Safety is the number one priority for the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and it's the agency's policy to provide safe and effective pedestrian accommodation wherever possible. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) encourages the use of specific proven pedestrian safety countermeasures that can help achieve local, State and National safety goals. One of those countermeasures is the inclusion of raised medians. FHWA's Safety Office has promoted the evidence-based safety benefits of raised medians (or refuge areas). This flyer highlights three agencies that have implemented policies and plans that promote the inclusion of raised medians: the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). All State and local agencies are encouraged to consider raised medians in curbed sections of multi-lane roadways in urban and suburban areas, particularly in areas where there are mixtures of a significant number of pedestrians, high volumes of traffic (more than 12,000 Average Daily Trips (ADT)) and intermediate or high travel speeds. A median is the area between opposing lanes of traffic – a median can either be open (pavement markings only) or they can be channelized (raised medians or islands) to separate various road users. (Author/publisher) For this report, see http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/fhwasa11019/
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