Hopefully Utah Leans Into This New Kind of Intersection Instead of a Stupid Roundabout

The number of roundabouts in Utah has increased rapidly the last decade. There are less accidents with a traffic circle but they do slow down the flow of roads with higher speed limits. This new design might be the answer.

An Intersection Designed for Safety and Maintaining Traffic Flow

Many states have started to use an intersection design called the RCUT which stands for Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersection. It is made in a way that drivers turning on or crossing the highway only have to navigate one flow of traffic at a time.

The real unique part of this design is for drivers wanting to cross the intersection. They turn right and then make a U-turn further down the road, returning to the intersection where they then make another right to continue on.

This design is safer for drivers as they only have to navigate one direction of traffic at a time. It has been shown to cut accidents by 40%. It also keeps the traffic flowing unlike a light or roundabout.

RCUT Planned for Wellsville Opposed By Some

The Utah Department of Transportation has proposed putting one of these intersections near Wellsville in Cache County. There are some opposed to the project mainly because they don't think it is needed.

Most people who don't like it are unhappy with the right turn and U-turn to get across the road. However, when there is steady traffic, it has proved to be faster to get across as opposed to a light.

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I like this option. Crossing a busy highway with speeding vehicles is always stressful for me. I also don't like driving down one of these highways and having to stop for red lights or roundabouts every half mile or so.