FINDINGS

Based on our review of the study, the recommended countermeasures appear to be reasonable to address the crash patterns and other safety related issues identified in the study. The recommended countermeasures also accomplish some of the objectives outlined in the City's comprehensive plan.

Road Diet

According to FHWA's publication Road Diet Informational Guide, road diets have been successful in reducing conflicts that contribute to various crash types, including rear-end, left turn, and sideswipe crashes. It also indicates that right angle crashes may be reduced since side street drivers are only required to cross three lanes of traffic instead of four.

According to the Guide, studies have shown that road diets can function effectively on roadways with average daily traffic volumes of up to 24,000 vehicles per day, with other studies showing a maximum recommended average daily traffic of 15,000 vehicles per day to 17,500 vehicles per day. The CMT study indicates that the average daily traffic volume for Shroyer Road is 15,000 vehicles per day. Peak hour capacity analyses at the highest volume intersections within the City's portion of Shroyer Road show that only small increases in delays are expected, indicating that a road diet should operate effectively.

The Road Diet Informational Guide also indicates that converting from a four-lane section to a three lane section is effective in reducing travel speeds and addressing the problem of high speed differential between same direction travel lanes; a problem that is typical on four-lane sections.

While the recommended road diet will not directly address sight distance obstructions that exist beyond the curb line of some intersections, the anticipated reduction in vehicle speeds along Shroyer Road are expected to increase the time from when a side street motorist first sees an approaching vehicle on Shroyer Road until that vehicle reaches the intersection.

According to the Ohio Department of Transportation's Location and Design Manual, the minimum lane width on an arterial street with speeds less than 50 mph is 11 feet and the preferred operating bicycle lane width is 5 feet. Since the study recommends 11.5-foot through travel lanes, an 11-foot median lane, and 5-foot bike lanes, the minimum required lane widths are met. During the design of the project, it was determined that the median lane would be constructed as an 8-foot wide raised median with a 1.5 foot buffer on each side. The recommendation of bike lanes is consistent with the objective of encouraging safe bicycle movement in the City, as outlined in the City's comprehensive plan.

Raised Medians

According to FHWA's publication, Safety Benefits of Raised Medians and Pedestrian Refuge Areas, raised medians can be beneficial for a number of reasons. Some of the reasons are as follows:

• A raised median allows a pedestrian to cross one direction of travel at a time. Providing raised medians at marked crosswalks has been shown to reduce pedestrian related crashes by 46 percent. Providing raised medians at unmarked crosswalks has been shown to reduce pedestrian related crashes by 39 percent.
• Raised medians have been shown to reduce motor vehicle crashes by 15 percent.