Usage: Pilot
An entire intersection raised above the level of the surrounding roadways. The intersection is typically raised to sidewalk height.
Raised intersection: Cambridge, Massachusetts (Credit: Cara Seiderman)
Raised intersection: London, United Kingdom (Note: for illustrative purposes only)
Benefits
- Vertical deflection at entry to intersection encourages reduced vehicle speeds
- Improves drivers’ awareness of presence of pedestrian crossings
- Visually turns intersection into a pedestrian-oriented zone
- Enhances access for people with ambulatory disabilities by providing level crossing
- Encourages motorists to yield to pedestrians
Considerations
- May impact street drainage or require catch basin relocation
Application
- Intersections with a high volume of pedestrian crossings and low target vehicle speeds
- Intersections with a history of pedestrian crashes or speeding issues
- Intersections where enhancing pedestrian movement is a major goal, such as transit stops or commercial areas
- Avoid on truck and transit routes and at other locations where speed humps and speed tables are not appropriate
Design
- Appropriate warning signs and roadway markings should accompany raised crosswalk
- Use enhanced, high-visibility street materials to further draw attention to raised intersection
- Detectable warning strips should be provided to delineate the edge between the sidewalk and the roadway. They should be red when adjoining light-colored sidewalks, such as Unpigmented Concrete, or bright white when adjoining dark-colored surfaces, such as Pigmented Concrete, Asphalt Pavers, or Bluestone
- Use signage or other methods to alert operators of snow-clearing vehicles to the presence of raised speed reducers
- Utilize recycled content in paving materials
- Coordinate streetscape/utility work to minimize street cuts