Road Diets

Often a four lane, undivided road suffers from inefficiency and safety problems. One potential way to improve these conditions plus make it more attractive for pedestrians and bicycles is through a “road diet.” A road diet converts a four lane road into a 2 lane road with a center turning lane. With enough width, a bicycle lane can be striped on the outside edge. The center turning lane allows for left turns to leave the through stream. Ideally, a daily volume up to 18,000 vehicles makes an ideal candidate but volumes as high as 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles could be considered.

References

Road Diets: Fixing the Big Roads
Nationwide, engineers are putting roads on "diets," helping them lose lanes and width. In the process formerly "fat" streets often become leaner, safer, and more efficient. They become multi-modal and more productive. In many cases these former "warrior" roadways are tamed and turned into "angels."

Fixing Big Roads.pdf

Road Diet Safety Study
"Road Diets" are often conversions of four-lane undivided roads into three lanes (two through lanes and a center turn lane). The fourth lane may be converted to bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and/or on-street parking. In other words, existing space is reallocated; the overall area remains the same.

Road Diet Safety Study.pdf

Lexington KY, Euclid Avenue Road Diet
The evaluation conclusion was: 2-lane alternative performs well and better than existing conditions; both alternatives perform well with future volumes; 3-lane alternative was recommended to support the Context Sensitive Design solutions of KYTC.

Euclid Avenue Road Diet.pdf