TECHNICAL NOTES

Upstream Signalized Crossover Intersection:

An Unconventional Intersection Scheme
Vener Tabernero1 and Tarek Sayed2
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Abstract: The impact of left turns on operation is probably the most significant factor in the performance of conventional intersections.
As a result engineers have looked to alternative measures for dealing with left turns at intersections to improve performance, some of
which have been unconventional schemes. The purpose of this paper is to discuss an unconventional intersection scheme, the upstream
signalized crossover 共USC兲, which is a four-legged intersection designed to eliminate left turn opposing conflicts by crossing the left and
through traffic to the left side of the road at all four approaches prior to the intersection. The crisscrossing of traffic upstream of the
intersection results in four additional secondary signalized intersections. VISSIM was used to model and analyze the unconventional USC
intersection as well as a conventional intersection for comparison. The analysis revealed that the USC intersection can handle higher
traffic volumes at reduced overall delays. In terms of left turn delay, the conventional intersection performed better at lower volumes.
However, the USC was able to handle much higher left turn volumes while maintaining acceptable level of delay. In terms of through
movement delay, the USC intersection was found to perform significantly better than the conventional intersection.
DOI: 10.1061/共ASCE兲0733-947X共2006兲132:11共907兲
CE Database subject headings: Traffic signals; Intersections; Left-turns; Traffic management.

Introduction upstream of the main intersection for all four approaches. By

The impact of left turns on operations is probably the most sig-
nificant factor in assessing the level of performance of conven-
tional intersections. Much of the poor performance experienced at
intersections can be attributed to the existence of a left-turn-
opposing 共LTO兲 conflict. As a result engineers have looked to
alternative measures for dealing with left turns at intersections
and eliminating the LTO conflict to improve performance. Some
of the measures developed have been unconventional schemes
that involved redirecting or displacing left turns from the inter-
section 共Hummer 1998兲. This technical note discusses an uncon-
ventional intersection scheme that has been designed to eliminate
the LTO conflicts. The new upstream signalized crossover 共USC兲
intersection is a four-legged intersection that crosses traffic move-
ments over to opposite sides of the road prior to reaching the
intersection. When applied to all four approaches of the intersec-
tion, the resulting configuration allows left turns to be made di-
rectly without opposing vehicle conflicts. This crisscrossing
scheme necessitates an additional signalized intersection
1 ing a right turn at the intersection and then making a U-turn at the
Stantec Consulting, 1007-7445-132 St., Surrey BC, Canada V3W
1J8.
2
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of British Columbia,
Vancouver BC, Canada V6T 1Z4 共corresponding author兲. E-mail:
tsayed@civil.ubc.ca
Note. Discussion open until April 1, 2007. Separate discussions must
be submitted for individual papers. To extend the closing date by one
month, a written request must be filed with the ASCE Managing Editor.
The manuscript for this technical note was submitted for review and
possible publication on May 23, 2005; approved on April 12, 2006. This
technical note is part of the Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol.
132, No. 11, November 1, 2006. ©ASCE, ISSN 0733-947X/2006/11-
907–911/$25.00.
employing a simple two-phase signal timing regime and coordi-
nating all five signals the delays through the USC intersection can
be minimized. A relatively similar concept, the synchronized
split-phasing intersection, was introduced by Chlewicki 共2003兲.
The synchronized split-phasing intersection only has crossovers
on one street where the USC has crossovers on both streets.
Unconventional Intersections
Unconventional measures for treating left turns have been devel-
oped in the past. Hummer 共1998兲 investigated unconventional
schemes that focused on treating left turns to and from arterials.
These include the median U-turn and the super-street scheme. The
median U-turn scheme eliminates left turns at the intersection and
instead diverts the left turns downstream from the intersection to
directional median crossovers. Vehicles turning left from the ar-
terial continue past the intersection, make U-turn maneuvers
across the median, and then proceed to turn right at the intersec-
tion. Left turns from the cross street are completed by first mak-
median crossovers. The main advantage of this scheme is that
through traffic will experience less delay as compared to conven-
tional multiphase intersections. One downside is the increase in
delay and travel distance for left turn vehicles. As such, this
scheme should be considered for arterials with high through vol-
umes and moderate to low left-turn volumes. The super-street
alternative is also based on the median U-turn concept but the
superstreet scheme does not permit cross-street through traffic to
use the main intersection. Instead, the cross street through move-
ment is required to use the median directional U-turns along with
the left turning movement.

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Fig. 1. USC intersection
Another well-known scheme is the crossover displaced left-
turn 共XDL兲 intersection which involves displacing left turns onto
the other side of the opposing traffic lanes prior to the main in-
tersection. The displacement results in left turn traffic crossing the
opposing lanes, creating an at-grade intersection upstream of the
main intersection. Once on the other side, left turns can be made
at the main intersection simultaneously with through traffic with-
out the opposing through traffic conflicts. Right-turn traffic under
this scheme bypasses the main intersection, around the displaced
left turns, and is merged back into mainstream traffic down-
stream. Jagannathan and Bared 共2001兲 analyzed the XDL inter-
section and found it to have significant savings in delays and
considerably more capacity as compared to conventional intersec-
tions. One key disadvantage of the XDL intersection is the large
area and right of way required to build the intersection compared
to a conventional intersection. The additional lanes required for
the left turns as well as for the right turn bypass require a much
wider cross section at the intersection. The wider intersection
would require longer clearance interval times and would result in
longer intergreen time. Red light violators could be more promi-
nent under such conditions 共Jagannathan and Bared 2004兲.
USC Unconventional Intersection
The focus of this technical note is to discuss an unconventional
scheme which has been given the name “upstream signalized
crossover” 共USC兲 intersection. Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic of
this intersection. In this scheme through and left turn traffic cross
the median to the left side of the road at a location upstream of
the main intersection, while right turn traffic is maintained on the
right side. It is similar to the XDL concept in that left-turn traffic
is crossed over to the other side of the road; however, the major
difference is that through traffic is also displaced to the other side
of the road resulting in a complete switch of traffic at the main
intersection. Left turns are made at the main intersection from the
left side of the road and through traffic remains on the left side
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J. Transp. Eng. 2006.132:907-911.
until it crosses back over to the right side downstream of the
intersection. The same movements are made for traffic in the
opposite direction, creating a symmetrical crisscrossing move-
ment of traffic. When this is applied to all four directions of a
four-legged intersection, the result is that left turns can be made
directly without opposing conflict. Right turns for the USC inter-
section are separated from through and left-turn traffic and
directed onto a right-turn bypass, as in the XDL intersection.
Right-turning traffic would then be merged back into mainstream
traffic beyond the secondary intersection of the cross street, as
illustrated in Fig. 1.
Signalization and Phasing
By simplifying the traffic movements to only through and direct
left turns, the primary intersection could operate on a two-phase
cycle. All four secondary intersections would need to be signal-
ized to control and regulate the crossing of approaching and de-
parting traffic; and since these intersections do not facilitate any
turning movements they too can operate on a two-phase cycle. As
a result, coordination between the primary and secondary signals
would be feasible given the simple two-phase operation. In order
to maximize throughput and minimize delays through the USC
intersection, the signals would be coordinated such that a continu-
ous green band carries through from one secondary intersection to
the other secondary intersection on the other side of the primary
intersection. By using a symmetrical green band in the opposite
direction, opposing green bands could cross the primary intersec-
tion concurrently during a single phase. The symmetry would also
allow one band to clear a secondary intersection before the op-
posing band arrives at the same secondary intersection. This
would streamline the progression of through traffic in both
directions.
Fig. 2 illustrates the phasing plan for each signal of the USC
intersection and the ideal sequencing of traffic movements for the
overall intersection. The first sequence 共A兲 shows eastbound traf-
fic at the west secondary intersection 共SW兲 and westbound traffic
at the east secondary intersection 共SE兲 having the green light. The
primary intersection is also green for eastbound and westbound
through/left-turn traffic during Sequence A. The second Sequence
共B兲 has the east and west secondary intersections giving the green
to the departing traffic in both directions. The signals can be
coordinated such that Sequence B will commence just as depart-
ing traffic reaches the downstream secondary intersections. Se-
quences C and D are identical to A and B, respectively, except
that they are for the northbound and southbound movements.
Intersection Geometry
Due to the unconventional left turn at the primary intersection, it
would be necessary to create an intersection design that would
minimize driver error. One recommended feature would be to
extend the central median toward the intersection to prevent left
turning vehicles from entering the wrong side of the road, as
shown in Fig. 3. The use of positive signing and guiding pave-
ment markings would help in reinforcing the correct left turn
maneuver. The key element in the geometric design of the USC
intersection is the geometry at the secondary intersections. The
geometry for the secondary intersections is essentially two one-
way roads intersecting at a skewed angle. The center median
should be wider upstream of the secondary intersection to provide
enough separation between the two opposing alignments such that
the angle at which the alignments cross is maximized. The opti-
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Fig. 2. USC signal phasing and sequence

mum location of the secondary intersections would be a function
of the expected operating speeds and the desired green-band
widths.
Despite the engineering measures that could be employed to-
ward making the USC intersection safer, driver unfamiliarity and
confusion would still be a major drawback for this new scheme,
especially if it is placed within a network of conventional inter-
sections. To pacify driver expectations, drivers should be alerted
in advance of the intersection of the unconventional or “special”
conditions that lay ahead, much like the signing that is commonly
placed at approaches to roundabouts. Other disadvantages of the
USC intersection include the additional right of way that would
be required to facilitate the intersection design and restricted ac-
cess to the adjacent corner properties.
Analysis Methodology
Given the unconventional configuration and operation of the USC
intersection, the program VISSIM was used to model the traffic
performance of the intersection. This program is versatile and is
able to model unconventional movements. Jagannathan and Bared

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 Table 1. Volumes and Configurations Tested
Major road Minor road Through/left/right
volume volume percentages
共vehicles/h兲 共vehicles/h兲 Geometry tested 共%兲
500 500 Alla 70/20/10
1,000 1,000 Alla 70/20/10
1,050 1,050 Conventional onlyb 70/20/10
1,125 1,125 Conventional onlyb 70/20/10
1,250 1,250 Conventional onlyb 70/20/10
1,500 1,500 Alla 70/20/10
1,750 1,750 Alla 70/20/10
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2,000 2,000 Alla 70/20/10

Fig. 3. USC geometry
共2001兲 also used VISSIM in modeling the XDL intersection,
which has similar movements to the USC. The intersection con-
figuration shown in Fig. 3 was analyzed, which consisted of two
through lanes and a single left turn lane. Several distances be-
tween the primary and secondary intersections were studied as
follows:
• 140 m secondary intersection spacing and a corresponding
cycle length of 40 s;
• 155 m secondary intersection spacing and a corresponding
cycle length of 45 s;
• 175 m secondary intersection spacing and a corresponding
cycle length of 50 s;
• 210 m secondary intersection spacing and a corresponding
cycle length of 60 s; and
• 245 m secondary intersection spacing and a corresponding
cycle length of 70 s.
A comparable conventional four-legged intersection was also
modeled using VISSIM for comparison. The conventional inter-
section model consisted of: one separate right turn lane, two
through-only lanes, and one left turn lane 共with protected-
permissive phasing兲. For the USC, left turns on red were not
permitted in the simulation in order to simplify the work that was
required to configure and make VISSIM fully operational. A
running speed of 50 km/ h for all vehicles was used for both
simulations. The performance of both intersection schemes were
analyzed over a range of traffic volumes. To simplify the analysis,
the same volumes were assigned to each approach and pedestrian
traffic was ignored at the intersections. Table 1 summarizes the
volumes used for this study.
For conventional intersections, the software 共Synchro2001兲
was used to optimize and determine the signal timings for each
volume increment to input into VISSIM. For the USC, a tradi-
tional space-time diagram was used to determine cycle length and
phasing. Four s amber and 1 s all-red intervals were used at all
five of the signals. Signal timing for different geometries is based
primarily on the time required for a vehicle to travel from the
secondary intersection to the primary intersection. By multiplying
that number by four 共the time required for one vehicle to travel
from a secondary intersection to the primary intersection and then
to the secondary intersection on the other side in two phase兲, a
cycle length for the specific USC intersection can be calculated. It
should be noted that pedestrian accommodation requirements may
restrict minimum cycle lengths to accommodate pedestrians. It is
important to note that if the primary focus in signal timing is
coordination and progression, the required cycle length is strictly
dependent on the geometry. Therefore, there is only one optimal
cycle length for a particular USC configuration for coordination
and progression using this theoretical method. For each volume
2,500 2,500 Alla 70/20/10
a
Includes 140, 155, 175, 210, and 245 m USC spacing, as well as con-
ventional intersection.
b
Volumes tested to determine point of intersection failure.
increment a total of ten runs were performed in VISSIM and an
average value was computed for the average delays.
Results
Fig. 4共a兲 shows the overall delays of the USC intersection com-
pared with those of a conventional intersection. The “optimal
USC” curve represents the lowest delay, for the given volume, of
any of the tested USC geometries. The figure shows that, in terms
of overall delay, the USC intersection not only has lower delays,
but can also accommodate significantly more traffic while main-
taining a delay of 60 s. For the left-turn delay, the conventional
experienced less delay than the USC intersection for volumes less
than capacity 关Fig. 4共b兲兴. However, for higher volumes, the USC
outperformed the conventional intersection. The USC was able to
handle much higher left-turn volumes while maintaining accept-
able level of delay. With regard to delays to the through move-
ment, the USC intersection was found to perform significantly
better than the conventional four-phase intersection under all the
tested volumes 关Fig. 4共c兲兴. One might expect the USC to experi-
ence more delays for through traffic given the two additional
intersections upstream and downstream of the main intersection.
However, the results indicate that the operational performance of
through vehicles would not be made worse in the USC scheme
and that for this simulation model the progression through the
multiple intersections of the USC was fairly good for through
traffic.
To investigate the performance of the USC intersection rela-
tive to increased left-turn volumes, the above scenarios were re-
tested using 30% left-turn volumes instead of 20%. It was found
that as left-turning volumes increase, the average delays for con-
ventional intersections were found to increase significantly. Al-
though the overall delay for the USC intersection also increased
under higher left-turn volumes, the increase is much smaller. As
left-turn volumes increase, the advantage of the USC intersection
over conventional intersections will be more apparent. It should
also be noted that the selection of the distance between the sec-
ondary and primary intersection is an important issue. USC inter-
sections with short secondary intersection to primary intersection
distances are likely to perform better and have lower overall av-
erage delay at lower traffic volumes. In addition, the shorter a
USC intersection is, the lower its capacity. This can be explained
by the cycle length limit produced by the geometry. As the inter-

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Fig. 4. Average delay for the conventional and USC intersections
section distances become shorter, the amount of green band that
can be provided for each phase has to be shortened to facilitate
progression. Assuming a constant amount of lost time, the longer
cycle length minimizes the overall lost time of the intersection.
The reduced area for vehicles to queue between intersections is
also a potential factor contributing to the increased delay of
shorter intersections at higher volumes.
Conclusions and Further Research
The USC intersection employs a unique scheme for eliminating
the left-turn opposing conflict. Although four additional signal-
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J. Transp. Eng. 2006.132:907-911.
ized intersections are required, all signals including the primary
intersection can operate under two simple phases and can be co-
ordinated to minimize delays through the intersection. Given the
unconventional movements of the USC, driver confusion and
safety would be key issues when designing and implementing this
scheme. There is also pedestrian confusion as they would not
expect the direction of traffic served by the intersection. Other
disadvantages include the requirement of additional right of way
to facilitate the wider configuration and the restrictions posed on
the access to and from the adjacent corner properties. However
some safety benefits may be realized because of the reduction in
crossing conflicts for the USC intersection. The elimination of the
LTO conflict would be a significant safety improvement as the
consequences of LTO collisions are often severe and sometimes
fatal. Signalized conventional intersections with permitted left-
turn operations are subjected to LTO collisions as drivers of left-
turning vehicles prematurely turn during the yellow phase in
anticipating that the opposing vehicles will come to a stop.
When analyzed using a simulation program, the USC shows
promise in reducing average vehicle delays for intersections that
experience higher traffic volumes. Compared to a comparable
conventional intersection the USC showed less sensitivity to the
magnitude of left-turn volumes and showed the potential for ac-
commodating larger turning volumes. Despite the additional in-
tersections required and the crisscrossing maneuvers associated
with the USC, the analysis performed seems to indicate that the
operational performance of through vehicles would improve com-
pared with the conditions experienced by a conventional intersec-
tion. For delays experienced by left-turn vehicles, the analysis
shows improvements for the USC for higher left-turn volumes
compared to the conventional intersections. The analysis con-
ducted in this technical note assumes balanced traffic volumes on
all approaches. Subsequent analysis of the USC intersection
should test unbalanced scenarios. Subsequent comparison of the
USC intersection with other unconventional schemes such as the
XDL intersection should also be conducted.
References
Chlewicki, G. L. 共2003兲. “New interchange and intersection designs: The
synchronized split-phasing intersection and the diverging diamond in-
terchange.” Proc., 2nd Urban Street Symp.: Uptown, Downtown, or
Small Town: Designing Urban Streets that Work, Anaheim, Calif.
Hummer, J. E. 共1998兲. “Unconventional left-turn alternative for urban
and suburban arterials—Part one.” ITE J., September.
Jagannathan, R., and Bared, J. G. 共2004兲. “Design and operational per-
formance of crossover displaced left-turn 共XDL兲 intersections.” Proc.,
TRB 2004 Annual Meeting 共CD-ROM兲.
Synchro 5 Traffic Signal Coordination Software 共2001兲, Trafficware.
VISSIM 3.60, user manual 共2003兲, PTV America Inc., 1-2, 5-4.