The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is calling the intersection design in Trigg County at U.S. 68 and South Road a success in reducing crashes.
According to a news release, a long-term analysis of the intersection before and after it was converted into a Restricted Crossing U-Turn, or RCUT, has revealed that the new intersection format is a safer road solution that has protected travelers while improving traffic flow at that location.
An RCUT uses median crossovers to eliminate side-street lefts turns, and the design removes multiple points of conflict where vehicles cross paths, including right angles.
According to the data from the Transportation Cabinet, an analysis of four years of data before the RCUT showed there was 16 crashes there, resulting in seven injuries and three fatalities. Crash data for after the RCUT was installed—between the dates of December 15 of 2020 through December 15 of 2024—showed there were six crashes at that intersection, with two resulting in injuries and zero fatalities.
KYTC District 1 Chief District Engineer Kyle Poat said the reduction in crashes, injuries and fatalities demonstrates the reconstructed intersection exceeded benefits found in a national study, which showed RCUTs reduced crashes by 54% on average.