For years, civil engineers in the United States and elsewhere have been widening traffic lanes under the assumption that more room for vehicles leads to safer cities. However, a new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University suggests that narrower lanes may actually be better for city streets.
Published earlier this year, the study shows that on streets with a speed limit of 20-25 mph (32-40 km/h), traffic collision rates do not change significantly whether lanes are 9, 10, 11, or 12 feet (2.7, 3.0, 3.4, or 3.7 meters respectively) wide. However, the report’s counterintuitive finding emerges as speed limits increase.
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