TRAFFIC CONTROL FOR REVERSIBLE FLOW, TWO-WAY LEFT-TURN LANES. STATE-OF-THE-ART REPORT

Reversible flow operations have been implemented on major urban facilities to provide additional directional capacity during peak periods. On some of these facilities, the reversible flow lane is used as a two-way left-turn lane during off-peak periods to accommodate land access needs. There are no standards in the MUTCD for traffic control where both reversible flow and two-way left-turn lane treatments are used on the same roadway. This report contains traffic control and effectiveness information for 19 sites with reversible flow, two-way left-turn lane operations. In addition to a detailed description of the traffic control systems, the safety and operational impacts of systems are reported. Also, observations of motorist compliance and problems with each system are discussed. Installation and maintenance cost data have been indexed to 1983 costs to provide a relative comparison among the six basic types of traffic control. Recommendations are presented for laboratory studies to identify traffic control systems that are understood by motorists and meet site-specific conditions, community acceptance, and local budgets.