One of the recently completed crossings is in Scott County
In recent years, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has continued to implement Restricted Crossing U-Turn intersections, also referred to as J-Turns, throughout the state. One of those recently completed is on Highway 25 at Coal Bluff Road in Scott County.
A J-Turn is an alternative to typical intersections along busy multi-lane highways that improves safety and efficiency for drivers. J-Turns can dramatically reduce crashes relating to crossing and turning left at multi-lane highway intersections.
Using this type of turn substantially improves safety for the traveling public. The number of conflict points between vehicles when crossing or turning left at a normal multi-lane, divided highway intersection are reduced, and those that remain are less severe.
A recent study showed that J-Turns can reduce injury crashes by more than 40 percent and fatal crashes by 70 percent. While a J-Turn intersection may require motorists to travel additional distances to make the U-Turn, travel time can improve with more efficient turning, instead of waiting for a gap in traffic to cross the road.
Instead of crossing over traffic on a divided highway to make a left turn or stay straight, motorists make a right turn and merge onto the highway, then use a left-turn lane approximately a quarter of a mile down the highway to make a U-Turn to travel in the opposite direction. From there, drivers can either stay straight or make a right turn.
J-Turns are also a more cost-effective choice compared to other alternatives while offering significant safety advantages. To learn more about how to safely navigate a J-Turn intersection, visit drivesmart.mdot.ms.gov/j-turn/For more information about MDOT maintenance and construction projects, visit MDOTtraffic.com, download the free MDOT Traffic app or like and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook and Twitter.
