Starting tomorrow (7/26), Springfield Public Works will test out the safety benefits of a new right-turn lane design. The pilot study will be conducted at the intersection of Battlefield and Campbell.
The new intersection design, recommended by the Federal Highway Administration, features a tighter turn angle. Temporary rumble strips simulating a new curb line will be installed on the right-turn approaches on the northeast and southeast corners—turns with a traditionally high frequency of crashes. According to the city, the new design accommodates wide-turning vehicles like semi-trucks and trailers.
A news release from the city states that crash history shows motorists traveling in the right turn lane are much more likely to be involved in a rear-end crash than when traveling in any other lane. Crash data has sown that turns with a large radius allow faster approach speeds and cause drivers to lose sight of the vehicle in front of them, resulting in rear-end crashes.
Funding has been designated through the voter-approved 1/8-cent Transportation Sales Tax to make safety and capacity improvements to several Springfield intersections with a goal of increasing right-turn lane safety.