Traffic conflicts are good surrogates for accidents when sufficient accident data are not available but the conflict technique can be used to identify safety problems. Extensive research has previously been performed on four-leg intersections, and average and abnormally high values for traffic conflicts have been identified for them. Such information for three-leg, unsignalized intersections is not currently available. The method detailed in "traffic conflict techniques for safety and operations" published by the u.s. Department of Transportation, FHWA, was used to identify average and abnormally high values for traffic conflicts at three-leg, unsignalized intersections. The data on which the conclusions were based were collected during the summer of 1989 in the Houston, Texas, area with most intersections located on two-lane, undivided roadways. The conclusions were limited to daytime (7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and weekday (Monday through Friday) traffic, and to dry-pavement conditions. The results can be used to evaluate comparable three-leg, unsignalized intersections by the traffic conflict technique.
Abstract