THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF MEDIANS: AN EMPIRICAL APPROACH

Abstract

The installation of physical (non-traversable) medians improves traffic operations and safety. However, by restricting or diverting left turns, medians may affect roadside businesses. Estimating these economic impacts becomes important in helping to decide when and where to install a physical median. This paper describes the economic considerations associated with installing these medians. It presents a simplified procedure for quantifying the estimated impacts of installing a raised median based on upon the following factors: the number of vehicles that turn left into a roadside business, the proportion of these turns that represent pass-by traffic, and the estimated annual sales of the business. Examples are presented. The estimates derived from this procedure represent the maximum likely impacts, since normal traffic growth and overall economic growth are likely to offset some of the potential loss.