What is a Reduced Conflict Intersection (RCI)?
The Reduced Conflict Intersection (RCI) is an innovative intersection design that improves safety and operations by changing how minor road traffic crosses or turns left at a major road. The RCI does not change any of the movements that are possible from the major road.
At an RCI, drivers stopped at the minor road waiting to cross or turn left no longer must navigate a complex intersection of two directions of traffic often traveling at high speed.
Why install a RCI?
The RCI design reduces the total number and overall severity of vehicle to vehicle conflict points (conflict point: any point where the paths of two through or turning vehicles diverge, merge, or cross).
Comparing a typical four-leg intersection to an RCI design (and accounting for the U-turn on both sides of the main intersection) the total number of conflict points is reduced from 32 to 18.
Conventional Intersection: Conflict Points
RCI: Conflict Points
