pedestrian and vehicle-bicycle conflict points, 

accessibility, and crossing options, are discussed in Chapter 3. 

Reduced Vehicle-Vehicle Conflict Points

Crash data are often used to develop safety performance functions or crash modification factors

(CMFs) to ultimately help professionals make decisions about street network features. Crash data 

are often limited or unavailable for some types of facilities. The documented safety performance 

of RCUT intersections is limited because they are relatively new and still not common. Safety 

surrogates may be useful to support intersection form selection. 

While no mathematical relationship between conflict points and crashes has been determined, 

conflict points are often used as a surrogate measure, particularly to compare different 

intersection forms. Exhibit 4-1 shows the number of vehicle-to-vehicle conflict points present at 

three- and four-leg RCUT and conventional intersections. The RCUT intersection offers 

substantial decreases in conflict points for three-leg and four-leg intersections compared to 

conventional forms. 

Exhibit 4-2 shows the conflict diagram for vehicles at a conventional four-leg intersection, while 

Exhibit 4-3 shows the conflict diagram for vehicles at a four-leg RCUT intersection. These 

diagrams are based on traffic streams, so the number of conflict points does not change as the 

numbers of lanes change. At a four-leg intersection, a RCUT has 14 conflict points compared to 

32 at a conventional intersection. In addition to reducing total conflict points, RCUT 

intersections reduce crossing conflict points. Crossing maneuvers can result in angle crashes a 

crash type that is generally more severe than other types. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

52 

Exhibit 4-1. Conflict point comparison. 

Conflict Points

Number of Intersection Legs Conventional RCUT

3 9 7

4 32 14

Exhibit 4-2. Vehicular conflict points at a four-approach conventional intersection.

Exhibit 4-3. Vehicular conflict points at a four-approach RCUT intersection.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

53 

Speed Profile from Signal Progression

Another safety surrogate, especially for crash severity, is the speed profile along a facility. In this 

regard, a corridor of signalized RCUT intersections have an advantage over other alternative 

intersections and conventional intersections in that the independent progression for each 

direction of travel maximize the percent of green time for the major street and make signal 

coordination comparable to a one-way street couplet. This is described further in Chapter 5. With 

a RCUT intersection’s progression capability, an agency has greater control over the progression 

speed; this could be used, for example, to slow drivers through an area with many signals or to 

more easily accommodate pedestrian crossings without disrupting coordination. 

Human Factors, Principles, and Considerations

Human factors and driver expectancy suggest motorists typically accustomed to using 

conventional intersections position their vehicles to the left side of a directional street when 

approaching an intersection where they intend to make a left turn. Similarly, motorists position 

their vehicle to the right side of the directional street when approaching an intersection where 

they intend to make a right turn. The RCUT intersection is consistent with these expectations for 

major street drivers. 

Drivers who are unfamiliar with the intersection form and intend to make a left turn or through 

movement at the minor street may not expect to first make a right turn at the major cross street.

After making a U-turn and heading back to the main intersection, minor street drivers will have 

to move into position for a through or right-turn movement. Compared to intersection designs 

that prohibit movements using signs and markings, such as MUT intersections, RCUT

intersections should be easier for drivers to negotiate because channelization typically prevents 

drivers from making prohibited movements. 

Compared to a conventional intersection form with permissive or protected-permissive left-turn 

or right-turn signal phasing, signalized RCUT intersections reduce the decision-making burden 

for motorists. Whether the conflicting traffic consists of vehicles or pedestrians or both, turning 

drivers using permissive or protected-permissive signals at a conventional intersection have to 

look for a gap in vehicle traffic and crossing pedestrian traffic before beginning their turn 

movement. In contrast, motorists using the two-phase signals at a RCUT intersection have a 

reduced set of decisions to make at each junction. At a typical signalized RCUT intersection, 

there are no uncontrolled vehicle-vehicle conflict points. There are two uncontrolled vehiclepedestrian conflict points, one at each major street right turn conflicting with pedestrians 

crossing the minor street. RCUT intersections also offer simplified decision-making in 

comparison to a conventional two-way stop-controlled intersection with a two-way median 

opening on a divided street. Traffic using the two-way median opening faces potential conflicts 

from other vehicles in the median, and a RCUT intersection removes these conflicts by 

eliminating movements.

RCUT intersections often use unique signing and marking designs to help motorists negotiate 

unfamiliar movements and avoid incorrect maneuvers. Wrong-way signs and arrow pavement 

markings will decrease the likelihood of a motorist travelling the wrong way through a median 

opening. A set of signs and markings that repeats the needed message, perhaps using different 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

54 

devices, helps minor street left turn and through vehicles navigate to the U-turn crossover and 

return to the main intersection. Chapter 8 shows devices agencies have deployed at RCUT 

intersections. 

OBSERVED SAFETY PERFORMANCE

There is little published crash data and documented safety performance for RCUT intersections.

There have been two noteworthy studies of RCUT intersections with stop signs and one 

noteworthy study of RCUT intersections with merges. There has not yet been a noteworthy study 

of crash experience at RCUT intersections with signals, and no crash data involving pedestrians 

or bicycles at RCUT intersections have been analyzed. This section presents and discusses 

available empirical safety results for RCUT intersections in the United States. 

RCUT Intersections with Stop Signs

North Carolina Study 

Researchers completed a safety analysis of RCUT intersections with stop signs in North Carolina 

in 2010.(11) The analysis examined crash data before RCUT intersection installation—when the 

intersection was operated as a conventional stop-controlled intersection with a two-way median 

opening—and after RCUT intersection installation. The sample included 13 RCUT intersections

across the state where a two-lane rural minor road intersects a four-lane high-speed (greater than 

or equal to a posted speed of 55 miles per hour [mph]) major road. Exhibit 4-4 shows a typical 

site. Before periods were typically about five years, and after periods ranged from 8 to 115 

months. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

55 

Exhibit 4-4. Typical site in NCDOT study of RCUT intersections with stop signs.(2)

Exhibit 4-5 shows the results from four different types of analysis. The analysis results account 

for the different lengths of time between the before and after periods. The naïve analysis and 

comparison group analysis do not account for regression to the mean; therefore, we do not know 

the degree to which the changes in crashes shown are attributable to the RCUT intersection form 

or the natural regression of crashes to a long-term average. The two analyses included the 

empirical Bayes methodology do account for regression to the mean, therefore providing a 

higher degree of confidence the changes in crashes shown are due to the RCUT intersection. 

However, as the sites included in the empirical Bayes analysis were those selected because of 

their higher crash frequency, the results shown may overestimate the expected number of crashes 

reduced. Each analysis shows a drop in total crashes with RCUT intersection installation ranging

from 27- to 74-percent. Fatal and injury, angle, and left-turn crashes decreased by more than half 

following the RCUT intersection installation, while sideswipe, rear-end, and other types of 

crashes tended to decrease by a lesser degree or increase.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

56 

Exhibit 4-5. Results of analyses of RCUT intersections with stop signs in North Carolina.(11) 

Percent change in crashes from conventional to RCUT intersection

Empirical Bayes 

analysis with 

Comparison 

roup analysis 

Naïve empirical comparison 

Type of crash Naïve analysis g Bayes analysis groups

Total -34 -46 -27 -74 

Fatal and injury -58 -63 -51 -85 

Angle -86 -74 -86 -78 

Left-turn -75 -59 -76 -66 

Sideswipe 15 -13 -12 -36 

Rear-end 7 -1 12 -16 

Other 15 -15 8 -27 

Missouri Study

Edara, et al. evaluated five RCUT intersection installations in Missouri.(14) The locations were on 

rural, four-lane highways; one major road had a speed limit of 70 mph while the other sites had 

speed limits of 65 mph. One site had three legs, and the others had four legs. Major road average 

annual daily traffic (AADT) ranged from 10,000 to 26,000 vpd while minor road AADT ranged 

from 400 to 1,300 vpd. The RCUT intersections and the conventional intersections they replaced 

had stop sign control on the minor streets. Three years of before data and one to three years of 

after data were available at each. The authors employed an empirical Bayes analysis method to 

account for potential regression to the mean bias. The empirical Bayes procedure used the crash

prediction model from the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) for rural four-lane highway 

intersections with calibration factors from Missouri. The results indicated the RCUT intersection

installation reduced total reported crashes by 35-percent on average, and reduced injury and 

crashes by 54-percent on average. There were no fatal crashes at the five RCUT intersection 

study sites during the study period after installation. As in North Carolina and Maryland, the 

researchers observed a large reduction in angle crashes after the RCUT intersection installation. 

RCUT intersections with Merges

Researchers completed a safety analysis of RCUT intersections with merges in Maryland in 

2012.(12) The analysis examined crash data before RCUT intersection installation (when the 

intersection was operated as a conventional stop-controlled intersection with a two-way median 

opening) and after RCUT intersection installation. The sample included nine RCUT intersections

on US-15 in central Maryland and US-301 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where a two-lane 

rural minor road met a four-lane, 55 mph major road. Exhibit 4-6 shows a typical site. Typically, 

the distance from the main junction to a U-turn crossover was approximately 2,000 feet. Before 

and after periods were three years. A set of comparison sites was gathered to adjust for history 

and maturation biases, and a “wider range of similar sites” was gathered to adjust for potential 

regression to the mean. The researchers also collected traffic conflicts and other observational 

field data.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

57 

Exhibit 4-6. Typical site from FHWA study of Maryland RCUT intersections with 

merges.(3) 

The researchers conducted three types of analysis on the crash data: a naïve analysis, which 

accounted for no potential biases; a comparison group analysis, which accounted for history and 

maturation biases using the set of comparison sites but did not account for regression to the 

mean; and an empirical Bayes analysis, which accounted for regression to the mean using the 

rural intersection safety performance function from the HSM calibrated for Maryland.(8) The 

analysis using the empirical Bayes and calibrated safety performance function is considered to 

produce the most reliable results. This analysis showed a 44-percent decrease in total crashes. 

The field observations showed there were fewer conflicts at RCUT intersections than comparable 

conventional intersections during several hours of data collection. 

RCUT Intersections with Signals

There are no known empirical, rigorous safety analyses of signalized RCUT intersections. 

FHWA has commissioned a study to determine a CMF for replacing a conventional signalized 

intersection with a signalized RCUT intersection, and results are expected in 2015. 

Summary

Exhibit 4-7 summarizes the results from the three major empirical studies of unsignalized RCUT 

intersections published thus far. The data suggests installing unsignalized RCUT intersections in 

circumstances similar to those studied in North Carolina, Maryland, and Missouri will likely 

result in a one-third reduction in crashes and a one-half reduction in injury crashes. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

58 

Exhibit 4-7. Summary of empirical safety studies of unsignalized RCUT intersections. 

State North Carolina(11) Maryland(12) Missouri(14)

Number of RCUT intersection sites 13 9 5

Type of traffic control Stop Merge Stop

% decrease in total crashes 27 44 35

% decrease in injury crashes 51 42 54

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

The general pattern after replacement of a stop-controlled conventional intersection with a stopcontrolled or merge-controlled RCUT intersection is of many fewer angle and turning crashes

but the chance of slightly higher sideswipe and rear end crashes. There are several safety 

considerations to potentially mitigate negative effects. 

Minor Street Right Turns

One safety consideration at a signalized RCUT intersection with multiple lanes on the minor 

street approaches is the potential for sideswipe crashes. Drivers turning right from the minor 

street may not be intuitively aware which lanes they should use to position themselves for the 

next movement. Minor street left-turning vehicles should generally stay to the left on the minor 

street approach, minor street through vehicles should stay in the middle, and minor street rightturning vehicles should stay to the right. However, minor street drivers at a RCUT intersection 

may have a tendency to seek a better position in the queue, irrespective of the next maneuver 

downstream. Chapter 8 shows traffic control devices agencies have chosen for RCUT 

intersections to balance lane choice guidance and lane choice flexibility. Applying traffic control 

devices resulting in unneeded exclusive lanes may lead to loss of efficiency as queue lengths 

become uneven. 

Deceleration Lane Spillback

Spillback out of the deceleration lane leading to a crossover is a safety concern at RCUT 

intersections, particularly those with signals. Signalized RCUT intersections are typically 

efficient enough due to progressed two-phase signals with short cycles that spillback is not 

common. However, the crossovers are closely spaced; increasing the possibility. The geometric 

design of a RCUT intersection should go hand-in-hand with the operational analysis, and 

spillback potential should be checked during design. Potential treatments include signal timing 

adjustments, changing single-lane crossovers into dual-lane crossovers, and increasing the 

distance between the main junction and the U-turn crossover in question. Chapter 5 discusses 

moving crossovers at a RCUT intersection without impacting signal progression along the major 

street.

Weaving 

RCUT intersections with stop signs or signals controlling the minor street and crossovers do not 

create weaving movements on the major street. Instead, drivers must wait for an acceptable gap 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

59 

or a green signal. In contrast, RCUT intersections with acceleration lanes and merges at the 

minor street and the U-turn crossovers do create weaving movements. A minor street left-turning 

or through driver emerging from the minor street will, in effect, have to make a two-sided weave 

right to left. A minor street through driver emerging from the U-turn crossover will have to make 

a two-sided weave left to right. To minimize the risks in those two-sided weaving maneuvers, the 

crossover can be located far enough away from the minor street to create acceptable weaving 

operations; this distance is up to one-half (0.5) mile at some RCUT intersections with merges.

The AASHTO Green Book contains recommendations on acceleration and deceleration lane 

lengths appropriate to RCUT intersections with merges.(5)

 Heavy vehicles and uphill grades 

influence crossover distances and lane lengths, and required associated appropriate traffic control 

devices.

Right-Turn / U-turn Conflicts

Where crossovers are aligned with streets or driveways that permit only right turns, U-turns from

the crossover and right turns from the street/driveway are potentially in conflict depending on 

driver lane choices. Where lower volumes exist on the crossover and/or the opposing street, and 

where the main street is sufficient to accommodate simultaneously turning vehicles (i.e. three or 

four lanes in each direction), U-turns and right-turn movements can be served under the same 

signal phase. However, at signalized intersection locations where the volumes of right-turn and 

U-turn movements create conflicting movements, separate signal phases can be provided for Uturn and right-turn phases. For a given site, a study would be required to determine if the 

additional signal phase impacts the main intersection phasing and main street progression, and if 

an additional U-turn and/or an additional right-turn lane is needed to provide sufficient capacity 

and operations. U-turn movements also potentially conflict with buses on the major street, such 

as bus stopped opposite or several vehicle lengths downstream from a crossover. A bus at such a 

stop would wait until a gap in major street traffic and U-turning traffic was present before 

departing. Exhibit 4-8 shows an example of a U-turn/right-turn conflict. 

Exhibit 4-8. Example of U-turn/right-turn conflict.(3)

Potential for Wrong Way and Other Illegal Movements

U-turn crossovers are directional, not two-way as in typical divided highway corridors. This 

typically has no negative effects if crossovers are designed with channelization to prevent 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

60 

wrong-way movements. Exhibit 4-9 provides the details of a Michigan Department of 

Transportation (MDOT) typical U-turn crossover.

(28) MDOT uses these crossovers for MUT

intersections, but a RCUT crossover could be designed in the same manner. 

Exhibit 4-9. U-turn crossover detail.(28) 

Another place at a RCUT with the potential for prohibited movements potentially leading to 

crashes is at the main intersection. Drivers may be tempted to make direct left turns from the 

minor street. Providing curbed islands, delineation, and clear traffic control devices at the main 

intersection will help overcome this temptation. Some presence by law enforcement, especially 

in the first few weeks that a RCUT intersection is open, may also be beneficial. 

Intersection Sight Distance

Minimum distance between consecutive U-turn crossovers allows drivers at one stop bar to see 

past a queue built up in the storage bay of the other crossover. Exhibit 4-9, from MDOT, calls for 

a minimum separation of 100 feet and a desirable separation of 150 feet between U-turn

crossovers. If consecutive U-turn crossovers must be closer together, the location could be 

signalized or left turns on red (LTOR) could be prohibited. Intersection sight distances at RCUT 

crossovers can be attained by carefully designing slopes and cutting back plantings in the median 

beyond the lines of sight. 

Truck Navigation of Crossovers 

For U-turn crossovers with multiple lanes, designing adequate crossovers for large trucks 

requires focused detail on truck turning paths. First, large trucks should be signed to use the 

rightmost, or outermost, U-turn lanes. Secondly, the crossover must accommodate vehicle 

tracking through the crossover so the path of a design vehicle (such as a WB-67) does not 

overlap with the path of a passenger car or single-unit truck in the leftmost of the dual lanes. 

Exhibit 4-10 illustrates the potential for vehicle overtracking; design details for dual-lane 

crossovers are provided in Chapter 7. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

61 

Exhibit 4-10. Dual-lane crossover design overtracking potential.

INCIDENT RESPONSE CONSIDERATIONS

Most incident responses and emergency vehicle operations at a RCUT intersection will be 

unchanged from a comparable conventional arterial with a median because major street vehicles 

proceed in the same way. Considerations for other movements are noted below: 

• One-lane crossovers can be designed wide enough for emergency vehicles to pass a 

queue if needed. The typical one-lane U-turn crossover width in Michigan at MUT 

intersections is 30 feet, which is also sufficient for this purpose at a RCUT intersection. 

• Channelizing islands in the median opening of the main intersection can be mountable to 

allow emergency vehicles to make left-turn or minor street through movements. Many of 

Maryland’s RCUT intersections with merges have this treatment. 

• RCUT intersections may be undesirable at intersections where an emergency vehicle 

station is located on the minor street. Emergency vehicles making left turns or through 

movements from minor streets will have to negotiate the U-turn crossover or cross 

mountable channelizing islands, which will add to the response time. 

SAFETY EVALUATION CONSIDERATIONS

Crash Modification Factors (CMF) in FHWA’s CMF Clearinghouse are available for converting 

unsignalized conventional intersections to unsignalized RCUT intersections.(29) A 2012 study by 

Inman and Haas found a CMF value of 0.56 with a 3-star rating for all crash types and all crash 

severities in a rural area.(12) A 2010 study by Hummer et al. found a CMF value of 0.54 with a 3-

star rating for all crash types and all crash severities in a rural area.(11) 

The studies noted above also developed CMFs specific to certain crash types, crash severities, 

area types, and other parameters. These CMFs can be obtained directly from the CMF 

Clearinghouse. 

RCUT intersections are sometimes installed in combination with access management techniques 

along a highway corridor. There are numerous locations in urbanized areas where businesses line 

the street with multiple driveways for ingress and egress. One practice in the past has been to 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

62 

provide two-way center left-turn lanes (TWLTLs) to accommodate left turns into and out of the 

businesses. However, the use of TWLTLs may not be equally appropriate along all types of 

roadways. Some jurisdictions are removing the TWLTLs and installing raised medians, which, 

like an RCUT, only permit right turns by vehicles entering or exiting the driveways and have 

been shown to improve corridor safety.(30)

There are several factors to consider in conducting before-and-after safety evaluations of RCUT 

projects:

• The boundaries of the analysis area need to be large enough to include all crossovers. It 

would be unfair to compare a conventional intersection to just the main junction of a RCUT

intersection. 

• Minor street left-turn and through vehicles at a RCUT intersection drive longer distances to 

negotiate the intersection than comparable conventional intersections. Thus, analyses using 

rates, such as crashes per vehicle-mile, should adjust for these “extra” distances driven. 

• It is possible some drivers, especially on minor street approaches to a RCUT intersection, 

may alter their routes to avoid the intersection. Thus, crash migration is a possible threat to 

the validity of a before/after analysis. Analyses should consider traffic demands during the 

before and after periods. If crash migration is suspected, the scope of the analysis should be 

widened to include the new routes drivers are using.

• RCUT intersections are often installed as safety countermeasures at high-crash conventional 

intersections. This reinforces the need to account for regression to the mean in an analysis. 

• RCUT intersections are often installed in conjunction with developments that generate 

traffic. This reinforces the need to account for volume in an analysis. 

General guidance on before/after safety studies and development of CMFs can be found in 

FHWA’s A Guide to Developing Quality Crash Modification Factors.(31) 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

63 

CHAPTER 5 — OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

This chapter provides information on the unique operational characteristics of RCUT 

intersections and how they affect elements such as traffic signal phasing and coordination. The 

guidance presented here builds on existing RCUT intersection studies, which include operational 

performance studies, comparative performance studies, and simulation analysis. It is intended to 

help prepare transportation professionals for conducting operational analysis as described in 

Chapter 6. 

OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLES

This guide describes three main types of RCUT intersections: signal-controlled, stop-controlled, 

and with merges. This chapter concentrates on RCUT intersections controlled by signals. At a 

conventional intersection being considered for conversion to a RCUT with stop signs or merges, 

agencies should expect the minor street movements being rerouted to the U-turn crossovers to 

experience more travel time. At Maryland RCUT intersections with merges where U-turn

crossovers are typically around 2,000 feet from the main intersection, this extra time is usually 

around one minute per vehicle.(12) However, the alternative to RCUT intersection installation is 

often signal installation, where additional delay is incurred by major street through vehicles due 

to the traffic signal. 

Exhibits 5-1 shows the concurrent movements at a conventional intersection and at a signalized

RCUT intersection. Exhibit 5-2 shows the typical signal locations for a RCUT intersection. At a 

RCUT with a “Z” crossing, pedestrians would cross the minor roadway during the signal phase 

shown in Exhibit 5-1, and they would cross the major roadway during the signal phase not 

shown in Exhibit 5-1. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

64 

Exhibit 5-1. Concurrent movements at conventional intersection and signalized RCUT

intersection.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

65 

Exhibit 5-2. Signal placement at signalized RCUT intersection. 

Bi-directional Progression

A key reason to install a signalized RCUT intersection is to improve signal progression on the 

main street. The RCUT intersection is the only at-grade design known at this time to enable each 

direction on a two-way arterial to operate independently. No movement crosses both directions 

of the major street, so there is no need for both directions of the major street to receive the same 

signal indication at the same time. Both directions can be progressed at any speed and at any 

signal spacing. The green band can be set equal to the length of the shortest green split along the 

arterial. This type of progression is usually only possible with progression in one direction on an 

arterial, or on a one-way street. Informally, it is sometimes referred to as “perfect progression” or 

“100-percent efficiency.” The other alternative intersection and interchange designs covered in 

these alternative intersection guides—MUT and DLT intersections—offer progression that is 

typically improved compared to conventional arterial corridors but not to the extent of a RCUT

intersection. 

Exhibit 5-3 shows progression on a RCUT arterial. Signals on one side of the arterial, A through 

F, are independent of the signals on the other side of the arterial, G through L. Each side of the 

arterial on a RCUT corridor effectively operates as a one-way street. Each side of the arterial can 

have its own cycle length and/or progression speed. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

66 

Exhibit 5-3 Signal progression on a RCUT corridor.

Direction Parameter 

Signal F E D C B A 

Distance 

Right to 

left

from 

previous 

signal, ft

750 650 1000 700 600 Not 

applicable

Offset to 

start of 74 59 46 26 12 0 

green, sec

Signal G H I J K L 

Distance 

Left to 

right

from 

previous 

signal, ft

Not 

applicable 600 850 1050 600 600 

Offset to 

start of 0 12 29 50 62 74 

green, sec

Note: Assumed progression speed of 50 feet per second (34 mph) in both directions

Signal offsets along a RCUT arterial depend primarily on the speed at which the operator 

chooses to progress traffic. If the operator wants to decrease the progression speed from signal A 

to B in Exhibit 5-3, for example, the offset of B relative to A can be increased. Like a one-way 

street, RCUT corridors offer the potential for speed control with signal timing without impacting 

coordination. 

The independence of the signals on each side of a RCUT corridor and associated progression 

capabilities allow for signals to be added or relocated as traffic and land use patterns change with 

minimal impact on through arterial traffic. 

Signals at RCUT intersections typically have two phase intervals, one for the main street and one 

for the crossover or minor street. At a signalized U-turn crossover that also serves a driveway or 

side street, a third dedicated signal phase interval is sometimes provided to serve traffic turning 

right out from the driveway or side street.

Cycle Length

Cycle lengths at RCUT intersections will generally be shorter than at comparable conventional 

intersections. This is because each signal will typically have only two phases and because longer 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

67 

cycle lengths are not needed for desirable progression as they are in many conventional corridors 

with two-way progression. Shorter cycles reduce delay for most vehicles and for pedestrians 

crossing the arterial, even if the arterial crossing is in two stages.

Exhibit 5-2 showed the location of the four signals at a signalized RCUT intersection. To 

establish major street progression, there will almost always be progression from signal 2 to 1.

This means signals 2 and 1 must have a common cycle length. Similarly, signals 3 and 4 must 

have a common cycle length and a means of communication between them. 

Signal timing at a RCUT intersection or corridor is fundamentally different from any other 

intersection or corridor due to the ability to have different cycle lengths in each direction of the 

major street. Signal timing at a RCUT intersection or corridor can use a common cycle length in 

both directions of the major street or a different cycle length for each direction of the major 

street. 

If a common cycle length in both directions is used, there is an opportunity to provide for some 

progression for the movements using the crossovers. This may also allow pedestrians to cross the 

arterial within one signal cycle. With different cycle lengths in each direction, arrivals in the 

crossovers would be random, most pedestrians would cross the major street in two stages (with a 

delay in the median), and minor street movements could not be progressed. 

A common cycle length in both directions results in a cycle length less than optimum for each 

particular junction. For example, in Exhibit 5-2, the optimum cycle length for signals 1 and 2 in 

some design time period might be 80 seconds, while for signals 3 and 4 it might be 120 seconds. 

A compromise of 100 seconds for all four signals might introduce significant extra delay at all 

four signals. Using 80- and 120-second cycles would reduce delay values. Selecting a common 

cycle length in both directions requires considering the possible benefit from providing some 

progression at the crossover movements compared to the possible benefit from providing a cycle 

length in each direction that is optimal for the individual intersections. For a particular time of 

day and set of demands, signal timing software packages can help consider each method to 

compare the resulting performance.

A procedure for establishing progression with RCUT intersections with independent control in 

both directions includes the following steps:(3)

1. Use a standard signal timing method to determine the optimum cycle length at each 

signal

2. Select one common cycle length for each direction of the arterial and readjust the green 

times at the individual signals accordingly

3. Establish the arterial progression speed

4. Determine signal offsets based on the distances between signal-controlled intersections 

and the progression speed (e.g., the end of the major street green phase at one signalcontrolled intersection relative to the end of the major street green phase of the adjacent 

signal-controlled intersection) 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

68 

5. Adjust the offsets to allow for adequate start-up times to discharge standing queues and to 

provide progression possibilities for left-turning and U-turning traffic

Phasing

With a few exceptions, the RCUT intersection typically has two-phase signals. Exhibit 5-2 

showed the four signal locations at a signalized RCUT intersection. One phase at each signal 

would serve major street through movements, while the second phase would serve crossover 

and/or minor street movements. 

Manual signal optimization equations or signal optimization software are available to find 

optimum phase times for each signal at a RCUT intersection. The methods can be used for each 

time period of interest given basic input data like demands, speeds, and pedestrian crossing 

times. Richard Kramer, an early innovator in RCUT intersection applications, suggested the 

major street on a RCUT corridor should receive two-thirds to three-quarters of the cycle length 

as green.

(1) If less than two-thirds of the cycle is provided for the major street, the minor street 

demands may be relatively too heavy for the RCUT intersection design. If more than threequarters of the cycle is provided for the major street, the minor street demands may be too light 

for signals to be warranted. 

Most two-phase signals at RCUT intersections have green ball indications for each direction. To 

reduce delay where sight distances and other site features are favorable, many agencies allow 

RTOR from the minor street or LTOR from a U-turn crossover. If LTOR is prohibited by law, 

but site conditions would otherwise allow it, a flashing yellow arrow indication is possible 

instead of a red ball. The two crossover phases would use a green arrow display for a protected 

turn and flashing yellow arrow for a permissive turn. NCDOT has used this treatment for several 

years at the left-turn and U-turn crossover signals of a RCUT intersection on US-421 just south 

of its junction with NC-132 in Wilmington. Traditionally, flashing yellow arrow treatments have 

been used for one-lane turn bays. However, the NCDOT has installed a flashing yellow arrow on 

a two-lane turn bay in Cary, NC. 

In theory, a RCUT intersection signal could employ a third signal phase when a U-turn crossover 

is located at the same place as a driveway or a side street. The three phases would be: 

1. The major street green ball

2. The driveway green ball, with perhaps a green ball signal for the U-turn crossover 

allowing permissive U-turns 

3. The U-turn crossover green arrow protected movement 

A three-phase signal at a U-turn crossover has recently been installed in Detroit, MI on Eight 

Mile Road just east of Woodward Avenue. Almost always, the driveway or side street demands 

do not justify the third phase and the extra delay it would introduce for all road users. U-turn

crossover drivers generally understand they must yield to driveway or side street traffic and do 

so without conflicts. However, there are U-turn crossovers at MUT intersections in Michigan—

such as along M-59 east of M-53 in Shelby Township, MI—where the driveway and side street 

demand has built up to the point that MDOT installed “Left Turn Yield on [green ball]” signs for 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

69 

the U-turning traffic. Access management practices and flexible crossover placement help 

minimize the number of places where a third signal phase would be needed.

Signalized RCUT intersections with four approaches may use actuated signals. Detectors can be 

used in all of the crossovers, on the minor street approaches, and on the major street 

approaches.(3) Exhibit 5-4 displays signal phasing for a RCUT intersection with each of the four 

signals operated by a dedicated controller.

Exhibit 5-4. Signal phasing for a RCUT intersection with four controllers. 

While not yet implemented, it is feasible to use one controller for the four signal locations. Exhibit 5-

5 and Exhibit 5-6 show two possible signal phasing schemes. With just one controller, there is only 

one cycle length serving both directions of the arterial. Therefore, some additional delay may result 

compared to a plan with different cycle lengths in each direction of the major street. 

The signal phasing schemes in Exhibits 5-5 and 5-6 include three main movements: 

1. Major street through movements

2. U-turns 

3. Left turns from the major street concurrent with right turns from the side street

These phasing schemes afford flexibility to accommodate junctions where there are unbalanced leftturn and/or U-turn volumes. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

Exhibit 5-5. Signal phasing for a RCUT intersection with one controller and a single 

concurrent pedestrian phase to allow pedestrians to cross the major street.

70 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

71 

Exhibit 5-6. Signal phasing for a RCUT intersection with one controller in which 

pedestrians cross the major street at two separated signal-controlled crosswalks. 

Exhibits 5-5 and 5-6 illustrate that pedestrians can cross the minor street approaches during the 

phases that serve major street through vehicles. Pedestrians can cross the major street approaches 

during the phases that serve major street left-turning vehicles. Providing a minimum green time 

to allow pedestrians to cross both major street legs during a single phase (i.e., a one-stage 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

72 

crossing) could potentially create substantial delays for major street through volumes and 

eliminate bi-directional progression. However, a single-stage crossing may promote desired 

crossing actions by pedestrians. A multistage crossing presents additional challenges for visually 

impaired pedestrians. Regardless of the type of phasing used, the minimum green time for 

pedestrian crossings must be sufficient, based on the assumed walking speed of 3.5 feet per 

second from the MUTCD.(7) As per PROWAG, audible pedestrian signals will be required at all 

new signals, including those at RCUT intersections.

(22) More information on pedestrian 

considerations is provided in Chapter 3. 

Split Times

A rule of thumb is for the main street at a RCUT intersection to receive two-thirds to threequarters of the green time during a cycle. At anything under 60-percent of green time for the 

main street, other intersection designs will likely serve the relatively heavy minor street demand 

more efficiently. RCUT intersection designs allowing LTOR from the U-turn crossovers where 

legal, RTOR from the minor street, and/or permissive left turns from the left-turn crossovers 

(using a flashing yellow arrow signal) to minimize the need for green time for the minor phases. 

Major street minimum green times for serving pedestrians are also relatively short because major 

street pedestrian crossings almost always happen in two stages. That is, pedestrians wishing to 

cross the RCUT major street first wait for the “walk” signal to cross the first half of the arterial; 

this “walk” signal is concurrent with the minor street green. Once across the first half of the 

arterial, pedestrians cross the median and wait for a “walk” signal to cross the second half of the 

arterial; that “walk” signal is concurrent with the minor street green on that side of the arterial. 

Offsets

Providing bi-directional progression along the major street is a typical objective of a RCUT

intersection. 

The following procedure could be used for establishing optimum offsets to attain progression in 

a RCUT corridor with different cycle lengths in each direction:

(3) 

1. Use a standard signal timing method to determine the optimum cycle length and phase 

times at each signal

2. Select one common cycle length for each direction of the arterial and readjust the green 

times at the individual signals accordingly

3. Establish the arterial progression speed

4. Determine signal offsets based on the distances between signal-controlled intersections 

and the progression speed (e.g., the end of the major street green phase at one signalcontrolled intersection relative to the end of the major street green phase of the adjacent 

signal-controlled intersection) 

5. Adjust the offsets to allow for adequate start-up times to discharge standing queues 

created by U-turning and minor street traffic
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

73 

The following procedure could be used for establishing progression in a RCUT corridor with the 

same cycle length in both major street directions:

1. Use a standard signal timing method to determine the optimum cycle length and phase 

times at each signal

2. Select one common cycle length for both directions of the arterial and readjust the green 

times at the individual signals accordingly

3. Establish the arterial progression speed

4. Determine signal offsets based on the distances between signal-controlled intersections 

and the progression speed (e.g., the end of the major street green phase at one signalcontrolled intersection relative to the end of the major street green phase of the adjacent 

signal-controlled intersection) 

5. Adjust the offsets to allow for adequate start-up times to discharge standing queues 

created by U-turning and minor street traffic

6. For each of the minor street movements that one wishes to try to progress, adjust the 

offsets along the major street so that the minor street movement can progress, making 

sure to keep the relative offsets along the major street from step 5 undisturbed 

The ability of a corridor with RCUT intersections to accommodate a conventional intersection 

within the signal system increases the possible range of applicability of the RCUT intersection 

design. A RCUT corridor could include a conventional intersection that allows left turns and/or 

through movements from the side street while generally preserving progression. The 

conventional intersection results in operations such that both directions of the main street of the 

RCUT intersection have the same signal cycle length and will lock in the offset values. Two-way 

progression along the arterial could still be attained. 

Optimization

It is possible to manually time signals at a single RCUT intersection or in a RCUT corridor.

Commercial signal timing software is sometimes helpful in more complex cases such as when 

trying to progress minor street movements. There are a few general considerations when 

applying commercial signal timing packages to time RCUT intersections. 

• Out-of-the-box the software will not have incorporated any adjustments for unique 

RCUT intersection features such as U-turn saturation flows or unbalanced lane 

distributions. 

• The usual measures of effectiveness the packages use to optimize and report may not be 

the suitable for RCUT intersections. As Chapter 6 discussed, a measure like control delay 

at an individual junction is helpful but does not reflect the more complex needs of 

multiple junctions at a RCUT intersection. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

74 

Commercial signal timing packages generally do not allow different cycle lengths for each 

direction of the major street. This may require running the software in a non-standard way, such 

as treating a RCUT intersection as a one-way street pair with some hypothetical distance 

between the two directions.

RCUT Intersection Capacity 

RCUT intersections have a fairly rigid capacity that can be derived from basic traffic engineering 

relationships. At a RCUT intersection, there are three types of junctions: left-turn crossover, 

minor street right turn, and U-turn crossover. Of the three, the U-turn crossover is typically the 

capacity constraint of the entire RCUT intersection because it serves more movements (including 

redirected movements) than the left-turn crossover. Also, it is limited to two lanes in current 

professional practice in contrast to the minor street right turn which can be expanded to more 

than two lanes. The key to the derivation is using the rule of thumb that the main street should 

receive at least two-thirds of the signal cycle, meaning the U-turn crossover—which serves the 

minor street left-turn and through movements—receives no more than one-third of the cycle. The 

derivation is presented in the Appendix. 

Exhibit 5-7 shows a plot of the feasible demand space for a signalized RCUT intersection based 

on the derivation described above. At minor street demands below 5,000 vpd, agencies should 

consider unsignalized RCUT intersections. For minor street demands of more than 25,000 vpd, 

there are most likely other alternative intersections such as a MUT or DLT intersection that 

would generally serve the minor street more efficiently. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

75 

Exhibit 5-7. Feasible demand space for signalized RCUT intersection. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

76 

SYSTEM-WIDE CONSIDERATIONS

There are several system-wide factors to consider when looking at signalized RCUT 

intersections in comparison to conventional or other types of intersections. First and foremost, 

the primary purpose for installing a signalized RCUT intersection is to enhance signal 

progression along an arterial. RCUT intersections are therefore suited to corridors where a major 

street has several intersections with smaller minor streets, rather than at the junction of two major 

streets. RCUT intersections are likely to be more effective in a network of irregularly spaced 

intersections, where two-way progression is more difficult to achieve, rather than in a network of 

evenly-spaced intersections where a combination of the right speed and cycle length can produce 

good two-way progression with conventional intersections. These characteristics make RCUT 

intersections well-suited to areas with heavy demands in a linear pattern rather than a grid. The 

ability to independently progress traffic in both directions also makes RCUT intersections wellsuited for arterials with near 50/50 directional splits during the peak periods. Exhibit 5-8 shows a 

corridor of RCUT intersections in Leland, NC. 

As with any highway network or corridor with some movements that are relatively more efficient 

than others, travelers in an area with a RCUT corridor may find creative paths to avoid making a 

minor street left-turn or through movement if it decreases their overall trip time. 

On the major street, a RCUT is high-capacity, “big pipe” intersection. As such, it has the ability 

to transfer bottlenecks elsewhere in a corridor if other capacity constraints are present. In those 

cases, corridor analysis is recommended rather than single intersection analysis and the network 

needs to be looked at as a whole. If several intersections downstream are evaluated, no overall 

system improvement may be seen, especially in travel times. Higher demands could activate 

downstream bottlenecks, which could be worse than the existing location before the RCUT was 

installed. FHWA is currently developing bottleneck identification and mitigation guidance and 

anticipates that guidance will be issued as a volume of the Traffic Analysis Toolbox.(32) 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

77 

Exhibit 5-8. RCUT corridor in Leland, NC.

(4) 

Corridors containing all RCUT signalized intersections could have bi-directional progression at 

any speed and any signal spacing, but those benefits can be realized on other corridors with some 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

78 

compromises. A corridor or network can have multidirectional progression radiating out from a 

conventional intersection, as Exhibit 5-9 shows, with all signals operating on the same cycle. 

Exhibit 5-9. Progression in RCUT corridors radiating outward from one non-RCUT 

intersection.

Some of the progression benefits of a RCUT corridor can be achieved on a “hybrid” corridor of 

conventional signalized intersections and signalized RCUT intersections. Starting with an 

existing or planned corridor, agencies can develop a time-space diagram for the desired speed 

and cycle length. After manipulating leading and lagging left turns as needed, intersections along 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

79 

the corridor supporting a wide band in both directions can be left to operate conventionally. 

Intersections where no feasible progression band exists in both directions can be converted to 

RCUT intersections.

(33) Exhibit 5-10 illustrates the concept, and the steps are generally described 

as follows: 

• Start with a reasonable cycle length and desired progression speed for the arterial and lay 

out progression bands in both directions 

• Make small adjustments to the speed and cycle length to optimize timing

• Consider leading and lagging left turn phasing as needed 

• Identify locations where progression in one direction or the other would be interrupted 

• Consider RCUT intersections in those locations where the progression band was 

interrupted 

Exhibit 5-10. Corridor with RCUT intersections only where needed to provide two-way 

progression.

COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE STUDIES

Several studies have compared signalized RCUT intersections to conventional intersections. 

They have generally found RCUT intersections to decrease delay and travel time compared to 

conventional intersections. 

Research Prior to 2010 

Kim et al. compared three signalized RCUT design cases under varying volumes to conventional 

intersection design.

(34) Two of the RCUT design cases featured one U-turn lane and the other 

featured two U-turn lanes. With a RCUT intersection, travel time decreased by 30- to 40-percent

and throughput increased 22- to 40-percent. The highest vehicle throughput for the one U-turn
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

80 

lane design was achieved when green time on the minor road was 20-percent of the green time 

on the major road. In comparison, the RCUT design with two U-turn lanes experienced a smaller 

increase in vehicle throughput, ranging from 9- to 12-percent.

A simulation study of a Michigan corridor comparing the arterial operated as with TWLTL to 

MUT intersection operation also investigated RCUT intersection operation.(3) Exhibit 5-11 

shows the average results of the four time periods analyzed. During peak conditions, travel time 

on the RCUT corridor decreased 10-percent. In addition, travel speed was 15-percent higher than 

the same conditions using a TWLTL due to decreased intersection delay. During off-peak 

conditions, the study revealed that the RCUT intersection produced operations that were similar 

to TWLTLs. 

Exhibit 5-11. RCUT simulation results, average of four time of day periods 

Major Street 

Geometry

Total System Time, 

veh-hrs

Mean Stops Per 

Vehicle Mean Speed, mi/h

TWLTL 251 1.75 19.6

MUT 208 1.94 24.4

RCUT 226 2.16 22.5

Simulation results using a range of intersection configurations and volumes from intersections in 

Virginia and North Carolina suggested mixed results in overall travel time when RCUT 

intersections were compared to traditional intersection designs. Travel time of the RCUT 

intersection compared to the conventional intersection ranged from -8-percent to +18-percent 

during off-peak conditions and -10-percent to +71-percent during peak conditions. The results 

were also mixed with respect to overall stops when compared to traditional intersection design. 

Stops with the RCUT intersection compared to the conventional intersection ranged from -8-

percent to +187-percent during off-peak conditions and +16- to +146-percent during peak 

conditions.(3)

Simulation Results from 2010 AIIR(3) 

The Alternative Intersections/Interchanges: Informational Report (AIIR) authors simulated five 

intersection lane configurations. The configurations ranged from a four-lane main street meeting 

a two-lane minor street with one-lane turn lanes and crossovers to a six-lane main street meeting 

a two-lane minor street with dual left-turn and crossover lanes. RCUT intersections and 

conventional intersections were simulated for each case, and the demand levels varied. 

Directional split on the major road ranged from 50:50 to 75:25, and the ratio of the minor road 

total volume to total intersection volume ranged from 0.12 to 0.40. 

For all geometries tested, the throughput for RCUT intersections was 15- to 30-percent higher 

than comparable conventional intersections when the ratio of the minor road total volume to total 

intersection volume was in the range of 0.1 to 0.18. The throughput of the RCUT intersection 

became similar to the conventional intersection when the ratio of the minor road total volume to 

total intersection volume was in the range of 0.18 to 0.25. Beyond a 0.25 ratio of the minor road 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

81 

total volume to total intersection volume, the conventional intersections had 5- to 17-percent 

higher throughput than RCUT intersections.

The pattern was similar for travel time. Simulation results indicated a 25- to 40-percent reduction 

in network travel time for RCUT intersections in comparison to conventional intersections when 

the ratio of the minor road total volume to total intersection volume was in the range of 0.10 to 

0.15. The network travel times for the RCUT intersections became similar to the conventional 

intersections when the ratio of the minor road total volume to total intersection volume was in 

the range of 0.18 to 0.25. Beyond the ratio of the minor road total volume to total intersection 

volume of 0.25, the network travel time for the RCUT intersections increased from 15- to 25-

percent in comparison to the network travel time for conventional intersections. 

The results conclude RCUT intersections are best suited for intersections where the ratio of 

minor road total volume to total intersection volume is 0.25 or less. 

Results from 2010 NCDOT Study(11) 

NCDOT sponsored a study of their RCUT intersections. Complete field data from the before 

periods were not available so simulation was used for the comparison. Simulations of the RCUT 

intersections were calibrated with field data collected at several signalized RCUT intersections. 

Simulations compared seven RCUT intersections to conventional intersections—five 

intersections in a corridor along US-17 in Leland, one intersection on US-421 in Wilmington, 

and one intersection with a unique geometry (no major street left-turn crossovers) on US-15/501 

in Chapel Hill. The experiment used the same number of lanes at the conventional and RCUT 

intersections. 

Six levels of demand were tested, which ranged from the 2009 peak-hour measured demands 

minus 40-percent to the 2009 peak hour measured demands plus 20-percent. In every case, travel 

time decreased with the RCUT intersection. The drop was over 100 percent at intersections on 

the US-17 corridor for demands above the peak. The drop was smallest for the two isolated 

RCUT intersections. The bulk of the travel time decrease was by major street through travelers, 

while right-turn and major street left-turn vehicles experienced little change, and minor street 

left-turn and through vehicles often had increased travel time. Overall, the NCDOT study 

confirmed NCDOT chose its RCUT locations well, RCUT intersections generally perform better 

in a corridor rather than in isolation, and main street through vehicles are the particular 

beneficiaries of RCUT intersections. 

Field Measurements from Texas

In 2010, a 3.5-mile section of US-281 in an exurban area north of San Antonio with a 60-mph 

posted speed was converted from a four-lane divided conventional arterial to a four-lane RCUT

corridor. Three four-approach signalized intersections were converted to RCUT intersections. A 

before-and-after study measured operational changes on US-281, including travel times, speeds, 

and traffic volumes on midweek days.(35) As shown in Exhibit 5-12, the RCUT intersections

decreased travel time and increased travel speeds despite an increase in traffic volume. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

82 

Exhibit 5-12. Operational measures on US-281 north of San Antonio before and after 

RCUT intersection installation.

(35)

Metric Before RCUT After RCUT

Southbound travel time 

(morning rush hour) 23.3 minutes 13.9 minutes 

Southbound average speed 

(morning rush hour) 16 mph 20 mph 

Northbound travel time 

(evening rush hour) 19.2 minutes 12.7 minutes 

Northbound average speed 

(evening rush hour) 19 mph 29 mph 

Traffic count (vehicles per day) 60,100 – 74,000 63,600 – 81,500
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

83 

CHAPTER 6 — OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS 

The previous chapter presented operational characteristics unique to RCUT intersections. 

Conducting an appropriate level of traffic operations analysis corresponding to the stage of the 

project development process will support decisions regarding the choice and design of a RCUT 

intersection. The level of analysis needs to be consistent with the available data, and that data 

needs to support the applied analysis tools. Vehicular traffic operations coincide with multimodal 

considerations. Final intersection configurations and associated signal timing should be in 

balance with multimodal needs for each unique project context. 

A RCUT is a system of multiple intersections. As discussed previously in this guide, there are 

three types of RCUT intersections: 

• Signal-controlled 

• Stop-controlled 

• Merge-controlled (with merges at the minor street right turns and U-turn crossovers and 

yield signs at the left-turn crossovers) 

The main intersection is broken into two separate intersections on either side of a wide median. 

Operational analysis must consider the operations of each intersection and the relationship 

between all of the intersections.

Available data could include the following elements:

• Average daily traffic (ADT)

• Speed (posted, design, or 85th percentile)

• Weekday and weekend peak-hour turning movement counts 

• Weekday and weekend off-peak turning movement counts 

• Pedestrian volume at the intersection

• Bicycle volume at the intersection

• Proportion of the traffic stream composed of heavy vehicles

• Basic geometric data including distances between the main and crossover 

intersections

Measures of effectiveness are used to evaluate the operational efficiency of a particular design 

like the RCUT intersection. The FHWA Traffic Analysis Toolbox has identified the following 

seven basic measures of effectiveness for vehicles:

(32)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

84 

• Travel time: average time spent by vehicles traversing a facility, including control delay, 

in seconds or minutes per vehicle 

• Speed: rate of motion (expressed in distance per unit of time)

• Delay: additional travel time expereienced by travelers at speeds less than the free-flow 

(posted) speed (expresed in seconds or minutes) 

• Queues: length of queued vehicles waiting to be served by the system (expressed in 

distance or number of vehicles) 

• Stops: number of stops experienced by the section and/or corridor (based on a minimum 

travel speed threshold) 

• Density: number of vehicles on a street segment averaged over space (usually expressed 

in vehicles per mile or vehicles per mile per lane)

• Travel time variance: a quantification of the unexpected non-recurring delay associated 

with excess travel demand (can be expressed in several ways)

The final two measures, density and travel time variance, are less applicable to an intersection 

treatment than an uninterrupted flow facility, but may still be considered during the operational 

analysis. While average speed and travel time apply to the RCUT intersection much like they 

would to a conventional intersection (as long as the analysis area includes the entire 

configuration), the delay and stops performance measures must be carefully aggregated over the 

multiple intersections contained within intersection. Individual performance measures such as 

queues, stops, and delay across multiple intersections of a typical vehicle progressed through the 

intersection provides more meaningful comparisons versus simply adding or averaging the 

performance measures from each intersection.

OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS OVERVIEW

According to FHWA’s Traffic Analysis Toolbox, several tools are available to analyze traffic 

operations at intersections, including the following:(32)

• Planning Level Analysis (such as critical lane volume and CAP-X)

• Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) Analysis

• Microsimulation Analysis 

One major factor distinguishing these three types of analysis is the amount of time required to 

evaluate each scenario. HCM analysis may take several times as long as planning analysis, and 

microsimulation is typically an order of magnitude greater than HCM analysis. Planning-level 

tools are useful in the initial feasibility analysis and to conduct a high-level comparison of the 

approximate number of lanes for a RCUT intersection. An operational analysis using a 

deterministic method, such as the HCM, is useful to perform a more detailed peak-hour 

performance analysis and to estimate performance measures like delay, travel time, and queue 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

85 

lengths. The HCM analysis may provide insight on additional geometric design and signal timing 

details. Microsimulation is useful for alternative intersection forms containing multiple closelyspaced intersections for which an HCM procedure has not been explicitly developed. 

Exhibit 6-1 provides a summary of available analysis techniques for each type of RCUT 

intersection. Planning analysis is available for signal-controlled RCUT intersections, but rarely 

needed for stop-controlled and merge-controlled intersections because performing more detailed

HCM procedures are only slightly more difficult to conduct. At the level of HCM analysis, it is 

currently possible to piece together a procedure for a signal-controlled RCUT from various HCM 

procedures, but requires making multiple assumptions.(6) A FHWA-funded effort is underway to 

create an HCM operational analysis procedure specifically for RCUT intersections. HCM 

procedures for stop-controlled and merge-controlled RCUT intersections are currently feasible 

with HCM methods, and the FHWA effort will solidify procedures specifically for these types of 

RCUT intersections. Finally, microsimulation analysis is available for all three types of RCUT 

intersections, but is rarely needed for stop-controlled and merge-controlled RCUT intersections

because those tend to be safety countermeasures in low volume environments where detailed 

operational results are not needed for decision-making. The following sections will detail each 

type of analysis.

Exhibit 6-1. RCUT Analysis Techniques

Type of RCUT

Available Techniques

Planning Highway Capacity Manual Microsimulation

Signal-controlled Available using critical 

lane analysis and CAP-X 

Difficult to perform now for 

motor vehicles; can analyze 

crossing pedestrians and 

bicycles. RCUT-specific HCM

procedure under development

Can be performed for 

motor vehicles, 

pedestrians, and 

bicycles with most 

simulation packages

Stop-controlled Possible to perform with 

HCM but rarely used

Possible to perform now; 

RCUT-specific HCM

procedure under development

Can be performed but 

rarely needed

Merge-controlled Possible to perform with 

HCM but rarely used

Possible to perform now; 

RCUT-specific HCM

procedure under development

Can be performed but 

rarely needed

Exhibit 6-2 shows how to translate turning movements into RCUT intersection movements for 

main streets running north-south or east-west. Most analysis software designed for RCUT 

intersections (such as the CAP-X program described below) will make the translation 

automatically. Most microsimulation packages start with an origin-destination matrix rather than 

intersection-level turning movement data, but analysts using software not designed for RCUT 

intersections or making manual calculations will have to make the translations shown in Exhibit 

6-2. Pedestrian and bicycle movements from a conventional intersection will also have to be 

converted for the RCUT intersection geometry before analysis.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

86 

Exhibit 6-2. Translating turning movements at a conventional intersection into a RCUT

intersection. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

87 

PLANNING ANALYSIS

As noted in Exhibit 6-1, it is possible to perform a planning analysis on stop-controlled or 

merge-controlled RCUT intersections. For stop-controlled RCUT intersections, this can be done 

using the planning analysis procedure for stop-controlled intersections described in the HCM for 

each of the six stop-controlled junctions to see if any are at or near capacity. For mergecontrolled RCUT intersections, this could be done using the planning analysis procedure for 

stop-controlled intersections described in the HCM for each of the two yield-controlled 

crossovers to see if either is at or near capacity. This represents a conservative analysis, as a 

yield-controlled movement would have a higher capacity than a stop-controlled movement. 

Analysts can use the planning analysis procedure for two-sided weaves in the HCM as a check to 

see if any of the movements from the minor street to the U-turn crossover or from the U-turn

crossover to the minor street are at or near capacity. Even at an early project development stage, 

most analysts are apt to choose to conduct HCM analyses of these types of RCUT intersections

rather than planning analyses because the additional effort to do so is only incremental. 

Most planning analyses of RCUT intersections are performed for signal-controlled cases. The 

classic calculation for the planning analysis of a signalized intersection, described in several 

editions of the HCM, is the critical lane analysis method. This is appropriate to apply to a RCUT

intersection. The idea behind the method is that in the middle of any intersection is a key conflict 

point where two or more traffic streams compete for space and only one can possess it at any 

time. The conflict point with the highest volume to capacity (v/c) ratio will be “critical” to 

intersection performance. The highest v/c ratio at any point at an intersection is a useful predictor 

of overall intersection performance at the planning level, though more minor elements affecting 

capacity, such as some nuances of signal control and operational effects of geometrics, are not 

captured.

A step-by-step procedure for performing a critical lane analysis at an intersection with two, three, 

or four approaches is shown in the Appendix, along with an example. The procedure uses flow 

rates (demands during the peak 15 minutes expressed as vehicles per hour). 

FHWA has developed a planning tool to conduct capacity analysis for planning of alternative 

intersections (CAP-X), described as “a tool that can be used to evaluate selected types of 

innovative or alternative junction designs (8 intersections, 5 interchanges, and 3 roundabouts) 

using given peak hourly traffic counts.(36)” Exhibit 6-5 is a screen capture from the spreadsheet 

that is downloadable from the Transportation Systems Institute website, A Federal Highway 

Administration Project in partnership with the Transportation Systems Institute at the University 

of Central Florida. Inputs include turning movement volume, percent trucks, truck adjustment, 

turn adjustments, and capacity. The user enters the number of lanes for each approach to each 

junction of the RCUT intersection on the results screen. The results screen shows the critical lane 

demand and demand to capacity ratio at each junction. Exhibit 6-3 shows the inputs for the 

example problem described above; the CAP-X results verify a critical lane demand of 1,167 

vphpl at the northern U-turn crossover and a demand to capacity ratio of 0.69 at that point. CAPX is a convenient way to perform a planning analysis on a RCUT alternative.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

88 

Exhibit 6-3. CAP-X planning level tool screen capture.

(36)

HIGHWAY CAPACITY MANUAL (HCM) ANALYSIS

Stop-Controlled RCUT

Analysts can perform macroscopic analysis of the individual junctions at a stop-controlled 

RCUT intersection using the 2010 HCM and software that implements its methods.(6) This 

produces a set of results showing whether any of the junctions are near- or over-capacity, and 

would provide delay and level of service (LOS) for each movement at each junction. For the 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

89 

minor street left turns and through movements, there would be two sets of performance 

measures: one at the main junction and one at the U-turn crossover. Having two sets of 

performance measures creates challenges when comparing a RCUT intersection to a 

conventional intersection. 

For example, is a minor street left turn at a RCUT intersection operating at LOS B and C at the 

two junctions performing better than a minor street left turn at a conventional intersection 

operating at LOS E? LOS at stop-controlled intersections is based upon control delay, so the two 

RCUT intersection delay estimates can be added and compared to the delay estimate for a single 

movement at a conventional intersection. However, for the RCUT intersection, the minor street 

left-turning vehicle experiences extra travel time to the U-turn crossover and back, which is not 

accounted for in this type of comparison. In summary, current macroscopic methods can be 

helpful in examining a stop-controlled RCUT intersection but there is a need for a procedure 

accounting for all aspects of operation. 

FHWA has commissioned a research team to develop a macroscopic operational analysis 

procedure for RCUT intersections to appear in the next update of the HCM. The thoughts below 

are based on the early progress of that research. Information provided below is in draft form and 

is subject to change by the time the next update of the HCM is published (scheduled for 2015). 

The operational measure of effectiveness (MOE) for a stop-controlled RCUT intersection in the 

next edition of the HCM will likely be a form of extra travel time compared to a conventional 

intersection. Setting aside U-turn demands, eight of the 12 movements at a four-approach RCUT 

intersection are unchanged from a conventional intersection, so the techniques of Chapter 19 of 

the 2010 HCM will apply to them without change. Only the minor street left turns and minor 

street through movements would use the new MOE. 

The research team has concentrated on two aspects of the Chapter 19 procedure that may differ 

for RCUT intersections: 

• Gap-acceptance behavior of motorists at U-turn crossovers 

• Travel time for minor street left-turning and through vehicles from the main junction to 

the back of the queue at the U-turn crossover and from the U-turn crossover stop bar 

back to the main junction 

Early indications suggest gap acceptance behavior is similar to corresponding conventional 

movements in the 2010 HCM, and the free-flow speed is a reasonable predictor of travel time 

from the main junction to the U-turn crossover and back again. 

An interim step-by-step procedure for the HCM analysis of a stop-controlled RCUT intersection, 

until publication of the next edition of the HCM, is presented in the Appendix. 

Merge-Controlled RCUT

RCUT intersections with yield signs or merges at the minor street right-turn and/or the U-turn

crossover create a two-sided weave (from right to left) between the minor street and the U-turn

crossover and another two-sided weave (from left to right) between the U-turn crossover and 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

90 

minor street. Most of these installations are safety countermeasures at low volume locations 

where operational concerns are minimal.

RCUT intersections with merges present unique challenges for operational analysis, and there is 

no readily applicable analysis method in the 2010 HCM that can be applied.(6) 

Signal-Controlled RCUT

As at stop-controlled and merge-controlled RCUT intersections, there is no current HCM 

analysis procedure available for signalized RCUT intersections. However, FHWA-sponsored 

research is underway to create such a procedure for the next edition of the HCM. It is possible to 

piece together a procedure from other parts of the HCM. This section provides guidance on how 

to conduct a HCM analysis of a signalized RCUT intersection from the information that is 

currently available, including the FHWA research project. Some parts of the procedure 

recommended here may change when the RCUT intersection-specific HCM procedure is 

published. 

The Measure of Effectiveness (MOE) for an operational analysis of a signal-controlled RCUT 

intersection in the forthcoming HCM procedure will likely be a form of extra travel time, 

comparing the travel time a movement would have experienced using a direct path without 

traffic control to the travel time the movement experiences making its way through the RCUT

intersection. Unlike stop-controlled RCUT intersections, most movements at a four-approach 

signal-controlled RCUT intersection behave differently from a conventional intersection because 

they progress through at least two signals. This is a reason for the use of extra travel time as the 

MOE for signalized RCUT intersections. 

No decisions have yet been made on a recommended LOS scale. The options include using the 

current LOS scale from Chapter 18 of the 2010 HCM (with 80 seconds of control delay as the 

LOS F threshold) or establishing a scale with a higher LOS F threshold. 

Inputs for a signal-controlled RCUT intersection include the turning movement count, geometry 

(numbers of lanes on each approach), distances from the main intersection to the U-turn

crossovers, lengths of the storage bays for each crossover, and free-flow speed on the main 

street. Signal timing parameters are also needed, particularly some measure of the quality of 

progression along the major street, as that is the reason many signalized RCUT intersections are 

built.

The FHWA research developing an operational analysis procedure for signalized RCUT 

intersections is concentrating on several elements of the existing signalized intersection 

procedure in Chapter 18 that may differ for RCUT intersections. These elements include:

• Saturation flow rates in U-turn crossovers

• Lane utilization at multilane right turns or U-turn crossovers 

• Left turn on red (LTOR) and right turn on red (RTOR) critical headways and follow-up times

• Travel times from main intersection to crossover and back 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

91 

Exhibit 6-4 describes the preliminary findings from the FHWA research usable in the interim 

until publication of a new operational analysis procedure. 

Exhibit 6-4. Preliminary guidance from FHWA research on key parameters in operation 

analysis of signalized RCUT intersections. 

Parameter Preliminary Guidance

Saturation flow 

rates in U-turn

crossovers

Use adjustment factor of 0.8 for typical one-lane crossovers and 0.9 for typical 

two-lane crossovers; use adjustments above 0.9 or below 0.8 if turn radius is 

particularly large or small.

Lane utilization at 

multilane right 

turns or U-turn

crossovers

For unsaturated movements, use lane distributions proportional to downstream 

movements. For example, if two-thirds of the vehicles using a dual lane U-turn 

crossover are minor street through vehicles and one-third are minor street left turn 

vehicles, for analysis place two-thirds of the crossover volume in the outside lane 

and one-third in the inside lane.

LTOR and RTOR 

critical headways 

and follow-up times

Use the same critical gap and mean follow-up times as in the 2010 HCM Chapter 

19 for minor street right turns.(6)

Travel times from 

main intersection to 

crossover and back

Use travel times based on the measured main street free-flow speed multiplied by 

the distance from the minor street to the U-turn crossover. Note that accelerations 

and decelerations are already accounted for in the control delay estimation 

formulae for each signalized junction.

An interim step-by-step procedure for the operational analysis of a signalized RCUT

intersection, until publication of the next edition of the HCM, is presented in the Appendix. 

The techniques in Chapter 18 of the 2010 HCM may be used to compute LOS for pedestrians 

and bicycles crossing RCUT intersections. The application is straightforward, with a LOS being 

generated for each crossing stage negotiated. For example, a pedestrian walking along one side 

of the minor street and crossing the major street would cross the minor street first, then one half 

of the major street, then the second half of the major street, so three separate levels of service 

would be generated. To get an overall travel time for any pedestrian or bicycle crossing 

movement would entail adding the delays estimated at each stage of the crossing to the extra 

time because of the median width and because the crossing may be at an angle other than 90 

degrees. 

MICROSIMULATION ANALYSIS

Microsimulation can be an effective tool to study RCUT intersections. Microsimulation

programs create individual simulated vehicles and move them through a network, governed by 

fundamental equations of traffic flow, at small time increments such as 0.1 seconds. Simulation 

provides greater flexibility to examine unusual cases and networks, a distribution of responses 

rather than a single response value, and animation. A practitioner can simulate multiple modes, 

including passenger cars, heavy vehicles, light rail, pedestrians, and bicycles. Simulation is 

plausible for all three types of RCUT intersections—stop-controlled, merge-controlled, and 

signalized—but is rarely employed for stop- and merge-controlled RCUT intersections. Stop- 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

92 

and merge-controlled RCUT intersections are typically safety countermeasures and operation 

analysis is less relevant.

There are several drawbacks to simulation. Input is more detailed than planning or HCM 

analyses, making it time-consuming to gather and code. Simulation programs are more complex 

and expensive to purchase than planning or HCM analysis software, and require trained or 

experienced users. The output is voluminous and requires post-processing to compute 

meaningful performance measures. Simulation studies do not necessarily produce higher quality 

results than planning or HCM studies; if agencies employ simulation, they must ensure programs 

are used properly in order to achieve useful results. 

Many microsimulation efforts need to be calibrated for the special conditions of RCUT 

intersections. Calibration is the process of adjusting the governing traffic flow equations so 

simulation results match field conditions as closely as needed to achieve study objectives. A 

discussion on the calibration process can be found in the FHWA’s Traffic Analysis Tools 

website in Volumes III or Volume IV (specific to CORSIM).

(32)

A 2010 research effort sponsored by NCDOT was the most comprehensive effort undertaken at 

the time of this writing to calibrate a VISSIM microsimulation model for RCUT intersections.

(11)

The researchers collected field data from four intersections with 12 possible travel patterns (left, 

through, and right at each leg of the intersection) for a total of 48 movements. The researchers 

combined the travel times for each of the 48 movements from four intersections at three sites and 

calibrated the models based on the mean percent difference in travel time between field and 

simulation to achieve a set of calibration parameters that was the best for the sites collectively.

Parameters adjusted in VISSIM to try to achieve an acceptable fit to the field data were:

(11)

1. The mean value of the main street free-flow speed distribution (the shape of the distribution 

was input as equivalent to the field measurements and kept constant throughout calibration) 

2. The sizes of the speed zones for all turns 

3. Increased conflict areas for minor street RTOR

4. Added desired speed decisions for minor roads 

5. Adjusted gap values for all RTOR and for the flashing yellow arrow signals that were 

employed at the Wilmington site for permissive turns from all crossovers 

Gap values from the study sites are shown in Exhibit 6-5. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

93 

Exhibit 6-5. Final gap values after calibration.(11)

SITE

RTOR

U-turn

(flashing yellow)

Major left

(flashing yellow)

Front gap 

(sec)

Rear gap 

(sec)

Front gap 

(sec)

Rear gap 

(sec)

Front gap 

(sec)

Rear gap 

(sec)

Chapel Hill 2.0 3.6 N/A N/A N/A N/A

Wilmington 2.0 3.6 3.0 7.1 2.0 5.5 

US-17 2.5 3.6 N/A N/A N/A N/A

The overall lessons from the NCDOT calibration and validation effort were that calibration of a 

VISSIM model to the RCUT intersection design is possible; however, the effort was extensive.

Agencies needing to calibrate their own simulation model to local RCUT corridors need to be 

aware that this is a complex and time-consuming undertaking. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

94 

This page intentionally left blank. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

95 

CHAPTER 7 — GEOMETRIC DESIGN

This chapter describes the typical RCUT intersection design approach and provides guidance for 

geometric features. It requires input from the multimodal considerations (Chapter 3), safety 

assessment (Chapter 4), and traffic operational analysis (Chapters 5 and 6). The guidance in this 

chapter is intended to supplement national resources on intersections that apply basic design 

principles. 

Geometric design is similar for RCUT intersections with stop signs and with traffic signals, and 

RCUT intersections with stop signs can be converted to signalized RCUT intersections. The 

geometric design of signalized RCUT intersections makes up the bulk of the discussion in this 

chapter. RCUT intersections with merges have unique design and operational considerations and 

are also discussed. In this chapter, unless specifically referring to a RCUT intersection with 

merges, the discussion is intended to apply to RCUT intersections with stop signs or traffic 

signals.

DESIGN APPROACH

The geometric design of a RCUT intersection requires a series of key decisions, some of which 

are the same as for a conventional intersection and some of which are different. Unlike other 

alternative intersections, such as the MUT and DLT, the RCUT intersection is not discussed as 

an explicit concept in the current edition of the AASHTO Green Book.(5) 

Developing the geometric layout for an intersection configuration requires considering the 

relationship and interaction of safety, operations, and design. The overarching goal is to provide 

geometry that meets the expectations of all road users. This includes appropriate channelization 

that is supplemented with signing and pavement markings. As with any intersection form under 

consideration, undesirable geometry cannot necessarily be mitigated by signing and pavement 

markings. Exhibits 7-1, 7-2, and 7-3 highlight the characteristic features of the three types of

RCUT intersections. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

96 

Exhibit 7-1. Characteristics of a RCUT intersection with signals. 

Exhibit 7-2. Characteristics of a RCUT intersection with stop-control. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

97 

Exhibit 7-3. Characteristics of a RCUT intersection with merges. 

The design of and RCUT intersection should begin with some basic information on the number 

of approaches, through lanes, intersection angle, typical design parameters, turning movement 

demands in the design hour, and provisions for pedestrians and bicycle facilities. At an early 

stage in the design, a planning-level capacity analysis (described in Chapter 6) will aid designers 

in determining the number of lanes required at each crossover. The crossovers are typically 

designed with one lane only for RCUT intersections with stop signs and with merges. 

Another early design decision is the RCUT intersection width and length. RCUT width is 

influenced by the median width and of placing storage lanes heading into the crossovers back-toback or side-by-side. There are a number of considerations influencing the median width. RCUT 

length is affected by the decision of where to place the U-turn crossovers. The considerations for 

each of these decisions are described in detail below.

As with all intersection design, the needs of pedestrians, bicycles, transit vehicles and users, and 

other special vehicles can influence the intersection geometrics. To date, most constructed RCUT 

intersections with merges and with stop signs have been in rural, undeveloped areas with no 

surrounding pedestrian and bicycle activity or facilities. Therefore, these RCUT intersections

have not provided pedestrian, bicycle, or transit facilities. However, a flexible geometric 

configuration is one that could be readily converted to serve those user needs. 

There are several geometric design and operational features that can affect the layout and 

operations of a RCUT intersection. A shorter cycle length (without violating the need for 

minimum pedestrian crossing times) may result in shorter average queues, which may allow for 

shorter storage bays and a shorter distance from the main intersection to the U-turn crossover. 

The shorter distance required may reduce travel times for minor street left-turning and through 

vehicles and improve vehicular levels of service. Short cycle lengths and closer spacing of the uturn crossover will also generally be beneficial to pedestrians (reduced delay) and bicyclists 

(shorter travel distance if riding in the roadway).
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

98 

GEOMETRIC DESIGN PARAMETERS/PRINCIPLES

The geometric design of a RCUT intersection introduces some unique design principles that are 

not typically present at a conventional intersection. These principles include: 

• A wide median can make accommodating U-turn movements easier or more 

straightforward. Typically this median is uniform through the intersection and main 

crossing street, but there are design variations that reduce the length of the wide median 

or locate the median on the minor street. Bump-outs or loons can also be used to 

compensate for narrower median widths, yet still accommodate the U-turn movements.

• A large enough vehicle path at the U-turn crossover to accommodate trucks and allow for 

more efficient movements through the U-turn by passenger vehicles.

• Design elements that provide positive guidance using design elements and signage to 

reduce chances of driver error or the ease of illegal turns.

• Signing, marking, and geometric design that promotes safe and efficient movements that 

would otherwise be unexpected or not familiar to motorists. 

• Corridor-wide access strategies and management considerations to properties along the 

median street to promote safe and efficient access to these properties.

• Stopping sight distance at all points through the intersection and intersection sight 

distance for all movements at each RCUT intersection junction. Intersection sight 

distance must be provided if RTOR movements, LTOR movements, or permissive 

movements are allowed. 

The parameters and principles of geometric design for a RCUT intersection are similar to the 

principles for any other intersection design. In most cases, a RCUT intersection will consist of a 

principal arterial intersecting a minor arterial or collector road. The design principles outlined in 

the AASHTO Green Book for those facility types may generally be applied.(5)

A RCUT intersection is channelized to allow certain movements through the major street median 

at specific locations. The AASHTO Green Book provides principles and design details for 

channelization applicable to RCUT intersections.

(5) 

RANGE OF RCUT CONFIGURATIONS

A wide range of RCUT intersections configurations are possible. Many of the locations from a 

land use standpoint have not incorporated pedestrian and bicycle facilities into the RCUT 

intersection design. However, as discussed in Chapter 3 and throughout this Guide, it is 

important for a designer to understand the context of the intersection and integrate all users. A 

summary of the range of RCUT configurations are shown below. 

1. Major streets can range from four lanes to eight lanes wide. Some corridors in Michigan 

have MUT intersections on ten-lane major streets that could be converted to the RCUT 

intersection design within the existing right-of-way. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

99 

2. Minor streets at a RCUT intersection can be up to four through lanes wide. 

3. U-turn crossovers can be one or two lanes wide, while left-turn crossovers could range 

from one to three lanes wide. 

4. The distance from the main intersection to the U-turn crossovers can vary from 400 feet 

for a stop- or signal-controlled RCUT intersection to one-half mile for a merge-controlled 

RCUT intersection. 

5. The major street right-of-way could be as narrow as 70 feet with four 10-foot travel lanes, 

a 10-foot median providing room for left-turn crossovers and pedestrian staging, and 10-

foot buffers on either side. The buffer could include curb and gutter, berms, and 

sidewalks. 

6. An eight-lane major street with a generous median width could have as much as a 200-

foot right-of-way. 

7. RCUT intersections with merges that accommodate large trucks making U-turns would 

need either a wider median or loons sized to accommodate the truck U-turns. 

8. A RCUT intersection may have three or four approaches. 

Exhibit 7-4 shows a typical stop-controlled RCUT intersection in a rural area near Southern 

Pines, NC. This location has a high-speed four-lane major highway, a two-lane minor road, and 

one-lane crossovers. Due to the rural context there are no pedestrian, bicycle, or transit facilities 

at this location. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

100 

Exhibit 7-4. Stop-controlled RCUT intersection on US-1 near Southern Pines, NC.

(2)

Exhibit 7-5 shows a typical merge-controlled RCUT intersection in a rural area in Emmitsburg, 

MD. This location has a high-speed four-lane major highway, a two-lane minor road, and onelane crossovers. Due to the rural context there are no pedestrian, bicycle, or transit facilities at 

this location. 

Exhibit 7-5. Merge-controlled RCUT intersection on US-15 in Emmitsburg, MD.

(3)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

101 

Exhibit 7-6 shows a signalized RCUT intersection with a six-lane major highway in a suburban 

area outside Hamilton, OH. This location has a four-lane minor street and two-lane U-turn

crossovers. Two minor street lanes are designated for U-turn crossover, and one lane is 

designated for a right turn to continue on the major street. Due to the suburban location, there are 

no pedestrian, bicycle, or transit facilities.

Exhibit 7-6. Signalized RCUT intersection on OH-4 outside Hamilton, OH with six-lane 

major highway and four-lane minor road.(2)

Exhibit 7-7 shows a signalized RCUT intersection in a suburban area with a six-lane major street 

and a four-lane minor street in Troy, MI. It includes a mix of one-lane and two-lane crossovers. 

There are pedestrian crosswalks at the main intersection along the major street and a pedestrian 

crosswalk of the major street on the left side of the photo. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

102 

Exhibit 7-7. Signalized RCUT intersection on Big Beaver Road in Troy, MI with six-lane 

major street and four-lane minor street.

(3)

Exhibit 7-8 shows a RCUT with three approaches. This type of RCUT configuration reduces 

conflict points compared to one with four approaches (refer to Chapter 4 for more details). 

Exhibit 7-8. RCUT intersection with three-approaches.

OPERATIONAL EFFECTS OF GEOMETRIC DESIGN

This section addresses the operational effects of geometric design on safety performance and

traffic operations. Examples of the operational effects of geometrics at RCUT intersections

include: 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

103 

1. The distance from the main intersection to the U-turn crossovers affects minor street left-turn 

and through vehicle travel times, which are a strong measure of operational effectiveness.

2. The radii of turning movements affect saturation flow rates. The smaller the radius, the 

slower the vehicle makes the turn and the lower the saturation flow rate. RCUT intersections

with narrow medians and no ability for U-turning vehicles to turn onto a shoulder may result 

in low saturation flow rates. However, small turning radii may benefit crossing pedestrians. 

3. Short distances from the main intersections to the U-turn crossovers may require RCUT 

intersections with multiple lanes on the minor street approach or in the U-turn crossover. 

Short distances may result in uneven lane utilization, as drivers preposition themselves for 

the next maneuver downstream. Uneven lane utilization reduces capacity.

4. An offset between the two minor streets at a four-approach RCUT intersection will reduce 

the pedestrian walking distance. This shorter distance would lead to shorter minimum green 

times for the minor street and major street left-turn signal phase. 

The orientation of a RCUT intersection angle may influence the conversion of a conventional 

intersection to a RCUT intersection, as well as traffic operations. A RCUT intersection with less 

than 90 degrees (acute angle) can serve the left turns on the major street more efficiently than 

one greater than 90 degrees (obtuse angle). Exhibit 7-9 illustrates the intersection angles for a 

RCUT intersection. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

104 

Better candidate for a RCUT conversion:

Less ideal candidate for a RCUT conversion: 

Exhibit 7-9. RCUT intersection angle considerations.

DESIGN GUIDANCE 

This section provides design guidance for all types of RCUT intersections with stop signs, traffic 

signals, and merges. There is additional specific guidance related to RCUT intersections with 

merges provided at the end of this section.

RCUT intersections may be used on divided streets or on undivided streets with special 

provisions for accommodating U-turns. Geometric design guidance is organized into the 

following sections: 

• Main intersection turn lanes 

• U-turn crossover with two-way crossovers, or single directional crossovers 

• Median widths and loons 

• Right-of-way requirements
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

105 

• Design vehicle accommodations

• Spacing between the main intersection and U-turn crossovers 

• Spacing between crossovers along a MUT corridor of intersections 

• Pedestrians and bicycles

• Transit

Main intersection turn lanes

Left-Turn Crossovers

At a four-approach RCUT intersection, each left-turn crossover serves just one movement (a 

major street left turn), while each U-turn crossover serves two movements (minor street left turn 

and through movements). Therefore, it is possible that the left-turn crossovers can serve traffic 

efficiently with only one lane each while the U-turn crossovers have two lanes each.

Exhibit 7-10 shows a detail of RCUT intersection left-turn crossovers from NCDOT. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

106 

Exhibit 7-10. RCUT intersection schematic from NCDOT showing left-turn crossover 

dimensions.

(37)

The 100-foot radius curve fits within the 36-foot-wide median and allows sight lines for a leftturning vehicle to see past a queue in the opposing left-turn storage bay. A pedestrian refuge area 

should be provided in the middle of the channelizing island to allow for crosswalks or the future 

addition of crosswalks. 

Drivers can violate the traffic control devices RCUT intersections in rural areas by making direct 

left turns from the minor street. Curbs on the median islands can discourage wrong-way 

movements. Aligning the minor street approach toward the intended turn direction, as shown in 

Exhibit 7-10, can encourage vehicles to turn right and discourage wrong-way movements.

Typically, the design speed of the left-turn crossovers is 15 to 20 mph. 

Direct Left Turn from Minor Street

If direct left turns from the major street are redirected to U-turn crossovers, direct left turns from 

the minor street can be allowed. Exhibit 7-11 shows an example of a minor street left-turn 

crossover on a street in Michigan. At this site, the left-turn crossover ends with a left merge into 

the major street. Other options for direct left turns from the minor street have been published but 

not constructed.(38)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

107 

 

Exhibit 7-11. Minor street left turn crossover with a merge on Woodward Avenue in

Birmingham, MI.

(2)

Minor Street Approaches and Channelization 

In most cases, the minor street approach to a RCUT intersection will have a median dividing the 

two directions of travel. As with any street or channelization separating oncoming movements, 

medians on the minor street help drivers to avoid head-on conflicts and discourage wrong-way 

maneuvers. Minor street medians should be a minimum of 6 feet wide. Three options exist for 

channelizing minor street traffic:

• No channelizing island 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

108 

• A channelizing island (or channelizing end treatment on a median) separating all of the 

right-turn lanes from the minor street lanes leaving the intersection

• A channelizing island separating minor street right turns that remain on the major street 

from minor street right turns that subsequently make a U-turn on the major street (i.e. the 

redirected movements).

The advantages and disadvantages of right-turn channelization on the minor street at a RCUT 

intersection are described below: 

1. Advantages 

o Guides drivers more firmly, likely reducing sideswipe conflicts during the turn 

o Shortens pedestrian crossing distances to a refuge 

o Reduces the paved surface area

o Provides the opportunity for a lane addition and a free right turn (merge), 

reducing delay for that maneuver 

2. Disadvantages

o Requires pedestrians to cross more vehicle pathways, with the right turns moving 

faster and/or freely; uncontrolled right turns are more difficult to navigate for 

visually-impaired pedestrians

o Creates potential for uneven lane utilization on the minor street

o Requires drivers on the minor street to select a lane earlier

o Increases right-of-way to accommodate the channelization

There are multiple ways to treat the RCUT intersection’s minor street approach depending upon 

the storage bay length to the U-turn crossover. One option is to align the curve leading out of the 

minor street to continue directly into the storage bay for the U-turn crossover. The other option is 

to align it to the major street through lanes, with the U-turn crossover storage bay taper 

beginning further downstream. If the U-turn crossover storage bay needs to extend all the way 

back to the minor street, the first option aligning the turn directly into the bay for minor street 

vehicles is preferred.

The RCUT intersection example in Michigan (shown in Exhibit 7-7) shows both options, with 

the continuous curve into the storage bay on the left side of the photo (serving the southbound 

minor street if north is at the top of the photo) and the curve into the major street with the storage 

bay taper beginning downstream on the right side of the photo (serving northbound minor street 

traffic).
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

109 

The example from North Carolina (shown in Exhibit 7-4) has the minor street vehicles turning 

into the major street lanes, while the example from Ohio (shown in Exhibit 7-6) shows minor 

street vehicles destined for the U-turn crossover turning directly into storage lanes.

Exhibit 7-12 shows a schematic example at a signalized RCUT intersection with one of the two 

minor street lanes leading directly into the storage bay for the U-turn. Exhibit 7-13 shows a 

schematic example of a signalized RCUT intersection with two of the three minor streets lanes 

leading directly into the storage bay for the U-turn; in this case, a channelizing island separates 

the two lanes leading into the storage bay from the third U-turn. The trade-offs of channelizing 

islands are noted above. 

Exhibit 7-12. Schematic of RCUT intersection with one-lane, minor street approaches.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

110 

Exhibit 7-13. Signalized RCUT intersection with multiple lanes and channelization on the 

minor street.

U-turn crossover with two-way crossovers, or single directional crossovers

The U-turn crossovers at a RCUT intersection are quite similar to those at a MUT intersection. 

Therefore, for additional information, designers may consider referencing the Median U-turn

Informational Guide. 

The typical distance from the main intersection to the U-turn crossover at a RCUT intersection

with stop signs or signals is 400 to 800 feet. In general, shorter travel distances result in fewer 

distance-related crashes such as animal and run-off-road crashes. Smaller distances also result in 

shorter travel times for minor street left-turn and through vehicles; this can be especially helpful 

to minor street bicyclists making a left turn or a through movement. A longer distance results in 

more time for drivers to understand navigational tasks and make corresponding decisions. The 

distance to the U-turn crossover is dictated by the need to provide a storage bay that avoids 

queue spillback. 

The minimum distance between consecutive U-turn crossovers is dictated by the need for drivers 

at one stop bar to see past a queue built up in the storage bay of the other crossover. MDOT calls 

for a minimum separation of 100 feet and a desirable separation of 150 feet. If consecutive Uturn crossovers must be closer together, the crossovers may be signalized. In these cases, LTOR 

would be prohibited. The presence of pedestrians can influence the distance between consecutive 

U-turn crossovers. If pedestrian crosswalks are present at the crossovers, as mentioned in 

Chapter 3, a longer separation requires the sidewalk between the two crosswalks to run parallel 

to the major street for some distance; this is shown in Exhibit 7-17. The longer pedestrian 

distance increases the pedestrian travel time and could encourage jaywalking. The design speed 

for the U-turn crossovers is typically 15 mph. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

111 

Access Management Considerations

RCUT intersections do not require frontage roads to serve nearby land parcels. Driveways and 

side streets can be placed along a RCUT intersection at almost any point, generally avoiding the 

signal and near the entrance to a U-turn crossover as shown in Exhibit 7-14. Back-to-back 

crossovers with no access points between are shown in Exhibit 7-15. 

Exhibit 7-14. Area near U-turn crossover where access point should be avoided. 

This access-controlled area addresses the following items:

1. Discourages drivers from using that access point to enter the U-turn crossover

2. Discourages drivers from using that access point to drive the wrong way on the major 

street

3. Reduces the risk of blocking major street travel lanes while queued

Since there is no particular need to concentrate driveway and side street movements at a small 

number of points along the arterial, frontage roads typically provide little value for the cost and 

the right-of-way needed.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

112 

Exhibit 7-15. Back-to-back crossovers on Big Beaver Road in Troy, MI.

(2)

Median widths and loons

An important consideration in the U-turn crossover design is accommodating the designated 

design vehicle. Providing a semi-circle of additional pavement outside the travel lane to allow 

the design vehicle to complete the U-turn maneuver and merge back into the traffic stream is 

called a “loon” or a “bump out.”(39) Exhibit 7-16 is a photograph of a loon implemented in 

Wilmington, NC. Exhibit 7-1 also shows a pavement marking channelizing the two lanes of the 

U-turn crossover, attempting to minimize sideswipe conflicts during side-by-side turns. Such 

pavement markings have been used at the RCUT intersections on US-281 in San Antonio, TX. 

Loons may be designed by applying a turning vehicle template for the chosen design vehicle. 

Signing to prohibit parking and additional enforcement may be necessary to keep loons free of 

stopped vehicles. U-turn crossovers may be located where there is available right-of-way for a 

loon. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

113 

Exhibit 7-16 Loon implemented on RCUT intersection in Wilmington, NC.

(3)

Short of designing a full loon, there are other ways to accommodate U-turns by the chosen 

design vehicle at a RCUT intersection. One method of reducing right-of-way is to allow vehicles 

to turn onto the existing or widened shoulder. If the volume of trucks is relatively low, this can 

be a cost-effective approach, as strengthening the shoulder in the U-turn area may reduce longterm maintenance needs. The U-turn crossover on the right side of Exhibit 7-17 shows this 

configuration as implemented in Michigan. A second method is to design the U-turn to align into 

a right-turn lane, as illustrated by the U-turn crossover on the left side of Exhibit 7-17. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

114 

Exhibit 7-17. Other treatments used at U-turn crossovers on Twelve Mile Road in 

Farmington Hills, MI to accommodate large vehicles.

(2)

The AASHTO Green Book provides values for minimum median width without loons based on 

the needs of U-turning design vehicles, as shown in Exhibit 7-18. Without a loon or other 

treatment, the design vehicle and the number of opposing lanes directly govern the needed 

median width at the crossover.(5)

 A median width of 69 feet is needed to serve aWB-67 U-turn

maneuver without encroaching on the outside curbs or shoulders of a four-lane major street. This 

directive reflects the value of 57 feet from Exhibit 7-18 plus 12 feet for the width of the storage 

lane leading into the U-turn crossover. Assuming 12-foot-wide lanes and right-of-way limits 10 

feet beyond the edge of the travel way, the right-of-way for RCUT intersection major streets 

without loons can range from 137 feet for four-lane arterials to 161 feet for eight-lane arterials. 

 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

115 

Exhibit 7-18. AASHTO-recommended minimum median widths for U-turn crossovers.

(5) 

Placing the storage bays for the left-turn and U-turn crossovers back-to-back rather than side-toside is a means of minimizing the median width in a RCUT intersection. Exhibit 7-19 shows a 

sketch of a RCUT with back-to-back two-lane storage bays. This results in a 30-foot-wide 

median. Back-to-back storage bays length and design are based on providing storage for the 

estimated queue lengths for the design period from the operation analysis (refer to Chapters 5 

and 6 for more details). 

Exhibit 7-19. RCUT intersection with back-to-back two-lane crossover storage bays. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

116 

Exhibit 7-20 and Exhibit 7-21 illustrate MDOT guidelines for designing directional median 

crossovers and show one-lane crossovers.(28) Large trucks and other heavy vehicles typically use 

the entire width of the crossover. MDOT uses striped two-lane crossovers (with two lanes of 

storage leading up to the crossover) in some places. If considering the application of striped twolane crossovers, the designer should check the local and state agency standards to determine if 

this is allowed. These crossovers are typically 36 feet wide.

Exhibit 7-20. U-turn crossover design on highway with curbs.(28) 

Exhibit 7-21. U-turn crossover design on highway without curbs.(28) 

A RCUT intersection can generally accommodate access to nearby parcels. Access points are 

generally avoided near a signal or near the entrance to a U-turn crossover (as shown earlier in 

Exhibit 7-4). Driveways or side streets may be aligned with the exit of a U-turn crossover. 

MDOT has extensive experience with this practice along MUT corridors and has revealed no 

safety or operational concerns. If there is a significant traffic demand by right-turning vehicles 

coming out of the driveway or side-street, adding a third signal phase can manage the conflict 

between the right-turning vehicles and U-turning vehicles. This has been added at a U-turn
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

117 

crossover on Eight Mile Road in Detroit, MI just east of Woodward Avenue. In most cases, 

motorists manage that conflict adequately as shown by the safety record of the MUT arterials in 

Michigan as described in the Median U-turn Informational Guide. 

Right-of-way requirements

The median width of a RCUT intersection is the main variable in determining the necessary 

major street right-of-way width. If loons are used at the U-turn crossovers, the median may be as 

narrow as a left-turn lane and a minimal median separation (i.e. a 12-foot lane and a 6-foot 

median). As presented previously, a 69-foot-wide median will typically allow U-turns by large 

trucks or buses on a four-lane major street without encroaching over the curb or needing to 

include a loon. 

Based on the median width requirements described above, MDOT uses median widths between 

47 and 71 feet to accommodate design vehicles at U-turn crossovers at MUT intersections 

without encroaching on outside curbs or shoulders. These dimensions are also applicable to 

RCUT intersections. If 12-foot lanes are assumed and an additional 10 feet is provided beyond 

the edge of the travelled street for drainage and utilities, the right-of-way can vary from 139 feet 

for four-lane streets to 163 feet for eight-lane streets. Similarly, using Exhibit 7-19 for minimum 

median widths, when designing U-turns and using the same lane width assumptions described 

above, the right-of-way requirements would range from 139 feet for four-lane streets and 165 

feet for eight-lane streets.

Design vehicle accommodations

Crossovers at a RCUT intersection are only used by vehicles heading to or from the minor street 

(or an access point along the main street). Therefore, the design vehicle for the crossovers can 

usually be the same as the design vehicle for the minor street or access point. The design vehicle 

is usually a tractor-trailer configuration but could be a bus or emergency response vehicle. In an 

urban area, the design vehicle at a RCUT intersection need be no larger than what can be served 

on the surrounding street network. 

The design vehicle’s turning movements at the U-turn crossover and the additional time required 

for design vehicles to complete this movement are the primary differences between the design of 

a conventional intersection and a RCUT intersection. Where loons are not used, the medians 

typically need to be 47 to 71 feet wide to accommodate the turning radius and the width of a 

design vehicle’s turning path; for comparison, medians at conventional intersections with dualleft turn lanes are typically 28 feet. Additionally, the lane width of the crossover must be 

increased to accommodate the turning path of the larger vehicles. 

Dual U-turn lanes can be implemented if vehicle demand supports it. Dual-lane U-turns are often 

designed so that a large truck’s swept path would use both lanes, as discussed in Chapter 4 and 

shown in Exhibit 4-10. If a high percentage or number of heavy vehicles is anticipated, dual Uturn lanes can be designed to accommodate large trucks and buses in both lanes side by side, 

simultaneously. The size of the U-turn crossover could be reduced if large vehicles were limited 

to one lane by signing and regulation, eliminating the possibility of two large vehicles using the 

crossover at the same time.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

118 

Additional signal time must also be provided for heavy vehicles at the U-turn crossover. Studies 

have shown that U-turns require up to 17-percent more time for passenger cars to complete than 

a right- or left-turn movement.(28) Therefore, it is expected that heavy vehicles may require even 

more time to complete U-turns than passenger cars.

Spacing between the main intersection and U-turn crossovers

The distance between the main intersection and the U-turn crossover must be considered for both 

directions of travel on the major crossroad. The distance for right-turning vehicles (with a 

destination to the minor street or left on the major street) from the minor crossroad to move from 

the right side of the major crossroad after completing their right turn to the left side prior to the 

deceleration lane. While traffic laws varying among states, in some states, right-turning vehicles 

are mandated to enter the rightmost lane available on the crossroad into which they are turning. 

This distance is shown in Exhibit 7-22. 

Exhibit 7-22. Spacing consideration for a minor street through or left movement. 

The AASHTO Green Book and MDOT provide guidance on the distance between the main 

intersection and a U-turn crossover at a RCUT intersection. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

119 

MDOT recommends a distance of 660 feet ±100 feet between the main intersection and the Uturn crossover for a RCUT intersection, which is based in part on the deceleration length 

required for the major street having a posted speed limit of 45 mph.(26) The AASHTO Green 

Book recommends a distance range of 400 to 600 feet.(5) The AASHTO Green Book also 

suggests that at locations where the U-turn crossovers were designed specifically for eliminating 

direct left turns at a major intersection, the crossover should be located downstream of the 

intersection, preferably mid-block between adjacent crossroad intersections. 

Where the minimum required distance to the U-turn crossover plus the distance required for the 

next downstream left-turn lane are greater than the distance between the two adjacent 

intersections, the AASHTO Green Book recommends the U-turn crossover should be located 50 

to 100 feet in advance on the next downstream left-turn lane.(5)

Spacing between crossovers along a RCUT corridor of intersections

On a corridor with multiple RCUT intersections, the spacing between opposing directional Uturn crossovers should be sufficient to prevent operational conflicts between the two U-turn

crossovers. MDOT guidance for MUT corridors suggests a 100 feet minimum and 150 feet 

desirable distance; this is also applicable to RCUT intersections.

Pedestrians and bicycles

Chapter 3 provides guidelines to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists at RCUT intersections. 

As for conventional intersection design, ADA and PROWAG guidelines provide guidance for 

designing crosswalks, pedestrian ramps, and sidewalks, which applies to both pedestrian and 

shared-use pedestrian/bicycle paths.(20) 

As discussed in Chapter 3, the “Z” crossing shown in Exhibit 3-1 is the most common design at 

this time at existing RCUT intersections. 

Transit

As discussed in Chapter 3, transit bus stops are located similarly to a conventional intersection. 

Additional Guidance for RCUT Intersections with Merges

Examples of RCUT intersections constructed in Maryland are shown in Exhibit 7-5. RCUT 

intersections with merges have one-lane minor street approaches and one-lane crossovers. The 

distance from the minor street to the U-turn crossover from the main intersection (typically 2,000 to 

2,600 feet) is longer than for other types of RCUT intersections. Auxiliary lanes can be used to 

support higher major street speeds. The AASHTO Green Book provides guidance on determining 

auxiliary lane lengths for each condition.(5) Exhibit 7-5 shows an acceleration lane for U-turning 

drivers that was constructed into the median and then continued as an auxiliary lane to the leftturn crossover.(3)

The components of the street between the minor street to the U-turn crossover are an acceleration 

lane plus taper, a certain weaving length for vehicles to move from the right to the left side of the 

major street, and a taper plus deceleration lane on the left side.

(3)

The components of the street
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

120 

between the U-turn crossover and the minor street are a left-side acceleration lane plus taper, a 

certain weaving length for vehicles to merge from the left to the right side (for the minor street 

through vehicles), and a taper plus deceleration lane. Designers should determine the desired length 

in both directions and then use the larger of the two values. The AASHTO Green Book provides 

guidance on determining acceleration and deceleration lane length and taper length. Criteria for a 

minimum weaving length for this scenario do not exist.(5) 

If the U-turn crossover ends in a left-side merge with the major street, the median on the major 

street will have to be wider than at other types of RCUT intersections or the U-turn will not be 

able to accommodate large vehicles. For the example from Maryland shown in Figure 7-5, the 

median is about 50 feet wide and the U-turn crossover likely can accommodate vehicles no 

larger than passenger cars without encroachment into the major street travel lanes. Larger Uturning vehicles likely have to yield in the crossover and wait for a gap in the major street traffic 

stream. Exhibit 7-18, showing needed median widths to accommodate various U-turning design 

vehicles, will be helpful to find the optimum median width. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

121 

CHAPTER 8--SIGNALS, SIGNING, MARKING, AND LIGHTING

Traffic control devices are critical elements at all intersections. Their role is especially vital to 

the success of alternative designs like the RCUT intersection. As users may be unfamiliar with 

this type of alternative intersection, adequate traffic control devices are necessary to promote its 

intended use. Since the opportunity to create progression is a key feature and benefit of the 

RCUT intersection, signal design is central to the success of a signalized RCUT intersection. 

This chapter describes current practices for signalizing, signing, marking, and lighting a RCUT

intersection. The chapter supplements the available national resources on traffic control devices 

at intersections, including the MUTCD and local agency design standards and policies.(7)

Agencies building their first RCUT intersection may benefit from considering traffic control 

devices generated by other agencies that have successfully implemented RCUT intersections.

This chapter focuses on traffic control devices and is complementary to Chapters 5 and 6, which 

described the operational characteristics of RCUT intersections and showed how to conduct an 

operational analysis of a RCUT intersection, respectively. 

DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND APPROACH

Traffic signal design, signing, pavement marking, and lighting design at a RCUT intersection can 

be different from conventional intersections, particularly in relation to the minor street 

movement prohibitions at the main intersection. The following treatments are unique at RCUT 

intersections compared to conventional forms: 

• Provide signage and pavement markings to indicate the prohibition of through and left 

turns on the minor street and alternative routing of these movements 

• Provide one-way and wrong-way signage to supplement the channelization of U-turn

intersections

• Provide a means for safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle crossings 

• Provide appropriate lighting at conflict points (i.e., main and U-turn intersections) within 

the RCUT configuration to emphasize the presence of various users 

SIGNALIZED VERSUS UNSIGNALIZED RCUT INTERSECTIONS

As noted throughout this Guide, RCUT intersections may be signalized or unsignalized with stop 

signs, yield signs, or merges at the minor streets and crossovers. Unsignalized RCUT 

intersections can provide adequate operations if the traffic demands are low. If the minor street 

ADT is 5,000 or more, a RCUT intersection will generally operate better with signals.

Many tools are available to evaluate an unsignalized or signalized RCUT intersection. Chapter 6 

notes how planning analyses, capacity and level of service analyses, various macroscopic 

analysis software packages, and various microscopic analysis software packages can be used to 

evaluate RCUT operations. The MUTCD signal warrants apply to RCUT and other intersections. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

122 

SIGNALS

A RCUT intersection can provide bi-directional progression (further discussed in Chapter 5) with

each direction of the arterial coordinated independently at various speeds and signal spacings, 

similar to a pair of one-way streets. While adding extra cost compared to a conventional 

intersection with one signal, the additional signals at a RCUT intersection do not degrade traffic 

operations. 

A four-legged RCUT intersection may have between one and four traffic signals, or up to six 

signals if signalized pedestrian crosswalks at the U-turn crossovers are included. If one signal at 

a RCUT intersection is warranted, as a rule of thumb, it is likely all four will be. U-turn

crossovers typically serve a large fraction of the demand at the minor street. Generally, if a signal 

is justified at the main intersection, it will likely also be appropriate at the accompanying U-turn

crossover. 

Controllers

Different traffic signalization practices may affect the number of signal controllers provided at a 

RCUT intersection.

For a four-legged RCUT intersection with four typical signal locations, separate signal 

controllers can be installed at each of the four signal locations. This preserves the independence 

of the signal control on either side of the arterial. This practice may increase the implementation 

cost of RCUT intersection installation and may prevent the signals from working together 

optimally in an actuated environment. Exhibit 8-1 illustrates a RCUT intersection with four 

separate controllers. 

Exhibit 8-1. RCUT intersection with four separate controllers.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

123 

RCUT intersections may feature three controllers. One controller would handle the signal 

displays at the main intersection, and the other controllers would handle the signal displays at the 

U-turn crossovers. This design would not allow different cycle lengths in each direction of the 

arterial. Exhibit 8-2 illustrates a RCUT intersection with three separate controllers. 

Exhibit 8-2. RCUT intersection with three separate controllers.

It is possible for a RCUT configuration to use two controllers; with each controlling the signals 

for each direction of the arterial. This design would allow different cycle lengths in each 

direction of the major street. Exhibit 8-3 illustrates a RCUT intersection with two separate 

controllers. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

124 

Exhibit 8-3. RCUT intersection with two separate controllers.

Finally, a RCUT intersection can be signalized with one controller as described earlier in this 

chapter. One controller would be less expensive but would result in fewer control options and no 

chance to have different cycle lengths in each direction of the major street. Exhibit 8-4 illustrates 

a RCUT intersection with a single controller. 

Exhibit 8-4. RCUT intersection with a single controller.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

125 

The advantages of single- and multiple-controller signal systems are described below.

Advantages of multiple controllers instead of a single controller include: 

• Independent, bi-directional coordination is easier to operate 

• If one controller fails, the other intersections of the RCUT can still function

• Programming phases and signal timing are simpler to install and maintain

• Installations require shorter wire lengths (signal conductor wire/detector wire runs to 

local controller only) 

• Easier for signal maintenance in that each cabinet will likely be placed with visibility 

provided to the signal heads it controls

Advantages of a single controller instead of multiple controllers include: 

• The system requires fewer cabinets and controllers to purchase, install, and maintain

• Interconnection is not required to keep signals coordinated 

• There is a single controller to program and maintain

• There is a single service point for power 

• There are fewer components to fail

• Vehicle detection may be easier to configure

Signal Equipment Locations 

Mast arms and signal head locations should result in signals that are highly visible to the 

applicable traffic stream, especially to traffic using the crossovers. The placement should not be 

confusing to drivers. As with any signalized intersection, traffic equipment must be located to 

minimize crash potential. Traffic equipment placement should consider pedestrian and bicycle 

travel areas and not be an obstacle or inadvertently screen these users from the street. Exhibit 8-5 

shows pole, mast arm, and head locations for a typical signalized RCUT intersection constructed 

by NCDOT. The figure shows a pole-mounted signal head in the median for traffic using the Uturn crossover to supplement the overhead far-side heads. Some agencies in Michigan also use 

this configuration. 

The presence of a loon creates special considerations when locating the signal pole and mast arm 

for a signal at the U-turn crossover.(3) Exhibits 8-6 through 8-9 show signal installations along 

the RCUT corridor on US-17 in Brunswick County, NC. In Exhibit 8-8, note how a signal pole 

was placed at the loon, in contrast to Exhibit 8-5 where the pole is shown downstream of the 

loon. Exhibits 8-6, 8-7, and 8-9 also show US-17 RCUT intersections operating with polemounted signals in the median for the U-turning traffic. A potential disadvantage for signal 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

126 

heads mounted on poles in the median is that sight lines to these signal heads may be blocked by 

queued traffic. 

Exhibit 8-5. Possible signal pole and mast arm locations for RCUT intersection. 

Exhibit 8-6. Signal pole locations at the main intersection of a RCUT intersection on US-17 

in North Carolina.(3)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

127 

Exhibit 8-7. Signal pole locations at the main intersection of another RCUT intersection on 

US-17 in North Carolina.(3)

Exhibit 8-8. Signal pole locations at the U-turn crossover of a RCUT intersection on US-17 

in North Carolina.(3)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

128 

Exhibit 8-9. Signal pole locations on the minor street approaches of a RCUT intersection on 

US-17 in North Carolina.(3)

Detection

Exhibit 8-10 shows potential detector placements at a RCUT intersection. Vehicle, bicycle, and 

pedestrian detection can be implemented similar to a conventional intersection to “call-off” 

phases that have extra green time. This green time could be allocated to other phases needing

additional green time. This technique may be simpler in a RCUT intersection since there are only 

two phases needing to be adjusted compared to a conventional intersection. This technique can 

be particularly effective in off-peak times by providing more green time to the displaced left 

turns, mitigating the longer travel path. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

129 

Exhibit 8-10. Potential detector placements.

Pedestrian Signals

Pedestrian signals at a RCUT intersection should be installed to accommodate a two-stage 

crossing, even if it is possible to make a single-stage crossing. This is because pedestrians who 

are slower or faster than the design value for walking speed may get caught in the median with a 

red signal. This means a set of pedestrian signal heads, push buttons, and accessible pedestrian 

signals would be provided in the median as well as on the roadside, as Exhibit 8-9 showed 

previously. 

Bicycle Signals

In general, bicycle signals are used to direct and control bicycle movements that are atypical 

compared to conventional intersections and not concurrent with vehicle movements. Chapter 3 of 

this guide discusses a number of options for minor street through and left-turn movements by 

bicycles, some of which involve passing through the channelizing island in the center of the main 

intersection. Although there are no known installations to date, bicycle signals could be provided 

at a RCUT intersection for such movements. 

SIGNING

Signing a RCUT intersection is similar to signing and marking a MUT intersection (as described 

in an accompanying guide) or other alternative intersection that reroutes left-turning movements. 

Special signing and marking considerations at a RCUT intersection compared to a conventional 

form include: 

• Providing destination guide signing for the minor street left-turn and through movements 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

130 

• Including signs to guide motorists to the optimum lane in a multilane minor street 

approach or in a multilane crossover 

• Providing signing for right or left turn on red prohibitions 

This section addresses signing and for signal-controlled RCUT intersections, stop-controlled 

RCUT intersections, and RCUT intersections with merges. Some of the signing and marking 

practices depicted in this section reflect observed practice at RCUT intersections that may not be 

included in the MUTCD.(7) The MUTCD includes a procedure for agencies wishing to conduct 

field experiments with new signs and markings. 

Signal-Controlled

Exhibit 8-11 shows a signing plan for one direction of travel at a signalized RCUT intersection 

based largely on Maryland State Highway Administration guidance. RCUT intersection signing 

is not explicitly addressed in the MUTCD. 

The key elements are well-placed regulatory signs to indicate prohibited movements and clear 

and visible guide signs to aid the minor street left-turn and through traffic. In the plan shown in 

Exhibit 8-11 there is no sign or marking provided for U-turn crossover or minor street vehicles 

on which lane they should choose to reach a particular destination. However, such a sign was 

developed for a RCUT intersection in Texas. Whether to provide lane choice signing and 

marking is left to the agency’s discretion and is discussed below. Standard street name signs at 

the main intersection may be helpful for main street motorists. Wide main streets could benefit 

from a guide sign in the median just beyond the main intersection and also on the right 

(shoulder) side of the street. Exhibit 8-12 shows two options for a sign in the median on the 

approach to a U-turn crossover. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

131 

Exhibit 8-11. Signalized RCUT intersection signing plan derived from Maryland practice.

(3)

 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

132 

Exhibit 8-12. Guide signs for U-turn crossovers based on Maryland (left side) and Texas 

(right side) practice. 

Allowing right turn on red (RTOR) and/or left turn on red (LTOR) (if allowed by law) at a 

RCUT intersection can reduce travel times. RTOR is generally easier for motorists to execute 

from a minor street at a RCUT intersection compared to a conventional intersection. This is 

because there is no legal crossing for pedestrians on that corner seeking to cross the main street.

The LTOR movement from a U-turn crossover generally does not encounter pedestrian traffic. 

Prohibiting RTOR and/or LTOR is conveyed via regulatory signing. This can include multiple 

signs on any particular approach prohibiting RTOR or LTOR, especially on wide minor street 

approaches or multilane crossovers. Some agencies chose to post signs saying what is allowed. 

For example, Texas agencies have posted “TURN ON GREEN ARROW ONLY” regulatory 

signs on some of its U-turn crossovers. An agency in Michigan posts regulatory “PROCEED ON 

GREEN [ball] ONLY.” 

In multilane U-turn crossovers on MUT corridors in Michigan, the inner lane is typically marked 

as a U-turn only lane while the outer lane is marked as an optional U-turn or straight through 

lane (if there is a driveway or side street at the end of the crossover). By contrast, at the RCUT 

intersections in Michigan and in North Carolina, the agencies provide no guidance to minor 

street or crossover traffic as far as which lane of a multilane approach or crossover drivers should 

use for a certain destination.

At a RCUT intersection where the minor street is busy, additional guidance to minor street 

through motorists on the median signs may be beneficial. Examples in Texas have included 

overhead lane use signing to guide minor street motorists into the desired lane. Exhibit 8-13 

shows the overhead lane use signs on the three-lane minor street approach (Evans Road) to US281. The sign is placed about 350 feet prior to the stop bar. The middle lane can be used by 

drivers making the minor street through movement (following Evans Road) or making the minor 

street right-turn movement onto northbound US-281. The other two lanes of the approach serve 

specific destinations. Exhibit 8-14, with an overhead view of the RCUT intersection, shows a 

traffic island to separate the right lane of the minor street approach from the others. This example 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

133 

also has dotted lane extension pavement markings to guide turning into the appropriate receiving 

lane. Specific lane guidance, similar to that provided at US-281 and Evans Road, may reduce 

initial driver confusion and downstream lane changes, but may also reduce lane balance. This 

could result in a small loss of capacity compared to less specific lane guidance. 

Exhibit 8-13. Overhead lane use signs provided on minor street (Evans Road) approaching 

major street (US-281 in San Antonio, TX). 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

134 

Exhibit 8-14. RCUT intersection with traffic island separating minor street right turn 

movements from minor street through and left turn movements.

(2) 

The overhead lane use signs are shown in Exhibit 8-15. A RCUT intersection in North Carolina 

on US-15/501 and Erwin Road and Europa Drive in Chapel Hill also used overhead signing for 

the major street, as shown in Exhibit 8-15. The RCUT intersection does not have major street 

left-turn crossovers (major street left-turning vehicles must drive beyond the main intersection 

and use the U-turn crossover). This unusual turning pattern justified the expense of large 

overhead signs mounted on trusses spanning the street. Aside from the special cases cited here, 

most signalized RCUT intersections in the United States do not use overhead signs. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

135 

Exhibit 8-15. Overhead guide signs at the RCUT intersection on US-15/501 in Chapel Hill, 

NC.

(27) 

Stop-Controlled

The principles behind signing a stop-controlled RCUT intersection are similar to those for a 

signal-controlled RCUT intersection. In some ways the issues are more simple for the stopcontrolled case because the demands are lighter and minor street and crossovers are typically 

single-lane approaches. Exhibit 8-16 shows a signing and marking plan for a stop-controlled 

RCUT intersection developed by NCDOT. The plan in Exhibit 8-16 does not call for guide signs 

because the minor street is a low-volume street primarily serving local drivers. Exhibit 8-16 also 

does not show stop or yield signs for the U-turn crossovers; in Maryland there are also U-turn

crossovers with no stop or yield signs. Other agencies routinely use stop or yield signs to control 

U-turn crossovers. MDOT has used either stop signs or yield signs in U-turn crossovers while 

Louisiana has used yield signs. Yield signs reduce the need to stop, which reduces delay. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

136 

Exhibit 8-16. Stop-controlled RCUT intersection signing guidance from NCDOT 

practice.

(40) 

Merge-Controlled

The signing plan for a merge-controlled RCUT intersection will be similar to a stop-controlled 

RCUT intersection. Exhibit 8-17 shows signing at a merge-controlled RCUT intersection in 

Maryland. The minor street approach and left-turn crossovers have yield signs. Exhibit 8-17 also 

shows flashing yellow beacons above the intersection for the major street to provide more 

warning to drivers. Speed limits of 55 mph or above on the major street, and the fact that the 

major street at these installations are in fact rural expressways, may mean that green guide signs 

prior to the U-turn crossovers, as shown previously in Exhibit 8-12, can help drivers navigate 

more easily. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

137 

Exhibit 8-17. Signing at a merge-controlled RCUT intersection in Emmitsburg, 

Maryland.(3)

PAVEMENT MARKINGS

Pavement markings are an integral part of the information system at a RCUT intersection. On 

minor street approaches, each lane could have right-turn arrow markings, repeated several times, 

supplemented with the word “ONLY.” Left-turn arrows or left and through arrows could be 

placed near the stop bar the markings, as appropriate. In left-turn crossovers, each lane could 

have left-turn arrow markings, repeated several times, supplemented with the word “ONLY.” On 

the minor street approaches and in the crossovers, the arrows could be supplemented with route 

numbers or street names. 

The MUTCD does not provide guidance for pavement markings at RCUT intersections. 

However, MDOT has developed pavement marking standards for U-turn crossovers at MUT

intersections in Michigan that could be used at the U-turn portion of a RCUT intersection.(28)

Exhibits 8-18 and 8-19, developed by MDOT, provide typical pavement marking for U-turn

crossovers with single and dual U-turn lanes, respectively. The pavement marking concepts from 

the figures follow the general pavement marking concepts in the MUTCD. While not specifically 

shown in Exhibits 8-18 and 8-19, stop bars could be placed across the lane(s) of the U-turn

crossover. The MUTCD requires stop bars to be placed no more than 30 feet or less than 4 feet 

from the nearest edge of the pavement. 

In the deceleration and storage lanes leading to U-turn crossovers, each lane could have U-turn

arrow markings, repeated several times, supplemented with the word “ONLY.” 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

138 

Exhibit 8-18. Typical pavement marking at a directional crossover.(28) 

Exhibit 8-19. Pavement markings at a directional crossover with dual lanes.(28) 

LIGHTING

Lighting standards and specifications outlined in AASHTO’s Street Lighting Design Guide, 

FHWA’s Lighting Handbook, and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America 

(IESNA) publications including American National Standard Practice for Street Lighting can be 

used to determine optimal lighting for RCUT intersections.(41,42,43)

Based on national lighting guidance, agencies establish street lighting design guidelines along 

their facilities based on the road functional classification and pedestrian conflict area 

classifications. Intersection lighting is typically 1.5 times the street lighting along the 

approaches, or the street lighting of the two crossing streets are added together to determine the 

lighting guidelines for the intersection. 

Generally, signalized RCUT intersections are constructed on streets with high traffic volumes 

likely meeting the corridor volume criteria for lighting. It is desirable to light the main and 

crossover intersections according to the determined intersection light levels. Depending on the 

intersection spacing, the light levels for the road segments between the intersections may be 

reduced to street segment light levels. If there is no lighting along the approaches, then transition 

lighting coming from dark into light and vice versa may enhance user experience and 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

139 

performance. Even with sufficient lighting provided for the overall intersection, additional 

supplemental lighting could be added in the median to illuminate the pedestrian refuge area. 

Lighting at a stop- or merged-controlled RCUT intersection will follow similar lighting criteria 

as conventional intersections. These types of RCUT intersections are more likely to be located 

on a street without continuous lighting. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

140 

This page intentionally left blank. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

141 

CHAPTER 9 – CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

This chapter provides an overview of the general considerations of constructing and maintaining 

a RCUT intersection. It also discusses law enforcement considerations. While there are 

differences in constructing, maintaining, and providing law enforcement at a RCUT intersection 

compared to a conventional intersection, the differences is likely do not overshadow the safety 

and operational benefits discussed in previous chapters. 

CONSTRUCTION

Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, 

Tennessee, and Texas have constructed RCUT intersections and could serve as resources for 

construction planning guidance. As with any new type of street construction, additional 

communication and coordination with construction contractors may streamline project 

implementation. Understanding lessons learned from agencies having developed RCUT 

intersections may reduce construction delays. 

Construction Staging

This section provides insights about maintaining traffic while constructing an RCUT intersection 

under two conditions. The first condition is when widening a street. The second condition is 

when converting an existing conventional intersection to a RCUT intersection. 

The general construction sequence and traffic shifts for a project widening a street can include:

1. Building the lanes that carry one direction of travel on new alignment. This is illustrated 

in stage 1 of Exhibit 9-1 with the new lanes being built for the eastbound direction of 

travel.

2. Shifting the existing traffic to the new eastbound lanes. The intersection would be shifted 

as well and would continue to operate conventionally. Stage 2 of Exhibit 9-1 shows this 

shift.

3. Constructing portions of the lanes that will serve the westbound direction of the arterial, 

the U-turn crossovers, and the portions of the left-turn crossovers that do not overlap the 

existing minor street. This step is illustrated in stage 2 of Exhibit 9-1. 

4. Shifting westbound traffic onto their lanes, allowing eastbound traffic to use all of their 

lanes, shifting minor street through traffic and all left-turning traffic to the U-turn

crossovers, and closing the existing intersection to through movements from the side 

street. This is shown in stage 3 of Exhibit 9-1. 

5. Finishing the left-turn crossovers within the center of vacated intersection, as illustrated 

in stage 3 of Exhibit 9-1. 

6. Shifting traffic to the permanent RCUT intersection configuration following completion 

of the left-turn crossovers, as illustrated in the bottom graphic of Exhibit 9-1. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

142 

Exhibit 9-1. Construction staging when widening the street when converting two-lane road 

to multilane RCUT intersection.

(3)

The general sequencing for converting an existing conventional intersection to a RCUT

intersection is shown in Exhibit 9-2 and described as follows: 

1. Constructing portions of the U-turn crossovers and the portions of the left-turn crossovers 

that do not overlap the existing minor street. This is shown as stage 1 in Exhibit 9-2. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

143 

2. Shifting minor street through traffic and all left-turning traffic to the U-turn crossovers 

and closing the conventional intersection, as shown in stage 2 of Exhibit 9-2. 

3. Completing the left-turn crossovers while vacating the center of the intersection. This is 

shown as stage 3 in Exhibit 9-2. 

4. Shifting traffic to the permanent RCUT intersection configuration following completion 

of the left-turn crossovers. This is shown in the bottom graphic of Exhibit 9-2. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

144 

Exhibit 9-2. Construction staging for converting a conventional intersection to a RCUT

intersection.

(3)

Work Zone Traffic Control 

Work zone traffic control to construct a RCUT intersection can use typical traffic control 

devices. Part 6 of the MUTCD addresses temporary signals, signs, and markings.(7) MUTCD 

guidance can be adapted to RCUT intersection construction. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

145 

A RCUT intersection construction project may need more specialized work zone traffic control 

compared to conventional intersection construction when all left-turns and minor street through 

movements are using the U-turn crossovers (stage 3 in Exhibits 9-1 and 9-2). Temporary guide 

signing will likely be needed to direct motorists because major street left turns are rerouted from 

their traditional location (at a conventional intersection or at a RCUT intersection) and because it 

is the first time the RCUT traffic pattern is imposed on minor street drivers. Temporary 

changeable message signs on the minor street approach, on the major street approach to the main 

intersection, and at the U-turn crossovers may be beneficial at RCUT intersection work zones 

during stage 3. 

COSTS

A RCUT intersection will likely be more expensive to construct than a conventional intersection. 

This is likely attributable to right-of-way needs, extra signals and controllers, and extra 

pavement. Planning and design costs may initially be higher for the first few RCUT intersections

compared to a conventional intersection, in part because of extra public outreach, digital 

renderings, and traffic operations microsimulation video clips. As RCUT intersections become 

more common in an area, special efforts and costs will likely be reduced.

Exhibit 9-3 provides a range of locations and approximate costs for a variety of RCUT 

intersection projects. Actual project costs will vary depending on each project’s location and 

unique contextual design environment. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

146 

Exhibit 9-3. Summary of costs associated with RCUT intersections. 

Location and features Open to Traffic Cost Image

US 15/501, Chapel 

Hill, NC

Widened street from 

4 to 6 lanes 

Relocated frontage 

road 

0.4 mile corridor 

2006 $5 million

US 17 near 

Wilmington, NC 

3 signalized RCUT 

intersections (only 1 

pictured at right)

0.6 mile corridor 

2006 $2 million

US 301 and MD 313, 

Kent County, MD

Stop signs on minor 

street approach

Crossovers 1400 feet 

from main 

intersection 

2005 $618,000 

The following discussion provides a theoretical cost estimate of a signalized RCUT intersection 

compared to four conventional intersections.(3) This exercise is meant to provide a relative cost 

comparison between a potential RCUT and alternative conventional intersection forms. The 

comparison assumes no special grading or construction features are required. It also assumes the 

mobilization, overhead lighting, pavement marking, and drainage costs were not significantly 

different between the two types of intersections. Unit cost prices were obtained from the 2006 RS 

Means Heavy Construction Cost Book.

(44) 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

147 

Four kinds of conventional intersections, shown in Exhibit 9-5, were assumed as alternatives to 

the RCUT intersection treatment. Four signal mast arms would be needed at the main 

intersections of all alternatives, and two more mast arms would be needed at each crossover of 

the RCUT intersection: 

1. Major street with wide median and four-lane side street

2. Major street with wide median and two-lane side street

3. Major street with narrow median and four-lane side street

4. Major street with narrow median and two-lane side street

The comparison RCUT intersection alternative has dual-lane crossovers and is shown in Exhibit 

9-4; this is the same configuration depicted previously in Chapter 7. Exhibit 9-5 shows the 

conventional intersection configurations used for the cost comparison. 

Exhibit 9-4. RCUT intersection used in theoretical cost comparison.

(3)
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

Exhibit 9-5. Conventional intersection alternatives used for cost comparison.

(3)

148 

The RCUT costs estimates range from 18- to 34-percent more than a conventional intersection. 

Exhibit 9-6 shows the RCUT intersection requires additional right-of-way to varying degrees 

when compared to the conventional intersection. Compared to a conventional intersection with a 

wide median for the major street, the significant addition for the RCUT intersection is at the 

loons. On the other hand, if the conventional intersection major street has a narrow median, the 

right-of-way amount for the RCUT intersection would be greater. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

a. Footprint comparison of a RCUT

intersection versus a conventional intersection 

with a wide median and a four-lane side street

b. Footprint comparison of a RCUT

intersection versus a conventional intersection 

with a wide median and a two-lane side street

c. Footprint comparison of a RCUT

intersection versus a conventional intersec

with a narrow median and a four-lane side

street

otprint comparison of a RCUT

tion section versus a conventional intersection 

 a narrow median and a two-lane side 

t

d. Fo

inter

with

stree

Exhibit 9-6. Footprint comparisons of a RCUT intersection versus conventional 

intersections.

149 

MAINTENANCE

Maintaining a RCUT intersection is similar to a conventional intersection. Maintaining pavement 

and striping of the U-turn crossover lanes is similar to left-turn lane maintenance at a 

conventional intersection, although it can be more challenging due to the confined nature of the 

channelized area. In both cases, maintenance of left-turn lanes requires temporarily closing the 

lane and detouring traffic. Like for conventional streets, conducting maintenance activities 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

150 

during off-peak times can minimize traffic disruptions. In addition, this process generally follows 

the appropriate work zone guidelines as for all conventional intersections. Where RCUT 

intersections are part of a continuous corridor, maintenance can be done at one crossover while 

vehicles can use the next primary intersection. Maintaining signals and lighting at RCUT

intersections is also similar to conventional intersection signal maintenance, although there are 

generally more signals and lighting to maintain. In most cases, RCUT intersections provide the 

advantage of being able to locate utility vehicles in the median to work on overhead signal and 

lighting fixtures, where utility vehicles at conventional intersections may have to block travel 

lanes or locate on private property to perform maintenance functions. 

A RCUT intersection likely needs a larger median and/or right-of-way than a comparable 

conventional intersection, which may increase maintenance costs. Wider RCUT intersection 

medians create opportunities for landscaping. This could more expensive than at a conventional 

intersection but offers intangible benefits to road users and nearby land users. 

Snow Removal 

Snow removal for a RCUT intersection is accomplished similar to a conventional intersection.

Through lanes are plowed as part of the corridor and snow is systematically pushed to the outside 

of the street. Snow removal for the U-turn crossover is similar to a conventional left-turn lane. 

These are typically plowed after the through lanes, and snow is pushed through the crossover to 

the opposite side of the street. The same technique is used for when a loon is part of the RCUT 

intersection. Snow is pushed through the U-turn crossover to the opposite side of the loon. 

LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS

There are unique law enforcement needs at a RCUT intersection. Drivers travelling through a 

RCUT intersection on the major street operate no differently than at a conventional intersection. 

However, traffic on the minor street has no choice but to turn right. 

Wrong-way movements and red-light-running at the crossovers has been observed at RCUT 

intersections in North Carolina.

(3) Enhanced enforcement during the periods after the RCUT 

intersections are initially opened to traffic could help drivers become familiar with intended 

operations and help reduce prohibited maneuvers. As the novelty of the new intersection 

operations subsides, the need for extra enforcement will likely diminish. 

Drivers at rural RCUT intersections in North Carolina have been observed making direct left 

turns from the minor streets by traveling over the traffic islands.(3) This could be a specific and 

unique law enforcement need at RCUT intersections compared to conventional intersection 

forms. NCDOT specifies curbs be included on the traffic islands at rural RCUT intersections to 

discourage this violation. Delineators and object markers could also be used on the traffic 

islands. 

The area within a loon must be kept clear of parked or stopped vehicles. “No parking or 

standing” signs prominently displayed and the presence of law enforcement could reduce parked 

or stopped vehicles. Establishing a policy of towing vehicles parked in loons will be a unique 

enforcement need not found at conventional intersection forms. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

151 

Progression speeds and large progression bands may result in self-enforcing speeds in RCUT 

corridors compared to conventional arterial corridors.(3) In a signalized RCUT corridor, with the 

progression provided, drivers should learn to travel within the progression speed. This could 

potentially reduce speed enforcement needs in signalized RCUT corridors. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

152 

This page intentionally left blank. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

153 

REFERENCES

1. Kramer, R.P. New Combinations of Old Techniques to Rejuvenate Jammed Suburban 

Arterials, Strategies to Alleviate Traffic Congestion,” Conference Proceedings, pp. 139–148, 

Institute of Transportation Engineers: Washington, DC., 1987. 

2. Bing Maps. http://www.bing.com 

3. FHWA. Alternative Intersection/Interchanges: Informational Report (AIIR), Report No. 

FHWA-HRT-09-060. Washington, DC: USDOT, 2010. 

4. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Superstreet Intersection brochure webpage. 

http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/PoplarTentRoad/download/SuperstreetBrochure201301.pdf. 

5. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). A Policy on 

the Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. Washington, DC: AASHTO, 2011. 

6. Transportation Research Board (TRB). Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). Washington, DC: 

TRB, National Research Council (NRC), 2010. 

7. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. 

Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), 2009. 

8. AASHTO. Highway Safety Manual (HSM), 1st Edition. Washington, DC: AASHTO, 2010. 

9. Cunningham, C.M., Miller, M., Findley, D., Schroeder, B., Katz, D., Foyle, R., Smith, S. and 

D. Carter, Economic Effects of Access Management Techniques in North Carolina. 

FHWA/NC/2009-12, 2010. 

10. Haley, R., Ott, S, Hummer, J.E., Cunningham, C.M., Foyle, R., and B.J. Schroeder. 

Operational Effects of Signalized Superstreets in North Carolina, Journal of the Transportation 

Research Board – TRR Issue 2223, TRB, Washington, D.C, 2011. 

11. Hummer, J.E., R.L. Haley, S.E. Ott, R.S. Foyle, and C.M. Cunningham, "Superstreet 

Benefits and Capacities," Final Report, FHWA/NC/2009-06, NC Department of Transportation, 

Raleigh, December 2010.

12. Inman, V.W. and R.P. Haas, “Field Evaluation of a Restricted Crossing U-turn Intersection,” 

FHWA-HRT-11-067, June 2012. 

13. Ott, S.E., R.L. Haley, J.E. Hummer, R.S. Foyle, and C.M. Cunningham, “Safety Effects of 

Unsignalized Superstreets in North Carolina,” Accident Analysis and Prevention, Volume 45. 

2012. 

14. Edara, P., C. Sun, and S. Breslow, “Evaluation of J-turn Intersection Design Performance in 

Missouri,” report cmr 14-005, Missouri Department of Transportation, Jefferson City, December 

2013. 

15. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Superstreet Intersection informational web 

page. http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/PoplarTentRoad/download/SuperstreetGraphic.pdf. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

154 

16. Minnesota Department of Transportation. Reduced Conflict Intersection video webpage. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5pBnuu1Cno. 

17. Minnesota Department of Transportation. Reduced Conflict Intersection video with truck 

drivers webpage. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WebW5JZNrT8&feature=youtu.be&t=4m50s. Video 

permission from Missouri Department of Transportation. 

18. FHWA, USDOT FHWA Information Videos, web page. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/USDOTFHWA

19. FHWA, Safety Program Informational Brochures, web page. http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov. 

20. ADA.gov. “Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act.” 

http://www.ada.gov/2010ADAstandards_index.htm 

21. Ray, B., et al., NCHRP 15-34A: Performance-Based Analysis of Geometric Design of 

Highways and Streets, Contractor Final Report. Washington, DC: Transportation Research 

Board of the National Academies, 2014. 

22. The United States Access Board, Accessible Public Rights of Way webpage. 

http://www.access-board.gov/

23. FHWA and AASHTO. Results of Joint AASHTO/FHWA Context Sensitive Solutions 

Strategic Planning Process, Summary Report. Raleigh, NC.: Center for Transportation and the 

Environment, North Carolina State University, 2007. 

24. Hummer, J.E., A.M. Holzem, N.M. Rouphail, C.M. Cunningham, S.W. O’Brien, B.J. 

Schroeder, K. Salamati, and R.S. Foyle, “Pedestrian and bicycle Accommodations on 

Superstreets,” North Carolina Department of Transportation, Final Report, Project: 2012 – 13, 

January 2014. 

25. Google Inc. Google Earth. Accessed July 2014 

26. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access. 

USDOT: Washington, DC, 2001. 

27. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Photo Credit. 

28. Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Geometric Design Guide 670, Lansing, 

MI: MDOT, 1993. 

29. FHWA. Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse. http://www.cmfclearinghouse.org/ 

30. Rodegerdts, L. A., Nevers, B., and Robinson, B., "Signalized Intersections: Informational 

Guide." FHWA-HRT-04-091, (2004) 

31. Federal Highway Administration. A Guide to Developing Quality Crash Modification 

Factors webpage. http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tools/crf/resources/fhwasa10032/. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

155 

32. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Traffic Analysis Toolbox. 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/04038/index.cfm 

33. Kramer, R. “Superstreet Design Made Easy.” Presentation to NCSITE Signal Systems Users 

Group, July 2, 2012. 

34. Kim, T. Edara, P., and Bared, J.G. (2006). “Traffic Efficiency of Two Non-Traditional 

Intersections; Super Street and Through-About,” Presented at 7th Conference on Access 

Management, Park City, Utah. 

35. The Texas Highway Man. San Antonio Area Roads and More: Superstreets webpage, 

http://www.texashighwayman.com/superstreets.shtml. 1-10-2014.

36. Federal Highway Administration, University of Central Florida. CAP-X webpage. 

http://tsi.cecs.ucf.edu/index.php/cap-x/release-info

37. North Carolina Department of Transportation. (2005). Street Design Manual Part I, Section 

4, Rev. 4, Chapter 9, Street Design Branch. Obtained from: 

www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/altern/value/manuals/RDM2001/part1/chapter9/pt1ch9.pdf

38. Hummer, et al., “Taking Advantage of the Flexibility Offered by Unconventional Designs,” 

ITE Journal, September 2012. 

39. Sisiopiku, V. and Aylsworth-Bonzelet, L. (2003). “Application of Loons at Directional 

Crossovers,” Presented at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, 

Washington, DC. 

40. North Carolina Department of Transportation. (2007). Typical for Super Street Signing. 

Traffic Engineering and Safety Systems Branch. 

http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/traffic/congestion/docs/RCUT.pdf. 

41. AASHTO. Roadway Lighting Design Guide. Washington, DC: AASHTO, 2005. 

42. FHWA. Street Lighting Handbook. Washington, DC: USDOT, 1978. 

43. Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA). Recommended Practices for 

Roadway Lighting. New York, NY: IESNA, 2000. 

44. Spencer, E.R. RS Means Heavy Construction Cost Data 2006. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

156 

This page intentionally left blank.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

157 

Appendix A CATALOG OF ALL KNOWN INSTALLATIONS IN THE 

UNITED STATES

Exhibit A-1 presents location information for all known installations of RCUT intersections in 

the United States. 

Exhibit A-1. Known installations of RCUT intersections in the United States

Intersection Location Type Built

Plum Road & US 231 Dothan, AL Signal 2009

Retail Drive & US 231 Dothan, AL Signal 2009

Northwest of Plum Road & US 231 Dothan, AL Stop 2009

Rock Bridge Road & US 231 Dothan, AL Stop 2009

Buyers Drive & US 231 Dothan, AL Stop 2009

Veterans Boulevard Corridor Kenner, LA Stop or Merge 2005

US 61 & Leblanc’s Food Store Gonzales, LA Stop or Merge 2007

LA-8/LA-28 & LA-117 Leesville, LA Stop or merge 2011

Loyola Drive & 31st Street Kenner, LA Stop or Merge

US-15 north of Frederick Maryland Merge

US-301 west of Delaware Maryland Merge

Big Beaver & Lakeview Drive Troy, MI Signal 1990s

Long Lake & Corporate/Investment Drive Troy, MI Signal 1990s

County Road 24 Willmar, MN Stop

US 169 & County Road 3 Belle Plaine, MN Stop

Highway 36 and Keats Avenue Lake Elmo, MN Merge

US 10 and County Road 8 Becker, MN Stop

US 169 and 173rd Street Jordan, MN Stop

US 212 and Highway 284 Cologne, MN Stop

Highway 65 and 169th Avenue Ham Lake, MN Stop

US 53 and County Road 52 Cotton, MN Stop

US 52 and County Road 66 Vermillion, MN Stop 2014

US 169 and Highway 22 St. Peter, MN Stop 2014

US 169 and St. Julien Street St. Peter, MN Stop 2014

US-63 at Deer Park Road Jefferson City, MO Stop

US-54 at Honey Creek Road Jefferson City, MO Stop

US-54 at Route-E Jefferson City, MO Stop

MO-13 at Old MO-13 Jefferson City, MO Stop

Route-M at Lemay Ferry Road Jefferson City, MO Stop

US 17 & Lanvale Road Leland, NC Signal 2007

US 17 & Brunswick Forest Parkway Leland, NC Signal 2007

US 17 & Grandiflora Drive/Gate Drive Leland, NC Signal 2007

US 17 & Gregory Road Leland, NC Signal 2007
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

158 

Intersection Location Type Built

US 17 & Waterford Way/Ploof Road Leland, NC Signal 2007

US 17 & Hospital Drive Supply, NC Signal

US 17 & Old Ocean Highway Supply, NC Signal

US 17 & Medical Center Drive Supply, NC Stop

US 17 & Mt Pisgah Road Supply, NC Stop

Carolina Beach Road (US 421) & Retail Center Wilmington, NC Signal

US 15/501 Chapel Hill, NC Signal

NC 55 & West Holly Springs Road Holly Springs, NC Signal 2013

NC 55 & Green Oaks Parkway Holly Springs, NC Signal 2013

NC 55 & New Hill Road Holly Springs, NC Signal 2013

Ohio 4 & Symmes Road Hamilton, OH Signal

Ohio 4 & Tylersville Road Hamilton, OH Signal

Ohio 4 & Hamilton Mason Road Hamilton, OH Signal

US-281 & Evans Road San Antonio, TX Signal 2010

Stone Oak Parkway/TPC Parkway San Antonio, TX Signal 2010

North Northwind Drive/Marshall Road San Antonio, TX Signal 2011

Loop-1604 & New Guilbeau/Shaenfield San Antonio, TX Signal 2011

TX-71 at FM-973/Fallwell Lane Austin, TX Signal 2014
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

159 

Appendix B SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONAL AND SAFETY 

DETAILS 

This appendix provides step-by-step examples for performing operational analysis at a RCUT 

intersection. 

A step-by-step procedure for calculating the RCUT capacity is shown in Exhibit B-1.

• Start with the ideal capacity of 1900 passenger cars per hour per lane (pcphpl) 

• Adjust for lost time at 8% of the cycle, 1900 * .92 = 1750 pcphpl 

• Adjust for trucks at 5% of the vehicle population, 1750 * 0.95 = 1660 vehicles per 

hour per lane (vphpl) 

• Split the cycle so that the U-turn crossover receives one-third of the time, 1660 * 

0.333 = 553 vphpl 

• Adjust for U-turns using a factor of 0.8 (as discussed in Chapter 6), 553 * 0.8 = 

442 vphpl 

• Total demand in dual lane U-turn crossover = 442 * 2 = 884 vph 

• Assume that the minor street carries as many right turns as half the left plus 

through demand, so total minor street approach demand = 884 + 884/2 = 1330 vph 

• Assume a 55/45 directional split on the minor street, outbound direction = 1330 * 

(45/55) = 1090 vph 

• Total minor street peak demand = 1330 + 1090 = 2420 vph 

• Adjust for 0.92 peak hour factor, 2420 * 0.92 = 2230 vph 

• Adjust for 9% of daily traffic in the peak hour = 2230 / 0.09 = 24,800 vehicles per 

day (vpd)

A demand of 25,000 vpd is characteristic of a moderately busy four-lane roadway. A 

RCUT intersection can be expected to serve volume on any two-lane minor street and 

light or moderate volume on four-lane minor streets. A similar calculation shows that the 

main street demand at capacity, with four lanes in each direction, is 82,000 vpd. If green 

time for the major street is increased to 85 percent, the major street demand at capacity—

with four lanes in each direction—is about 105,000 vpd. 

Exhibit B-1. RCUT capacity derivation. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

160 

A step-by-step procedure for performing a critical lane analysis at an intersection with two, three, 

or four approaches is shown in Exhibit B-2. The procedure uses flow rates (demands) during the 

peak 15 minutes expressed as vehicles per hour. 

1. Sketch the intersection geometry, including the numbers of lanes on each approach. 

2. Assign demands to the appropriate approaches and lanes. Account for all flows. 

Assume a reasonable distribution of demand across multiple lanes. 

3. Adjust turning demands for the relative inefficiency of the movements. Analysts can 

use default turn adjustment factors of 0.95 for a left turn, 0.85 for a right turn, and 0.8 

for a U-turn in the absence of local factors. 

4. Add the highest EB left-turn lane demand to the highest WB through or right-turn (if 

conflicting with left turn) lane demand.

5. Add the highest WB left-turn lane demand to the highest EB through or right-turn (if 

conflicting with left turn) lane demand.

6. Keep the higher of the result from step 4 or the result from step 5. 

7. Add the highest NB left-turn lane demand to the highest SB through or right-turn (if 

conflicting with left turn) lane demand.

8. Add the highest SB left-turn lane demand to the highest NB through or right-turn (if 

conflicting with left turn) lane demand.

9. Keep the higher of the result from step 7 or the result from step 8. 

10. Add the results from steps 6 and 9 to get the critical lane demand. 

11. Compute capacity. Analysts can use default values of 1,600 vphpl for four basic 

phases, 1,650 for three basic phases, or 1,700 for two basic phases in the absence of 

local values. The number of non-zero numbers added to get step 9 is the number of 

basic phases at the signal.

12. Compute the critical v/c ratio as the result from step 10 divided by the capacity from 

step 11. 

13. Identify the governing (highest) v/c for an intersection or interchange with multiple 

signals.

The default capacity values shown in step 11 are based on assumptions like those made in 

Chapter 5. 

Exhibit B-2. Critical lane analysis procedure for signalized RCUT intersection.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

161 

Exhibit B-3 shows an example of the d/c critical lane calculation for the northern U-turn 

crossover at the RCUT depicted below. Demands in vehicles per 15 minutes are expressed as 

vehicles per hour. 

Exhibit B-3. Example v/c critical lane calculation for signalized RCUT.

1. 1.Volume diagram will be added here in Final RCUT Guide 

2. The U-turn crossover demand = WBL + WBT = 130 vphpl. Assume that SB traffic is 

evenly distributed between the two through lanes, providing (60 + 1900 + 50)/ 2 = 

1005 vphpl. 

3. Adjust turning demands for the U-turn crossover as 130 / 0.8 = 162 vphpl. 

4. At the U-turn crossover there is no EB left turn demand, so the result from this step is 

162 vphpl. 

5. At the U-turn crossover there is no WB left-turn or EB through or right-turn demand. 

6. The higher of the result from step 4 or the result from step 5 is 162 vphpl. 

7. There is no NB left-turn demand, so the result from this step is 1,005 vphpl. 

8. There is no SB left-turn or NB through or right-turn demand. 

9. The higher of the result from step 7 or the result from step 8 is 1,005 vphpl. 

10. The critical lane demand is 162 + 1,005 = 1,167 vphpl. 

11. Since we added two numbers to achieve the result in Step 10, there are two basic 

phases at this signal and the capacity is 1,700 vphpl. 

12. The critical v/c ratio is 1,167 / 1,700 = 0.69. 

13. Similar calculations for the other three signals show critical lane demands of 0.68 for 

the SB main intersection, 0.41 for the NB U-turn crossover, and 0.24 for the NB main 

intersection, so the SB U-turn crossover is the critical point at the RCUT during the 

peak period. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

162 

An interim step-by-step procedure for the HCM analysis of a stop-controlled RCUT, until 

publication of the next edition of the HCM, is presented in Exhibit B-4. 

1. Given the turning movement demand estimate, redistribute the demands across the RCUT as 

shown earlier in this chapter. For the remainder of this procedure, work with the redistributed 

demands. 

2. Calculate control delays for the major street left-turn movements, which are made the same 

way as at a conventional intersection, using the LOS procedure in Chapter 19 of the 2010 

HCM.

3. Calculate control delays for the minor street right turns at the main junctions, which include 

the minor street left-turn, through, and right-turn flows. These right turns are made the same 

way as at a conventional intersection, so the analyst can use the LOS procedure in Chapter 19 

of the 2010 HCM. During the procedure, calculate the 95th percentile queue lengths in each 

storage bay and if spillback occurs consider using microscopic simulation. Use the calculated 

control delay to determine LOS for the minor street right turn.

4. Calculate control delays at each of the U-turn crossovers. The U-turn movement at the 

crossover is operationally analogous to a minor street right turn at a conventional intersection, 

so use Chapter 19 right turn parameters for the critical gap and other factors. During the 

procedure, calculate the 95th percentile queue lengths in each storage bay and if spillback 

occurs consider using microscopic simulation. 

5. Calculate the travel times for vehicles moving from the main junction to the U-turn 

crossover and back. 

• For the movement from the main junction to the U-turn crossover, use the estimated 

free-flow speed multiplied by the distance from the junction to the crossover. 

• For a minor street through vehicle making the movement from the U-turn crossover 

back to the main junction, use the estimated free-flow speed multiplied by the distance 

from the junction to the crossover. 

• For a minor street left-turn vehicle making the movement from the U-turn crossover 

back to the main junction, use the estimated free-flow speed multiplied by the distance 

from the junction to the crossover plus five seconds (to account for deceleration and 

acceleration at the main junction).

6. Estimate the extra travel time for the minor street left turn and through vehicles by adding 

the control delay from step 3, the control delay from step 4, and the travel times from step 5. 

7. Apply a LOS scale to the extra travel times from step 6 if desired.

Exhibit B-4. Interim HCM procedure of stop-controlled RCUT intersection.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

163 

An interim step-by-step procedure for the operational analysis of a signalized RCUT, until 

publication of the next edition of the HCM, is presented in Exhibit B-5. 

Exhibit B-5. Interim HCM procedure of signalized RCUT intersection.

1. Given the turning movement demand estimate, redistribute the demands across the 

RCUT as shown earlier in the chapter. For the remainder of this procedure, work with the 

redistributed demands. 

2. Calculate control delays for all approaches to the four signals, using the “incremental 

queue analysis” delay estimation methodology from Chapter 18 of the 2010 HCM(12). Use 

the appropriate saturation flow adjustment factor for U-turn crossovers. For multi-lane 

minor street approaches and U-turn crossovers, use appropriate lane utilization factors. 

Mimic LTOR and RTOR operations, where applicable, by analyzing the approaches as if 

they had protected-permissive signals, with the appropriate critical gap and follow-up 

times.

3. Calculate queue lengths in each crossover storage bay and compare to actual storage 

bay lengths. If the 95-percent queue length exceeds the storage bay provided, and if 

spillback occurs, consider using microscopic simulation. 

4. Calculate the travel times for vehicles moving from the main junction to the U-turn 

crossover and back using the estimated free-flow speed multiplied by the distance from 

the junction to the crossover. 

5. Estimate the overall control delays for minor street right turns from the control delay 

results of step 2. 

6. Estimate the overall control delays for major street left turns, through movements, and 

right turns by adding the control delay from the U-turn crossover signal and the control 

delay from the signal at the main junction. 

7. Estimate the extra travel time for the minor street left turn and through vehicles by 

adding the control delays from step 2 from each of the three signals those vehicles 

traverse and the travel times from step 4.

8. Apply a LOS scale to the overall control delays and extra travel times from steps 5 

through 7 if desired. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

164 

This page intentionally left blank. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

165 

Appendix C MARKETING AND OUTREACH MATERIALS

This appendix provides some examples of RCUT Public Outreach Material Examples. 

FHWA has created alternative intersection and interchange informational videos and video case 

studies, which can be viewed on the FHWA YouTube channel 

(https://www.youtube.com/user/USDOTFHWA). Exhibit C-1 is an example of the type of 

information provided in the video for the Restricted Crossing U-Turn intersection. 

Exhibit C-1. FHWA Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersection Informational video.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

166

In addition, FHWA has developed alternative intersection brochures that can be found on the 

FHWA website ( http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov). An example of the Restricted Crossing U-Turn 

intersection brochure is shown to the right. 

Exhibit C-2. FHWA Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersection Brochure.

Several examples from state and local agencies are provided below, although various others are 

available online for additional information and guidance. 

EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS

Several agencies have developed educational videos as part their outreach with RCUTs. 

Examples weblinks are provided below for access to these videos. 

• Lousiana DOT RCUT (j-turn) Comparative Videos – There are five videos associated 

with this link. http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Pages/Videos.aspx# 

• Minnesota DOT RCUT - http://www.dot.state.mn.us/roadwork/rci.html 

Ohio DOT RCUT (superstreet) - http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D08/Pages/SR-4-

Bypass-Superstreet.aspx and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4iFLgAzXAM 

• Texas DOT Visualization - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7PiJ0QJqMY 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

167

BROCHURES AND FACT SHEETS

• Exhibit C-3 illustrates an informational website on RCUTs from the MnDOT.

• Exhibit C-4 illustrates a fact sheet on how to navigate a RCUT from the MnDOT. 

• Exhibit C-5 illustrates page one of a two-page brochure on RCUTs from the NCDOT.

• Exhibit C-6 illustrates page one of a two-page brochure on RCUTs from the NCDOT. 

• Exhibit C-7 illustrates a RCUT informational graphic from the NCDOT.

• Exhibit C-8 illustrates page one of a two-page brochure for access management elements 

of a RCUT project from the Louisiana DOT. 

• Exhibit C-9 illustrates page two of a two-page brochure for access management elements 

of a RCUT project from the Louisiana DOT. 

• Exhibit C-10 illustrates page one of a two-page brochure for public outeach on a RCUT 

project from the Louisiana DOT.

• Exhibit C-11 illustrates page two of a two-page brochure for public outeach on a RCUT 

project from the Louisiana DOT. 

• Exhibit C-12 illustrates page one of a two-page brochure for a RCUT in Ohio. 

• Exhibit C-13 illustrates page two of a two-page brochure for a RCUT in Ohio. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

168

Exhibit C-3. Informational website on RCUTs from the MnDOT.

Exhibit C-4. Fact sheet on how to navigate a RCUT from the MnDOT. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

169

Exhibit C-5. Page one of a two-page brochure on RCUTs from the NCDOT.

Exhibit C-6. Page two of a two-page brochure on RCUTs from the NCDOT.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

170

Exhibit C-7. RCUT informational graphic from the NCDOT. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

171

Exhibit C-8. Page one of a two-page brochure for access management elements of a RCUT 

project from the Louisiana DOT.

Exhibit C-9. Page two of a two-page brochure for access management elements of a RCUT 

project from the Louisiana DOT.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

172

 

Exhibit C-10. Page one of a two-page brochure for public outeach on a RCUT project from 

the Louisiana DOT. 

Exhibit C-11. Page two of a two-page brochure for public outeach on a RCUT project from 

the Louisiana DOT. 
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

173

Exhibit C-12. Page one of a two-page brochure for a RCUT in Ohio.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

174

Exhibit C-13. Page two of a two-page brochure for a RCUT in Ohio.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

175

This page intentionally left blank.
Restricted Crossing U-turn Informational Guide

safety.fhwa.dot.gov

Publication Number FHWA-SA-14-070

176

Front and back cover photos property of Federal Highway Administration