SOLUTION THROUGH INNOVATION
Design greatly reduces traffic crashes at busy intersection
By Kay Kruse-Stanton
Cities grow , traffic patterns change , roads are built or modified to accommodate increased traffic volume . But what happens when the typical ways to improve a congested intersection are impossible or impractical ?
That was the case at the intersection of Outagamie CTH CE and Railroad Street in the Village of Kimberly near Appleton , Wisconsin . Making no change to the intersection was not an option : it was the scene of 85 traffic crashes in a fiveyear period .
The solution designed by Ayres , favored by the public and implemented by Outagamie County , may seem to make the intersection complicated and potentially confusing : a signalized , restricted crossing U-turn ( RCUT ) – most likely the first of its kind in Wisconsin . Motorists on the lesser-travelled intersecting road ( Railroad Street ) can only turn right when they reach the intersection , no matter what direction they eventually want to travel .
Some motorists don ’ t like the design . Even those who are familiar with the RCUT intersection will admit it ’ s counterintuitive .
But it works .
A History of Accidents
Appleton is in the Fox River Valley of eastern Wisconsin , a region that continues to see significant commercial development and residential growth . CTH CE is a busy corridor , connecting people living east of Appleton to the city and to major regional highways that serve the state . The road was widened to four lanes in 1995 ; since then Outagamie County has progressively restricted access to the highway and used other means to increase motorist safety as traffic volumes have continued
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Ayres was receptive to our needs – both us and the Village of Kimberly . They kept the lines of communication open . They kept our goal at the forefront : creating a safer intersection .
Joe Zellmer Outagamie County Highway Engineer
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14 | TRENDS Ingenuity , Integrity , and Intelligence .