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Establishing a Repeatable Method for Presenting Non-Traditional Traffic Treatments to Maximize Stakeholder Support

Status:  Complete
Report Date:  09/26/2023

Summary:

Always on the lookout for ways to increase safety for all road users, Minnesota’s city and county engineers are keen to implement strategies that can reduce the severity of crashes. But often these lesser-known innovations are met with resistance from a skeptical public, resulting in project delays, additional costs and lost lives. Across the country, the Restricted Crossing U-turn, commonly called a J-cut or J-turn, has demonstrated overwhelming success as a safer alternative to traditional intersections on four-lane divided highways. More than a dozen of these nontraditional intersections are already installed in Minnesota. Data show they decrease severe crashes and fatalities by as much as 70%. Despite this finding, the J-CUT can be a hard sell for local public transportation agencies. This research gives agencies the tools and guidance needed to broaden stakeholder support of J-CUTs and increase implementation across the state.

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