4-34 A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets

4.11 MEDIANS

A median is the portion of a highway separating opposing directions of the traveled way. Medians are
highly desirable on arterials carrying four or more lanes. Median width is expressed as the dimension
between the edges of the traveled way for the roadways in the opposing directions of travel, including the
width of the left shoulders, if any. The principal functions of a median are to separate opposing traffic,
provide a recovery area for out-of-control vehicles, provide a stopping area in case of emergencies, allow
space for speed changes and for storage of left-turning and U-turning vehicles, diminish headlight glare,
and provide width for future lanes. Other potential benefits of a median in an urban area are that it may
offer an open green space, may provide a refuge area for pedestrians crossing the street, and may control
the location of intersection traffic conflicts. For maximum efficiency, a median should be highly visible
both night and day and should contrast with the traveled way. Medians may be depressed, raised, or flush
with the traveled way surface.

In determining median width, consideration should be given to the potential need for median barrier.
Where practical, median widths should be such that a median barrier is not needed. Most median widths
are in the range from 1.2 to 24 m [4 to 80 ft], with even wider medians being used in some cases. Economic
factors often limit the median width that can be provided. Cost of construction and maintenance increases
as median width increases, but the additional cost may not be appreciable compared with the total cost of
the highway and may be justified in view of the benefits gained.

At unsignalized intersections on rural divided highways, the median should generally be as wide as prac-
tical. In urban and suburban areas, however, narrower medians appear to operate better at unsignalized
intersections; therefore, wider medians should only be used in urban and suburban areas where needed
to accommodate turning and crossing maneuvers by larger vehicles (33). Medians at unsignalized inter-
sections should be wide enough to allow selected design vehicles to safely make a designated maneuver.
The appropriate design vehicle for determining the median width should be chosen based on the actual or
anticipated vehicle mix of crossroad and U-turn traffic. A consideration in the use of wider medians on
roadways other than freeways is the provision of adequate storage area for vehicles crossing the highway
at unsignalized intersections and at median openings serving commercial and private driveways. Such
median openings may need to be controlled as intersections (see Chapter 9). Wide medians may be a dis-
advantage when signalization is needed. The increased time for vehicles to cross the median can lead to
inefficient signal operation.

If right-of-way is restricted, a wide median may not be justified if provided at the expense of narrowed
border areas. A reasonable border width is needed to adequately serve as a buffer between the private
development along the road and the traveled way, particularly where zoning is limited or non-existent.
Space should be provided on the borders for sidewalks, highway signs, utility lines, parking, drainage
channels, structures, proper slopes, clear recovery zones, and any retained native growth. Narrowing the
border areas may create obstacles and hindrances similar to those that the median is designed to avoid.

A depressed median is generally preferred on freeways for more efficient drainage and snow removal.
Median sideslopes should preferably be 1V:6H, but slopes of 1V:4H may be adequate. Drainage inlets in
the median should be designed either with the top of the inlet flush with the ground or with culvert ends
provided with traversable safety grates.

© 2011 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
 Chapter 4—Cross-Section Elements 4-35

Raised medians have application on arterial streets where it is desirable to regulate left-turn movements.
They are also frequently used where the median is to be planted, particularly where the width is relatively
narrow. Careful consideration should be given to the location and type of plantings. Plantings, particularly
in narrow medians, may create problems for maintenance activities. Also, plantings such as trees in the
median can also cause visual obstructions for turning motorists if not carefully located. Plantings and
other landscaping features in median areas may constitute roadside obstacles and should be consistent
with the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide (13).

Flush medians are commonly used on urban arterials. Where used on freeways, a median barrier may be
needed. The crowned type is frequently used because it eliminates the need for collecting drainage water
in the median. In general, however, the slightly depressed median is preferred either with a cross slope of
about 4 percent or with a minor steepening of the roadway cross slope.

The concept of converting flush medians to two-way left-turn lanes on urban streets has become widely
accepted. This concept offers several advantages when compared to no median. Among these advantages
are reduced travel time; improved capacity; reduced crash frequency, particularly of the rear-end type;
more flexibility (because the median lane can be used as a travel lane during closure of a through lane);
and public preference both from drivers and owners of abutting properties (16). Median widths of 3.0 to
4.8 m [10 to 16 ft] provide the optimum design for two-way left-turn lanes. Refer to the MUTCD (29) for
appropriate signing and lane markings and to Chapter 2 for additional discussion and details.

Two-way left-turn lanes may be inappropriate at many locations and conversion of existing two-way left-
turn lanes to nontraversable medians should be considered. Two-way left-turn lanes have been widely
used to provide access to closely spaced, low-volume commercial driveways along arterial roads. From
an access management perspective, they increase rather than control access opportunities. Highway agen-
cies have installed raised-curb or concrete median barriers on existing highways in place of flush medians
to better manage highway access. In addition, some median openings for minor streets have been closed,
permitting only right turns in and out of these streets. This median treatment can reduce the number and
location of conflicts along a section of roadway. It should be recognized that diverted left-turn volumes
may increase congestion and collisions at downstream intersections; provisions to accommodate U-turn
traffic should also be considered at downstream locations.

Where there is no fixed-source lighting, headlight glare across medians or outer separations can be a
nuisance, particularly where the highway has relatively sharp curves or if the profiles of the opposing
roadways are uneven. Under these conditions, some form of antiglare treatment should be considered as
part of the median barrier installation, provided it does not act as a snow fence and does not create drift-
ing problems.

When medians are 12 m [40 ft] or wider, drivers have a sense of separation from opposing traffic; thus, a
desirable ease and freedom of operation is obtained, the noise and air pressure of opposing traffic is not
noticeable, and the glare of headlights at night is greatly reduced. With widths of 18 m [60 ft] or more,
the median can be pleasingly landscaped in a park-like manner. Plantings used to achieve this park-like
appearance need not compromise the roadside recovery area.

There is demonstrated benefit in any separation, raised or flush. Wider medians are desirable at rural un-
signalized intersections, but medians as wide as 18 m [60 ft] may not be desirable at urban and suburban
intersections or at intersections that are signalized or may need signalization in the foreseeable future. For

© 2011 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.