REDUCING CURB RETURN (REDUCING CORNER RADIUS/ RADII) GOAL

To reduce the speed that drivers make right turns, to reduce the distance that pedestrians must cross to get across the street, and to increase driver awareness of pedestrians by increasing visibility.

WHAT IS IT?

One the most common vehicle-pedestrian crash types are due to a right-turning vehicle hitting a pedestrian. Wide turn radius permits greater turning speeds for drivers which can result in a shorter time to react to pedestrians and cyclists in their pathway. One solution is to reduce curb radii at intersections to force slower turning movements. By tightening or reconstructing the corner to force a driver to navigate a tighter turn will result in slower right turns. In addition to reducing the turning speed of the vehicle, it can also reduce the distance pedestrians travel across an intersection decreasing the likelihood of interactions with vehicles.

Curb radii should be designed to accommodate for the types of vehicles using the roadway. Everything from semis, buses, fire trucks, to other personally owned vehicles. Effective curb radii should be used based on the vehicles using the road and the setting in which the intersection is located. The smallest practical curb radii should be used whenever possible (between 5 – 10 feet). An appropriate effective radius for urban streets with high volumes of pedestrians is 15 – 20 feet. For arterial streets with a substantial volume of turning buses and trucks, the radius increases to 25 – 30 feet.

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For more information on how reducing the curb return and curb extensions are designed and work, click here