News
Signs Installed to Guide, Inform Drivers
.png)
|
|
||||||
|
U.S. 22, Old 3C motorists reminded to heed regulatory, advisory signs
Warren County (February 22, 2022) - Sign, sign…everywhere a sign! Regulatory, warning, directional, tourist - these are just some of the signs that are installed on routes across the state. Used to guide and inform motorists, signs are installed where deemed necessary by the demands of traffic and justified by studies and sound engineering practices.
In 2019, the Ohio Department of Transportation - District 8 implemented several signing changes on U.S. Route 22 in Deerfield Township in Warren County. The first of which was installing regulatory signs at the route’s junctions with Old 3C Highway in the Foster area to restrict left turns during peak hours from Old 3C to east and westbound U.S. 22, as well as from eastbound U.S. 22 to Old 3C.
The decision to make this change came following traffic studies that showed a growth in traffic contributing to a substantial increase in congestion, which, in turn, contributed to an increase in crashes, particularly left-turn and rear-end crashes. Prohibiting left turns on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. would ultimately ease congestion, backups and delays motorists were facing during the peak travel times.
Since the routes intersect at two locations, motorists to and from Old 3C and U.S. 22 can travel east or west on U.S. 22 without turning left. Instead, motorists can access these roadways at either junction on each side of the Little Miami River bridge by turning right, which is a safer practice and typically results in less wait time.
In addition to these signs, directional signs to Montgomery and Morrow via U.S. 22 were installed at Old 3C and Socialville-Foster and Foster-Maineville roads directing motorists in the opposite direction to their destination. Although this seems counterintuitive, it was done so in tandem with the signing at Old 3C and U.S. 22 to influence drivers’ behavior and minimize left turns.
In another effort to ease congestion and improve safety on U.S. 22, the district’s Traffic Safety Department also implemented new advisory signs in the Landen area, just west of Old 3C Highway. In late 2019, the district installed “Use Both Lanes” and “Take Turns Merging” signs on eastbound U.S. 22 near Old Mill Road in Landen to encourage a merge pattern where the route changes from five to three lanes.
Commonly known as a ‘zipper merge,’ this late merge tactic is to encourage drivers to use both lanes up to the merge point, taking turns easing into the single lane and merging like a zipper. With traffic flowing in both lanes, the zipper merge has proven to ease congestion, increase efficiency and balance drivers’ rate of speed. As a result, the zipper merge is typically a safer merge pattern.
While ODOT limits the use of signs based on their purpose and need, they are installed principally to provide guidance and improve safety for motorists. With the use of appropriate signing, we can do both, as well as ease the burdens of congestion and delays to the benefit of the traveling public. Thus, motorists are reminded to heed these regulatory and advisory signs on the U.S. 22 corridor to promote a safer commute for everyone.
###
|
Know Before You Go!For more detailed traffic information, and to get personalized traffic alerts for your commute, download the OHGO app or visit OHGO.com. |
For more information contact:Kathleen Fuller, 513-933-6517Liz Lyons, 513-933-6534