Urban Arterial Lane Width Versus Speed and Crash Rates: A Comprehensive Study of Road Safety

Bahar Azin, Reid Ewing, Wookjae Yang (), Noshin Siara Promy, Hannaneh Abdollahzadeh Kalantari and Nawshin Tabassum
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Bahar Azin: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Utah, 110 Central Campus Dr. Rm 1435, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Reid Ewing: Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, University of Utah, 375 S 1530 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Wookjae Yang: Urban Policy and Administration, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
Noshin Siara Promy: STV Inc., 1600 Perimeter Park Dr., Suite 225, Morrisville, NC 27560, USA
Hannaneh Abdollahzadeh Kalantari: Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, University of Utah, 375 S 1530 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Nawshin Tabassum: Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, University of Utah, 375 S 1530 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-26

Abstract: Reducing vehicle lane widths has been proposed as an effective strategy to decrease vehicle speeds and enhance road safety. However, the safety benefits of narrower travel lanes remain a topic of debate due to mixed findings in the literature. This study examines the relationship between lane width, vehicle speed, and crash occurrence to comprehensively understand their impact on road safety and transportation planning. Using data from 320 urban arterial sections in Utah, the analysis reveals that narrower lane widths are associated with reduced vehicle speeds. For every additional foot of lane width, 85th and 95th percentile speeds increase by 1.012 mph and 1.088 mph, respectively. Furthermore, injury crash modeling indicates that a one-foot increase in lane width is associated with a 38.3% increase in the odds of an injury crash on a roadway section. These findings contribute to the growing evidence supporting the implementation of narrower lane widths as a strategy to improve road safety, foster multimodal infrastructure, and promote sustainable urban transportation systems. We recommend that UDOT adopt a minimum lane width of 10 or 11 feet for arterials in highly urbanized areas, such as downtowns and major activity centers.

Keywords: lane width; speed; crash likelihood; cross-sectional road design; urban arterial; safety modeling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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