Intersection (road) - Turn Lanes

Turn Lanes

At intersections with large proportions of turning traffic, turn lanes (also known as turn bays) may be provided where the street/road approaches the intersection. For example in the intersection shown in the following diagram, there are left turn lanes in the east-west street for traffic approaching the intersection in the eastbound and westbound directions.

Turn lanes may be provided to allow vehicles to turn across oncoming traffic (i.e., a left turn in right-side driving countries, or a right turn in left-side driving countries), or to turn off the road without crossing traffic (i.e., a right turn in right-side driving countries, or a left turn in left-side driving countries). Absence of a turn lane does not normally indicate a prohibition of turns in that direction. Instead, traffic control signs are used to prohibit turns.

Turn lanes may be provided to increase the capacity of an intersection, or to improve safety. Turn lanes can have a dramatic effect on the safety of a junction. In rural areas, crash frequency can be reduced by up to 48% if left turn lanes are provided on both main-road approaches at stop-controlled intersections. At signalized intersections, crashes can be reduced by 33%. Results will be slightly lower in urban areas.

Turn lanes are marked with an arrow bending into the direction of the turn which is to be made from that lane. Multi-headed arrows indicate that vehicle drivers may travel in any one of directions shown.

Traffic signals facing vehicles in turn lanes often have arrow-shaped indications. Green arrows indicate protected turn phases, when vehicles may turn unhindered by oncoming traffic. Red arrows may be displayed to prohibit turns in that direction. Red arrows may be displayed along with a circular green indication to show that turns in the direction of the arrow are prohibited, but other movements are allowed. In some jurisdictions, a red arrow prohibits a turn on red, while in others, it does not.

Disadvantages to turn lanes include increased pavement area, with associated increases in construction and maintenance costs, as well as increased amounts of stormwater runoff. They also increase the distance that pedestrians crossing the street are exposed to vehicle traffic.