





Median
Reduced head-on crashes. Can help to prevent dangerous overtaking manoeuvres. Can shift turning movements to safer locations. Can create space of protected turn lanes at intersections. Can create a refuge for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Medians can restrict traffic flow if a vehicle breaks down, and can block access for emergency vehicles. Pedestrians are often reluctant to make wide detours, and so may attempt to cross at locations with barriers installed, resulting in dangerous pedestrian activity. In some regions the materials used in median barriers may be at risk of being stolen. The ends of median barriers must be well designed or they can be a safety hazard. Clearly visible signs and effective enforcement are needed to ensure that drivers do not drive on the wrong side of the median. Tall median barriers can adversely affect visibility when combined with curves and/or crest profiles. Continuous tall median barriers can contribute to tunnel vision of drivers and adversely affect the visibility and conspicuity of pedestrians crossings along the road.
Treatment Summary
Case Studies
Related Images
Dual carriageway state highway in India with concrete median barrier. Image credit: iRAP A divided road in Ireland with 2+1 lane configuration and wire-rope median barrier. Image credit: EuroRAP A divided urban road with narrow median in New Delhi, India. Image credit: Greg Smith A wide lane freeway in Thailand with street lighting. Image credit: Peter Croft A wire-rope median safety barrier in New Zealand. Image credit: New Zealand Transport Agency Diagram showing a median crossing - no acceleration or deceleration lane present Divided road - China. Image credit: Greg Smith Duplication with median barrier in Asturias, Spain. Image credit: Luke Rogers, iRAP Median island in India. Image credit: World Bank Media barrier in France. Image credit: Unknown Concrete median barrier in France. Image credit: Unknown Median island in Indonesia. Image credit: Alina Burlacu Motorway with safety barriers, wide shoulder and rumble strip edge lines in Romania. Image credit: Alina Burlacu Road with street lighting and opposing lanes of traffic separated by flexible posts in China. Image credit: iRAP Roadside and median safety barriers on a curve in Australia. Image credit: Greg Smith Urban road at a multimodal transport hub with sidewalks, bicycle lanes, median and pedestrian crossing in China. Image credit: Tianjin Urban Construction Design Institute Median island in a street. Image credit: RdA Suisse A pedestrian crossing a road with a pedestrian crossing and median. Photo credit: RdA Suisse A median island on a street. Image credit: RdA Suisse A median island on a street. Image credit: RdA Suisse A median island on a street. Image credit: RdA Suisse







