The Urban Transportation Commission seeks to narrow traffic lanes in Austin by 1 to 2 feet. Current lane standards for Level 3 and Level 4 roads range from 11 to 12.5 feet. The proposal suggests reducing these to 10 feet for standard lanes and 9 feet for constrained lanes, with 11 feet for lanes heavily used by larger vehicles. This aligns with recommendations from the National Association of City Transportation Officials, aiming to improve safety, supported by a 2023 Johns Hopkins study linking wider lanes to higher crash rates.
"What (the researchers) attributed that to is that 12 feet is wide enough that you start having very high speeds, but it's not quite wide enough to have what we would call 'forgiving infrastructure.'"
"The resolution, proposed by Commissioner Spencer Schumacher, would bring those numbers down to 10 feet for standard and 9 feet for 'constrained' lanes, with a higher limit of 11 feet for lanes used extensively by trucks, buses or other larger vehicles."
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