Intersection Safety

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Arating system for assessing the safety of intersections between multi-use trails and roads, and an easy-to-use checklist that can be a tool for transportation planners, trail managers, and the general public to determine how safe their local intersection is.

Download and print a copy of the checklist below, and send to Rebecca De La Cruz, Project Coordinator at rdelacruz@ptny.org when complete.

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More information:

Nearly a third (29.4%) of roadway fatalities in New York State are bicyclists and pedestrians, the highest in the nation. Driver inattention/distraction and failure to yield right of way are the two biggest contributing factors in pedestrian crashes. Moreover, the 2016 Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) notes that more than 50% of crashes occur at unmarked, unsignalized intersections or crossings.

PTNY previously examined best practices in design and treatment of road/trail intersections, offered recommendations to improve the safety at these junctures, and conducted a public awareness campaign that targeted both road and trail users and transportation stakeholders. As a follow-up to this work, we’ve created a rating system and easy-to-use checklist to help both professionals and non-professionals to assess the safety of a road/trail intersection based on the presence of clearly-defined design best practices.

The rating system and checklist produces safety scores that are easily understood by a non-technical audience (e.g. A through F grades), and correspond to objective conditions – such as visibility of intersection users – that can be addressed through design improvements or enhancements. We encourage anyone interested to complete a rating checklist for their local intersection.



Additional Guidance

MUTCD - Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices

New York State Supplement to MUTCD

AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities

NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide

NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law

NYSDOT Highway Design Manual

Empire State Trail Design Guide


Funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with a grant from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee