Raised medians are a valuable tool in road design. By separating opposing traffic streams, they reduce the likelihood of head-on crashes. However, it’s important to understand their limitations.
While raised medians help guide traffic and improve safety, they lack containment properties. Even with the addition of barrier kerbs, vehicles can traverse raised medians with relative ease, especially at higher speeds. This means that while they reduce crash likelihood, they don’t provide the directive protection needed to align highly with Safe System principles and are only considered a Supporting Treatment.
Options to enhance safety include:
- Installing a barrier system: Crash-tested barriers provide the containment necessary to redirect errant vehicles and prevent head-on crashes.
- Using high-profile barrier kerbs: In specific contexts, these can provide better vehicle deflection and containment than standard kerbs.
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