They are known as “smart right turns,” and the city of Kelowna says local residents can expect to see them all over the city.
This week the city announced that a handful of intersections will be built for safer right turns
According to the city, the reorientation of “channeled” right turns is a safety enhancement that results in improved line of sight for drivers as they drive from one street to another.
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“This is a great example of the evolution of road safety,” said Chad Williams, the city’s traffic planning engineer. “This geometric reconfiguration of right-hand turns improves lines of sight and simplifies turning, which reduces collisions.”
The “Smart Channel” design forces vehicles to enter at a sharper angle (around 70 degrees), reducing the turning radius and slowing the driver to complete the turn.
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The city says that as a result, a driver’s cone of vision of the intersection and cross traffic increases so that they can see the flow of traffic with a direct line of sight.
“As a result, the driver does not have to do a sharp left shoulder check, which makes the turn easier,” the city said.
“Finally, this layout also positions crossing pedestrians more directly in the line of sight of oncoming vehicles, which increases their visibility for drivers.”
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Williams noted that every year ICBC allocates funds to road improvement projects that reduce collisions.
“Last year ICBC invested more than $ 170,000 in Kelowna projects to keep things safe,” said Williams.
Construction work on the “Smart Channels” on Gordon Drive and Clement Avenue is currently underway and is expected to be completed by mid-April.
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Pedestrians and cyclists are asked to use other routes during construction.
The three other intersections to be reached in 2021:
- Bernard Avenue and Spall Road
- Clifton Road and Clement Avenue
- Leathead Road and Hwy 97
Data from three right-turning “smart channels” in Penticton have shown that the frequency and severity of collisions decrease when they are merged.
“The results showed that the implementation of right-hander handling has led to a significant reduction in the severity and frequency of collisions,” says part of the abstract from the 2013 report, which can be viewed here.
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