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Separators used on Broadway ramp to improve safety; Karcher’s next

Driver confusion and hesitancy can significantly hinder smooth traffic flow. If motorists are not comfortable with driving conditions, they will instinctively stop or slow down. If it doesn’t feel safe, it does not matter if it has been designed to be safe.

Because of just such a reaction, ITD installed traffic separators on the Broadway on-ramp to Interstate 84 early this month. The addition of separators is designed to counteract the confusion of drivers believing they must slow down and merge at the beginning of the ramp leading to westbound I-84 from the Broadway Interchange.

The new channelization was applied to the on-ramp to delineate traffic lanes. Although those turning right from Broadway and those turning left from the interchange bridge have their own separate receiving lanes on the ramp and do not need to merge at that point, drivers clearly thought they must, leading to confusion, hesitancy and several near-crashes. Installing the traffic separators and providing another visual cue is a counter measure by ITD to improve driver safety.

“Motorists clearly perceive that there is a conflict,” said Kevin Sablan, ITD’s southwest Idaho area traffic manager. “The channelization helps traffic flow by distinctly separating the two lanes and having people merge farther down the ramp instead of crossing into the other lane at the beginning of the ramp.”

Although the traffic separators cost about $2,500 for the Broadway work, the cost of crash and resulting traffic back-up at that location would be substantially greater.

Crews also plan to add delineators, which are designed to pop back up when they are driven over or pushed down by a vehicle, on Idaho 55 at Karcher Road later this spring. At the intersection of Karcher Road/Midland Boulevard and Caldwell Boulevard, the traffic separators will be installed to separate the traffic turning right from Caldwell Boulevard onto Midland from the northbound traffic on Karcher going straight through the intersection.

“Although right-turning traffic from Caldwell Boulevard onto Midland has a dedicated receiving lane and does not need to merge at that point, right-turners are still stopping to wait for a gap in traffic instead of continuing through,” Sablan explained. “This increases traffic congestion and the potential for rear-end crashes.

“In fact, some of the right-turners are waiting for a gap to get across to the far left lane to head west on I-84 instead of continuing through."

Sablan said, some traffic on Karcher Road trying attempting to access eastbound I-84 are moving into the right lane immediately after they pass the intersection, which cuts off vehicles in the right-turning traffic, which have the right-of-way.

The delineators will serve the same function at Karcher as at Broadway - keeping traffic flowing smoothly in a congested, confusing area.