Wolf Hills RCUT

Wolf Hills RCUT

How will this RCUT work?

North and Southbound traffic along US 41 will not be affected.
Northbound traffic turning onto Wolf Hills Road will not be affected.
Southbound traffic turning onto Stratman Road will not be affected.
Traffic exiting Wolf Hills Road will be required to make a right turn onto US 41. From there motorists can either continue northward towards Indiana or take the new u-turn lane to head back towards Henderson.
Traffic exiting Stratman Road will be required to make a right turn onto US 41. From there motorists can either continue northward towards Henderson or take the new u-turn lane to head back towards Indiana.

Project Overview

The Twin Bridges in Henderson serve as a primary connection between northwest Kentucky and southern Indiana, with over 41,000 vehicles crossing the Ohio River at that point each day, but a recent study found the stretch of highway just south of the bridges to be somewhat problematic. An investigation of motor vehicle crashes found that the intersection of US 41 and Wolf Hills Road/Stratman Road, located between the 18.1 and 18.9 mile points, has recorded a high number of fatal and serious injury crashes during the last five years.

Between 2019 and 2022, 94 crashes were recorded at that intersection, with five of those resulting in serious injury or death.

In order to reduce the number of potential conflict points, or points where vehicles cross the path of oncoming traffic, KYTC has created an RCUT intersection at that location.

What is an RCUT?

An RCUT — short for Restricted Crossing U-Turn — is an intersection that eliminates left turns from secondary roads by creating two new U-turn lanes.

Intersection data

In its current configuration, vehicles exiting Wolf Hills Rd onto US 41 wishing to turn left must either cross both lanes of northbound traffic and attempt to merge with southbound motorists to make, or they are forced to cross the bridge and make a u-turn.

An average of 41,375 vehicles pass between the 18.1 and 18.9 mile points of US 41 each day.
An average of 1,200 vehicles exit Wolf Hills Rd onto US 41 each day.
An average of 618 vehicles exit Stratman Rd onto US 41 each day.
Between 2018-2022 there were 94 crashes on this stretch of road, with 5 resulting in serious injury or death.
During this period crash frequency was spread evenly throughout the day and night.
Most crashes (60) happened during clear weather.
Friday (21) and Tuesday (20) saw the highest number of crashes.

What are the benefits of an RCUT?

Enhanced safety – Motorists only focus on one direction of oncoming traffic at a time, making the intersection safer and easier to navigate.
Increased efficiency – The RCUT design has fewer traffic lights and stops when compared to a standard intersection, resulting in shorter wait times for motorists.
More capacity – Each direction of an RCUT operates independently by creating two one-way streets to decongest the flow of traffic.

When can an RCUT be used?

RCUTs are most effective when an intersection has:

Median-divided highways
Heavy through and left-turn traffic volumes on the main road
Low through and left-turn traffic volumes on side streets

How does an RCUT work?

When approaching an RCUT from the main road, drivers can continue straight or make a left/right turn
When approaching from side streets, drivers start by making a right turn

After turning right, drivers can continue straight or enter the left turn lane to make a U-turn through the median
After making a U-turn, drivers can complete their desired movement through the intersection

RCUT FAQ

1. How much will the new intersection cost, and where is the funding coming from?

An RCUT typically costs about $1.2 million to construct. The costs may be more if right-of-way has to be purchased or existing utilities have to be moved. The proposed RCUT at US 41/Wolf Hills Road/Stratman Road will be constructed completely within the existing right-of-way, and does not need to have any utilities to be moved.

The funding for the US 41/Wolf Hills Road/Stratman Road RCUT is provided through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). The HSIP is a Federal-aid highway program, established for the purpose of achieving a significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads through the implementation of infrastructure-related highway safety improvements. The HSIP is a Federally-funded, state-administered program that is legislated under 23 U.S.C. 148, 23 U.S.C. 150, and 23 U.S.C. 130 and regulated by 23 CFR Part 924 and 490. The HSIP regulations under 23 CFR Part 924 require HSIP projects to (1) be identified and prioritized through a data-driven process, (2) must improve safety, and (3) must address an initiative identified in Kentucky’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Ninety percent of the funding is supplied by the Federal Highway Administration, with a 10 percent match from the commonwealth.

2. How will I know what to do?

One lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction of travel during construction. Generally, the RCUT loons ①, or U turn areas, will be built first. Once the loons are completed, the concrete islands at the main intersections ② are built next while US 41 mainline traffic needing to turn left at either Wolf Hills or Stratman Road is diverted to the newly built loons.

3. Will the new intersection accommodate large vehicles?

Yes! RCUTs are designed specifically for the traffic that will be using them. The right turn from Wolf Hills Road to US 41 north, and the corresponding U turn back to US 41 south, is designed to accommodate large semi-tractors and trailers. The right turn from Stratman Road to US 41 south, and corresponding U turn back to US 41 north is designed to accommodate pickup trucks and trailers, but can be expanded in the future to accommodate larger semi-tractors and trailers if needed.

4. How will I know what to do?

RCUTs are very clear and understandable. Signing, striping, and overhead lighting will be provided to ensure drivers understand how to navigate through an RCUT. Traffic along mainline US 41 will not change – you can turn left or right at either Wolf Hills Road or Stratman Road like you always have done. Only the left turns from either Wolf Hills Road or Stratman Road will change. Instead of making a left from Wolf Hills Road or Stratman Road, you will be directed by the signing and striping to turn right onto US 41. You can either continue straight on US 41 or make the U turn to go the opposite direction on US 41. KYTC has a video on how RCUTs work here: Restricted Crossing U-Turn | KYTC SAFERoads Solutions.