# 2+1 roads



## go_leafs_go02 (Jan 16, 2007)

I know Ontario used to have at least one instance of it where it was 3 lanes wide. Highway 7 east of Sarnia, Ontario was 3 lanes wide, and even today, you can tell by the wide shoulders on that road. However, now it is only 2 lanes (1+1)










2+1 roads in present day Ontario allow for a passing lane one way, but due to the double yellow line, passing the other way is not permitted.


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## Nephasto (Feb 6, 2004)

^^That's how it's generally done.
At least here in Portugal (and I think that in all 2+1 roads I've seen all over Europe) it's allways forbiden to cross the divisor lane between the 2 directions.


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## dawid_silesia (Aug 6, 2006)

National Road 8 (DK8 E67) between Kudowa-Zdrój and Duszniki-Zdrój in south Poland


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## Frog (Nov 27, 2004)

Most 2+1 roads I've seen here in England look like that one above ^^^ in my town there was a 2+1 road when it was first built but it caused people to crash when they got to the roundabout at the end of the road so now its a extra wide 1+1 road and the extra width makes it easy to overtake.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

this is how it looks in Croatia: at the first photo overtaking is permitted in both directions, and at the second only one. second is interesting because of tunnel. today at that section is built full profiled motorway, so this is just one tube of the tunnel for one direction


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

^^ That first pic is dangerous. People should never cross that line. 

Well, maybe i found it dangerous, because our roads are generally packed with cars, in Croatia, intensities are much lower ofcourse.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

Chris1491 said:


> ^^ That first pic is dangerous. People should never cross that line.
> 
> Well, maybe i found it dangerous, because our roads are generally packed with cars, in Croatia, intensities are much lower ofcourse.


it is dangerous. altought visibility is excellent, accidents happens. it is a part of A6, Zagreb - Rijeka, about 25 km before Rijeka and those sections of A6 where is not built full profiled motorway are known as "road of death" in Croatia. fortunately, next year whole motorway will be finished. 

at this place (first photo) is large downhill. so: trucks are going slow while going up (thats why they have 2 lanes), but they are going slow down, too, not to burn their brakes. that's why overtaking is permitted. actually, right now there is a traffic in only 2 lanes because it is large buildingside (upgrading to motorway).


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## radi6404 (May 13, 2007)

How will they get along with teh Tunnel which is stil 2X1?


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

I guess they add another tube, so this one can be used als 2 lanes + emergency lane?


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## radi6404 (May 13, 2007)

Chris1491 said:


> I guess they add another tube, so this one can be used als 2 lanes + emergency lane?


^^ Probably, but it will cost time. Btw, the tunnel looks vrey good.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

second tube is allready finnished and that section is now full profiled motorway. one tube has 3 tracks, one has only 2.


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## DanielFigFoz (Mar 10, 2007)

Nephasto said:


> ^^That's how it's generally done.
> At least here in Portugal (and I think that in all 2+1 roads I've seen all over Europe) it's allways forbiden to cross the divisor lane between the 2 directions.


No, I've seen the side with only one lane sometimes can overtake going into the other people's fast lane :bash: a good example are parts of the IC8 and IP3.


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## Cicerón (May 15, 2006)

In Spain this kind of roads are quite common.





































(Pics by Arriaca)


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## arriaca (Feb 28, 2006)

^^

Gracias por subir las fotos Cicerón. 

En España está prohibido construir calzadas sin separación de más de dos carriles a excepción de zonas urbanas o carriles para vehículos lentos.


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## vid (May 29, 2004)

go_leafs_go02 said:


> I know Ontario used to have at least one instance of it where it was 3 lanes wide. Highway 7 east of Sarnia, Ontario was 3 lanes wide, and even today, you can tell by the wide shoulders on that road. However, now it is only 2 lanes (1+1)
> 
> 2+1 roads in present day Ontario allow for a passing lane one way, but due to the double yellow line, passing the other way is not permitted.


We call them 'truck climbing lanes' in Northern Ontario, and they're pretty common, especially near intersections and communities. 










Not the best illustration.  They alternate like that, but there is two lane highway between them for about 150 metres, before the other side gets the lane. Traffic generally stays left as the right lane ends after about 750 metres.

This is an example on Google Maps. To the west of the vehicle turning point (instead of making a U-Turn), the eastbound traffic is two lanes while the westbound traffic is one. To the east of the turning point, it alternates. If you follow the highway, these continue alternating for about 40 kilometres, with gaps of 100 to 2000 metres between them, on average.


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## Alle (Sep 23, 2005)

vid said:


> We call them 'truck climbing lanes' in Northern Ontario, and they're pretty common, especially near intersections and communities.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


In Sweden we differentiate between dedicated (and alternating) 2+1 roads and truck climbing lanes. Truck climbing lanes are afterall just for a very limited distance and for the specific purpose to be able to overtake trucks.

Anyway we are getting more of them since they are supposedly relatively safe and spared from accidents...

Examples

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/E20_2plus1_west_of_Skara.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/MMLNorr1.JPG


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## ElviS77 (Aug 3, 2007)

In Sweden quite a few 13-metre wide 2-lane roads have been turned into 2+1 roads with a centre guard rail for safety reasons. The Swedes have acknowledged that without a central barrier, such roads are death traps.


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## Rebasepoiss (Jan 6, 2007)

ElviS77 said:


> In Sweden quite a few 13-metre wide 2-lane roads have been turned into 2+1 roads with a centre guard rail for safety reasons. The Swedes have acknowledged that without a central barrier, such roads are death traps.


I haven't heard anything about 2+1 roads being deathtraps in Finland.


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## TheCat (Apr 21, 2006)

vid said:


> We call them 'truck climbing lanes' in Northern Ontario, and they're pretty common, especially near intersections and communities.
> 
> ... image ...
> 
> ...


Heh you nailed it, I wanted to post about the same thing. Here in Ontario in the official road theory book these types of roads are described in a separate section, and the lanes are indeed called "truck climbing lanes". This may also be partially due to the fact that heavy truck traffic is generally much heavier in North America than in Europe. Truckers often turn on their emergency flashers when climbing slowly to signal other drivers to overtake them. However, I have never seen a modern 2+1 road with a crash barrier in the middle in Ontario, but maybe because I haven't been driving that much yet.


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## caco (May 25, 2006)

Rodovia Mogi-Bertiga (SP-98), near São Paulo, Brasil:


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## Spikespiegel (Jul 13, 2009)

Fender56 said:


> Here in Denmark, the leading political party Venstre, has recently presented some plans for a number of roads, to be extended to 2+1 roads, see map below. Now awaiting money from the parliament.


Route 14 is already a 2+1 road.
The AADT for the part after Holbækmotorvejen is 18.000, so I would guess that the stretch before it is over 20.000.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

imo, 2+1 roads are not an "in-between" solution for highways and motorways, but to provide a comfortable flow with safe passing possibilities on the somewhat busier long-distances routes. 

Above 10,000 AADT, passing already becomes treacherous on two-lane highways, however, one can also choose for a motorway from that point. There are enough examples of motorways in Europe that carry between 10,000 and 25,000 AADT. For example if you want to stimulate the regional rural economy, a motorway may be a better choice than a 2+1 road, although this mostly seems to be an issue in southern Europe (France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece). 

2+1 roads, however, do not have a higher capacity than regular two-lane roads. The one-lane sections are still representative for capacity. 2+1 roads are a bad choice above 20,000 - 25,000 AADT. You can better go for the motorway then.


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## Fender56 (Feb 22, 2009)

The main problem on the Route 11 between Ribe and Tønder is not that the road is overloaded with traffic. But all the heavy traffic and a lot of tourists have to go through a lot of small towns. So they have to make new roads around those towns anyway.!

I would love a new A11 from Varde to Tønder, to look like this Dutch example.:


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

^^ N50 Zwolle - Kampen 

I made a better picture and put it on Google Earth:


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## Fender56 (Feb 22, 2009)

ChrisZwolle said:


> ^^ N50 Zwolle - Kampen


Chris, do you have any idea of the construction costs of a 1+1 versus a 2+1 versus a 2+2 road.?


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

If i'm right and "Årsdøgntrafik 2008 i 1000 køretøjer pr. døgn" means ~"1000 vehicles per day" then AADT is lower than I expected (of course, except road sections near urban areas). Truck count seems to be like like 10-15%, not more - it means, that there shouldn't be great problems with overtaking them. I guess that roads with such AADT could simply remain the same without any changes. That's why I don't understand the point of need to rebuild these roads.

Is it expected to have large increase of AADT? Or maybe fatality rate is too high? Or maybe elections are coming? :lol:


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## riiga (Nov 2, 2009)

I looked up some data for Sweden, and a major 2+1-road near where I live has an AADT of about 11,000. For the motorway nearby, the E4, AADT is about 25,000. If you like, you can check for yourself here: Link to AADT on vv.se

This a picture of the 2+1-road:


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## Spikespiegel (Jul 13, 2009)

Most 2+1 roads were not made with the intention of a high AADT.

In Sweden, the roads originally had one 3,5 metre wide lane going in each direction, with a 3 metre shoulder on either side. But as cars got more reliable, you didn't need the shoulders anymore, so these roads were converted to 2+1 roads at no cost. The center barrier was added later.

In Denmark, most 2+1 roads were built some 30-40 years ago. Today we have more traffic than the designers of those roads ever dreamed of, so some roads have been downgraded to normal roads, as the traffic flows smoother on a congested normal road than a congested 2+1 road. An example of this is the stretch between Osted and Roskilde of Primary Route 14.


In a country like Sweden or Jutland lol 2+1 roads in rural areas are a great idea, cause of the low traffic, and great distance between large urban areas. On Sealand (or most other European area with a high population density), it's not a good idea, as congestion will just kill the road.

I must say that I am a huge fanboy of the Swedish 2+1 roads. They are well-maintained, smooth, safe and they go through interesting landscapes (lots of forests), whereas the motorways in Sweden are very dull.


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## Fender56 (Feb 22, 2009)

Jevpls said:


> If i'm right and "Årsdøgntrafik 2008 i 1000 køretøjer pr. døgn" means ~"1000 vehicles per day" then AADT is lower than I expected (of course, except road sections near urban areas). Truck count seems to be like like 10-15%, not more - it means, that there shouldn't be great problems with overtaking them. I guess that roads with such AADT could simply remain the same without any changes. That's why I don't understand the point of need to rebuild these roads.
> 
> Is it expected to have large increase of AADT? Or maybe fatality rate is too high? Or maybe elections are coming? :lol:


The simple reason for new roads, are on these stretches these mainroads runs through a lot of small and narrow towns, furthermore farmers use the same roads and brings everything to a standstill. Under such conditions you cannot run a modern society, and new roads like 2+1 are neccesary.

Another important issue is for Denmark these years, are the closing of alot of hospitals, which makes it very important that rescue vehicles can get through the traffic, without problems. The nearest hospital with 24 hour service in the future, will mostly be 100km away, from the far most inhabitants.


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

Have you got safety barriers for 2+1 roads in Denmark?

If not then it's easier for rescue teams to make U-turns when necessary. If you got such barriers then you can't forget to make special "doors" after some kilometers to allow rescue vehicles to turn around. Quote form Irish document about 2+1 roads:

"To allow for emergencies and for
maintenance after an impact, the barrier assembly,
as tested in accordance with EN 1317 part 2, shall
be capable of being dismantled and reassembled
by two or three people without hand power tools
or machinery. If a contraflow situation is required
(after an accident or breakdown for example) the
system shall be capable of allowing the vertical or
support members to be removed and the
longitudinal members to be lowered to ground
level for a minimum distance of 17 m at any or
multiple points along its length to let vehicles pass
over uninhibited and safely. The system shall be
such that it can be reassembled manually without
the use of hand power tools or machinery back to
its original position and assembly, as tested in
accordance with EN 1317 part 2."


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## Spikespiegel (Jul 13, 2009)

Jevpls said:


> Have you got safety barriers for 2+1 roads in Denmark?


We don't have barriers on the 2+1 roads on Sealand. I don't know about Jutland, though!


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## Swedway (Mar 26, 2010)

Sweden has build almost 2000 km of 2+1 roads. 330 km is Autostrasse and 1660 km is ordinary highways.


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## Nikolaj (Oct 8, 2009)

Spikespiegel said:


> We don't have barriers on the 2+1 roads on Sealand. I don't know about Jutland, though!


Only the extension of the Djursland Motorway (route 15) north of Aarhus comes to mind. Part of the extension from Løgten to Tåstrup is 2+1 including barrier. Exept for that there are not many 2+1 i Jutland. 

A couple of new 2+1 is under under construction or planning. They include Bredsten-Vandel (west of Vejle towards Billund) and route 16 south of Randers (from E45 going east). Both will be 2+1 expressways (motortrafikveje) *without barrier.

2+1, particularly 2+1 with barrers, are much more difficult to implement in Denmark, including Jutland, than in Sweden. There is a lot more of farm exits, connecting roads etc. and they are difficult to include in a 2+1 lay-out, especially with barriers.

Thats why 2+1 are more feasible on new expressways with few exits and no crossroads, where AADT is considered to low for motorway standard. That is the case with Bredsten- Bredsten (projected AADT 12.000-14.000) and the extension of the Holbæk motorway towards Vig (AADT also 14.000)*


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## CptSchmidt (Jan 7, 2010)

This is one example of why I prefer North American road paint to Europe's. Accidents are just as common on 1x2 as any other non-separated road. 

The line that divides the road is always yellow. If ever there is a yellow line on your right, you know that you're in the wrong. With everything being white in Europe, I can see how easily people could be confused. If ever you're confused about whether you're on the right side of the road, all you have to do is look at the road; if white is on your right and yellow is on your left, you're fine.


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## Spikespiegel (Jul 13, 2009)

CptSchmidt said:


> This is one example of why I prefer North American road paint to Europe's. Accidents are just as common on 1x2 as any other non-separated road.
> 
> The line that divides the road is always yellow. If ever there is a yellow line on your right, you know that you're in the wrong. With everything being white in Europe, I can see how easily people could be confused. If ever you're confused about whether you're on the right side of the road, all you have to do is look at the road; if white is on your right and yellow is on your left, you're fine.


What?

The number of accidents are MUCH smaller on 2+1 roads than normal roads.

As for the paint, a double line divides the driving directions where no barrier is present. Yellow paint here is used during construction work.


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## CptSchmidt (Jan 7, 2010)

Spikespiegel said:


> The number of accidents are MUCH smaller on 2+1 roads than normal roads.


I didn't say they weren't. 



Spikespiegel said:


> As for the paint, a double line divides the driving directions where no barrier is present. Yellow paint here is used during construction work.


I know that. I didn't say it wasn't used for that. 

From what people have been saying and showing in here, it seems to me that 2x1 roads in Europe tend to be rather dangerous and confusing at times. Many people have linked pictures showing how dangerous some 2x1 roads can be and the great lengths that have been put into building them safely. Note the divided 2x1 roads that have been mentioned (and shown). All these measures are put in place to keep the directions separated. 

When the lines are all the same colour, it's understandable that people become confused from time to time. 

That is why I said I believe if directional division lines were yellow, people would always know which side of the road belongs to them - which is how it is in North America. Like I said, if you're uncertain about your side of the road, all you have to do is look to your left. If you see yellow, you're safe.


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## niterider (Nov 3, 2009)

CptSchmidt said:


> That is why I said I believe if directional division lines were yellow, people would always know which side of the road belongs to them - which is how it is in North America. Like I said, if you're uncertain about your side of the road, all you have to do is look to your left. If you see yellow, you're safe.


I think that is besides the point. Surely if you have a relatively major route, it is safer to have a physical separation between the lanes of traffic traveling in opposite direction. 
Even if a person can more easily distinguish a yellow divider line, it doesn't help them if a truck veers into them from the other direction!


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## Di-brazil (Sep 12, 2009)

CptSchmidt said:


> This is one example of why I prefer North American road paint to Europe's. Accidents are just as common on 1x2 as any other non-separated road.
> 
> The line that divides the road is always yellow. If ever there is a yellow line on your right, you know that you're in the wrong. With everything being white in Europe, I can see how easily people could be confused. If ever you're confused about whether you're on the right side of the road, all you have to do is look at the road; if white is on your right and yellow is on your left, you're fine.


in fact, yellow is better


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Fender56 said:


> Chris, do you have any idea of the construction costs of a 1+1 versus a 2+1 versus a 2+2 road.?


It's hard to say. Often, 2+1 roads are upgrades of existing 2-lane roads, often partially on a new (better) alignment. 2+1 roads also tend to have a limited access facility, with grade-separation as much as possible, which increases the cost of course. 

They have built many 2+2 roads in midwestern United States that carry less than 10,000 AADT, and also not rarely less than 5,000 AADT. Land was incredibly cheap in those areas, for example New Mexico or Indiana. 

2+1 roads, however, require a significant distance before they can be useful. They don't work in roads with a lot of driveway access, slow traffic, intersections and what have you. Therefore, 2+1 roads often need to be build on a new alignment, which increases the cost because of land expropriations, acquiring a right-of-way.


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## Spikespiegel (Jul 13, 2009)

CptSchmidt said:


> That is why I said I believe if directional division lines were yellow, people would always know which side of the road belongs to them - which is how it is in North America. Like I said, if you're uncertain about your side of the road, all you have to do is look to your left. If you see yellow, you're safe.


I've never heard of any accidents here where people thought they were on their own side of the road, while in fact they were in the oncoming lanes. Usually head on collisions happen when people fall asleep behind the wheel, or are drunk, in either case, they shouldn't be driving. It's very easy to tell the difference between lane dividers and direction dividers, so there is no need to recolour them.

Also, I don't see how you would come to the conclusion that people see the 2+1 roads as dangerous. You will get plenty of warning to merge with lane one, as you approach the end of a "2" section. At the end of the "2" section is a relatively long "buffer zone" before the oncoming traffic's "2" zone starts.

2+1 roads usually have very few access roads, so you don't even have to worry about crossing traffic.

Besides, the second lane is for overtaking only. Driving in them, when you are not overtaking is forbidden, and as long as you do your overtaking before the first "merge" warning, you will never even get close to the end of the "2" zone.


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## zezi (Jun 1, 2008)

Croatia, D1 near Split.
Two lanes uphill, one down.
AADT about 15000


IMO 2+1 makes sense only when road is going uphill (or down  ), on flat terrain it is not so good solution


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## CptSchmidt (Jan 7, 2010)

niterider said:


> I think that is besides the point. Surely if you have a relatively major route, it is safer to have a physical separation between the lanes of traffic traveling in opposite direction.
> Even if a person can more easily distinguish a yellow divider line, it doesn't help them if a truck veers into them from the other direction!





Spikespiegel said:


> I've never heard of any accidents here where people thought they were on their own side of the road, while in fact they were in the oncoming lanes. Usually head on collisions happen when people fall asleep behind the wheel, or are drunk, in either case, they shouldn't be driving. It's very easy to tell the difference between lane dividers and direction dividers, so there is no need to recolour them.
> 
> Also, I don't see how you would come to the conclusion that people see the 2+1 roads as dangerous. You will get plenty of warning to merge with lane one, as you approach the end of a "2" section. At the end of the "2" section is a relatively long "buffer zone" before the oncoming traffic's "2" zone starts.
> 
> ...


I know that. I don't see what that has to do with anything, though. I never said that a yellow line makes a road impervious. I said that yellow lines make things less confusing. There is no question as to where your lane is and where oncoming traffic is supposed to be. You never have to wonder when a yellow line is used. 

I agree that a separated road is always safer, but funds aren't always available. If they were, the 1x1 wouldn't exist and all roads would be separated. 

Consider for a moment a straight piece of European 1x1 road. The shoulder lines are solid white and the centre line is perforated white. It is identical to a separated 2x2 stretch of road. 

The same type of road in North America is the same, except that the centre line would be yellow. If ever there is a perforated white centre line, we know that it's _always_ safe to pass because the white line only denotes a lane change amongst traffic travelling in the same direction. 

My point is, a yellow centre line is safer than having it all white all the time.


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## Fender56 (Feb 22, 2009)

ChrisZwolle said:


> It's hard to say. Often, 2+1 roads are upgrades of existing 2-lane roads, often partially on a new (better) alignment. 2+1 roads also tend to have a limited access facility, with grade-separation as much as possible, which increases the cost of course.
> 
> They have built many 2+2 roads in midwestern United States that carry less than 10,000 AADT, and also not rarely less than 5,000 AADT. Land was incredibly cheap in those areas, for example New Mexico or Indiana.
> 
> 2+1 roads, however, require a significant distance before they can be useful. They don't work in roads with a lot of driveway access, slow traffic, intersections and what have you. Therefore, 2+1 roads often need to be build on a new alignment, which increases the cost because of land expropriations, acquiring a right-of-way.


I found a picture of the Danish standards for 2+2 highways vs 2+1 roads. And alone the amount of land a 2+1 road occupies is 1/3 less than the 2+2 highway, and if you do not use bridges for crossing traffic, we are way under half the price for a 2+1 vs a 2+2. 

But are they the right choice for us in Denmark, I start to doubt, we have no mountains but a lot of cheep farmland.:


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## seem (Jun 15, 2008)

european *E50* / slovak *I/18 * between cities Žilina and Martin

















































years ago


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## goschio (Dec 2, 2002)

In Australia its moslty 1x1 between cities. However, there are 2x1 overtaking sections every 10-30 km or so. This gives motorists the opportunity to overtake safely if they are stuck behind slow vehicles.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Fender56 said:


> I found a picture of the Danish standards for 2+2 highways vs 2+1 roads. And alone the amount of land a 2+1 road occupies is 1/3 less than the 2+2 highway, and if you do not use bridges for crossing traffic, we are way under half the price for a 2+1 vs a 2+2.
> 
> But are they the right choice for us in Denmark, I start to doubt, we have no mountains but a lot of cheep farmland.:
> 
> http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/576/22vs21.jpg


Sometimes a 2+1 road can be built as one roadway for a future motorway. However, this only makes sense if the 2+1 road has the same alignment as a motorway would have.


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## Fender56 (Feb 22, 2009)

ChrisZwolle said:


> Sometimes a 2+1 road can be built as one roadway for a future motorway. However, this only makes sense if the 2+1 road has the same alignment as a motorway would have.


For comparison, i found some construction costs, to illustrate the difference, between a Danish 2+1 expressway and a 2+2 highway, both under construction.

The 9 km 2+1 expressway Bredsten-Vandel costs 384 mio dkr, or 43 mio dkr pr km.!

http://www.vejdirektoratet.dk/dokumentniveau.asp?page=document&objno=92805

The 26 km 2+2 highway Kliplev-Sønderborg costs 1.339 mio dkr, or 51,5 mio dkr pr km.!

http://www.vejdirektoratet.dk/dokumentniveau.asp?page=document&objno=86675

And that means a 2+1 expressway costs more than 80% of a fully 2+2 highway......:nuts: So i dont see why they dont build the real highway, with such a small margin.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

^^ That 2+1 road must replace route 28, and crosses a small valley. One bridge could significantly influence the price of a road, especially in this case where the road is only 9 km long. I'm not sure if this is a good comparison.


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## Fender56 (Feb 22, 2009)

ChrisZwolle said:


> ^^ That 2+1 road must replace route 28, and crosses a small valley. One bridge could significantly influence the price of a road, especially in this case where the road is only 9 km long. I'm not sure if this is a good comparison.


Certainly those 2 bridges influences the total price, but its still a very high price. If you see the cut of the Bredsten-Vandel expressway below, you´ll see there´s no safety fences between the traffic, and there are also no emergency lanes, like on real 2+2 highways.:


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## ea1969 (Oct 6, 2007)

In Greece, national roads 1/1a and 8a had been constructed since the late 1950's with most parts being 14m wide with 1.5+1.5 lanes. There was (and still is in the unfinished sections of A1 and A8 that replaced them) a solid line dividing the main traffic lane in each direction from the rest of the road to the right with the allowance for slower traffic to use this half lane in order to allow faster vehicles to overpass. This of course in case of two lorries has been very dangerous and has been proved by the numerous accidents on these two roads. It has also led to confusing Greek drivers about what does a hard shoulder mean after the first Greek motorways appeared (there are still a lot of @%$^*& who drive in it).

Unfortunately the same 1.5+1.5 arrangement was later used to sections of national roads 3, 9, 12 and 90 with the same problems. Only a few sections of 2+1 roads were constructed; randomly I can recall some stretches of national roads 3 (north of Lamia) and 18 (near Parga).


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## KiwiGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

Same situation as Australia. Because of the total absence of proper intercity motorways, New Zealand cities and intercity highways are mainly 1+1 with 2+1 stretches at intervals for overtaking.


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

Aren't there any problems with winter maintenance in northern countries, such as Finland or Denmark? As far as i understand, snow on a 2+1 road without barrier is not an option. How could you know, where is your lane and where not?


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## rarse (Jan 3, 2010)

Spikespiegel said:


> I must say that I am a huge fanboy of the Swedish 2+1 roads. They are well-maintained, smooth, safe and they go through interesting landscapes (lots of forests), whereas the motorways in Sweden are very dull.


x 





Swedway said:


> Sweden has build almost 2000 km of 2+1 roads. 330 km is Autostrasse and 1660 km is ordinary highways.


Is there some map or list of 2+1 roads in Sweden? Maybe on vv.se site?


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## Fender56 (Feb 22, 2009)

Jevpls said:


> Aren't there any problems with winter maintenance in northern countries, such as Finland or Denmark? As far as i understand, snow on a 2+1 road without barrier is not an option. How could you know, where is your lane and where not?


We just drive in the lane they´ve cleaned.! 

:lol:


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

Fender56 said:


> We just drive in the lane they´ve cleaned.!
> 
> :lol:


What do you mean by that? Do you drive on 2+1 like on ordinary 1+1?


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## metasmurf (Nov 16, 2007)

Jevpls said:


> What do you mean by that? Do you drive on 2+1 like on ordinary 1+1?


Sometimes the extra lane is full of snow slush, or hasn't been plowed properly, like this:











Knowing where the lanes are is pretty easy here, since almost all 2+1 roads are divided, plus signage obviously.

Also, found this video with some 2+1 winter driving along E4 north Sweden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Y20UD9EdE


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

It's easy with Sweden - you SEE the barrier even if the snow hasn't been cleaned for some time. But without barrier even a little amount of snow can hide all lines...


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## rarse (Jan 3, 2010)

metasmurf said:


> Also, found this video with some 2+1 winter driving along E4 north Sweden
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Y20UD9EdE


Nice video, anyway 100-120 km/h + overtaking in this snow hno:


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

As I'm collecting information about 2+1 roads, I would be grateful for some information. If it's not hard for you then, please, try to answer these questions:

1) Name your country.
2) Do 2+1 roads have safety barrier in your country?
3) AADT. What is the max. and min. value of AADT for 2+1 in your country? And what is the recommended AADT value?
4) What is the max. allowed driving speed on 2+1 roads in your country?
5) Do intersections are allowed in one level?

If it's possible then please add a picture with cross section scheme.

[If something from these questions is answered in previous pages then ignore it.]

Thanks in advance.


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## Nikolaj (Oct 8, 2009)

Jevpls said:


> Aren't there any problems with winter maintenance in northern countries, such as Finland or Denmark? As far as i understand, snow on a 2+1 road without barrier is not an option. How could you know, where is your lane and where not?


First of all Denmark has very few 2+1 roads, and secondly (except for this winter) we seldomly have problems with snow on the roads (hardly anything compared with Finland) and then only for a few hours until it has either melted or been plowed away.


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## nerdly_dood (Mar 23, 2007)

Nearly always in the US, 2+1 roads are short stretches in urban areas with lots of intersections, or if it's in a rural area, it's on a long uphill with two lanes going up - one for trucks ("climbing lane") and the other for cars that don't have to struggle, and one lane going down. There is no strict restriction on which lane can have which kind of traffic, but slower traffic has to keep in the right lane going up. (They also sometimes add an extra lane on the right side of Interstate highways as well, making them 2+3)


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## rarse (Jan 3, 2010)

I think the *Sweden* is the most know country for it's 2+1 roads so far, do you agree?


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

I think 2+1 is most widespread in Sweden yes, although there are other countries who use it extensively as well, for example Germany.


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## metasmurf (Nov 16, 2007)

Norwegian 2+1, E18 with concrete divider

http://maps.google.se/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=sv&geocode=&q=sandefjord&sll=61.606396,21.225586&sspn=27.30667,114.169922&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Sandefjord+kommun,+Vestfold,+Norge&layer=c&cbll=59.262909,10.300243&panoid=CETc7m1LakjMhgcyI8ktNQ&cbp=12,8.81,,0,2.3&ll=59.250497,10.288293&spn=0.224687,0.891953&z=11


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## Maxx☢Power (Nov 16, 2005)

There's a small part of the E6 too which is divided, but with a relatively wide, grassy median:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Nice,+Alpes-Maritimes,+Provence-Alpes-C%C3%B4te+d'Azur,+France&ll=60.841774,11.054049&spn=0.027391,0.090895&z=14&layer=c&cbll=60.841766,11.054497&panoid=GXnsmyjUcCX2MCOMkeIWcQ&cbp=12,291.25,,1,3.3

If you ignore the southbound part it almost looks like a US interstate, with the yellow divider line (which is not used on motorways in NO), except for the lack of wide shoulders.


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## g.spinoza (Jul 21, 2010)

In Italy there's a section of SS16 (Statale Adriatica) just north of Ancona which is 2+1 because of a relatively steep ascent:

http://maps.google.it/maps?f=q&sour...=fasIK3khQeoz_hGg6bEN7A&cbp=12,80.21,,0,-7.81

it is just 1.4 km long. In the image, the road comes back to be 1+1 just after that overpass, you can also see the sign on the right.
This road is often full of Greek trucks heading to the Ancona harbour...


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## Gadiri (Oct 30, 2009)

*Agadir-Marrakech national road 8, in 2009, in Hight Atlas mountains

Since june 2010, there is an highway *


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## kanterberg (Aug 3, 2009)

*E18 Trafikplats Västjädra (127) – Trafikplats Strö (123)*

This is a set following the E18 westbound from Trafikplats Västjädra and a good example of a Swedish 2+1 road. This section of the E18 is a 25 km gap in the motorway. 

 

AADT for this section is between 10500 and 14000. Speed limit 100 km/h. 
This is the main road between the Stockholm and Oslo. 




At this point, we're 419 km from Oslo and 120 km from Stockholm. 


100 km/h is the standard speed limit for 2+1 roads in Sweden, altough there are sections with 110 km/h and 90km/h. 


Rastplats Svedvi, no services. 







 


This is what I call planning ahead. Notice how that bridge was built to accomodate a motorway. When and if this road is converted to a motorway that bridge from the 60's can be used for the new road. 








Upcoming rest-areas


A potentially deadly head-on collision was avoided here. These steel cable barriers have been heavily criticised for being dangerous for motorcyclists.






Another head-on collision avoided.


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## rarse (Jan 3, 2010)

^^ Nice photos and comments.



kanterberg said:


> This is what I call planning ahead. Notice how that bridge was built to accomodate a motorway. When and if this road is converted to a motorway that bridge from the 60's can be used for the new road.


You mean the unused side of the bridge on the left?



kanterberg said:


> A potentially deadly head-on collision was avoided here. These steel cable barriers have been heavily criticised for being dangerous for motorcyclists.
> 
> 
> Another head-on collision avoided.


This is why I think 2+1 roads WITH fence are the best solution for routes with not high enough AADT to be a motorway but to be safer than simple relative fast road. :applause:


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## metasmurf (Nov 16, 2007)

Quick note about speedlimits on 2+1 in Sweden. 110 is always used in Västerbotten and Norrbotten, grade-separated or not. ^^ btw, nice pics kanterberg, good example of Swedish 2+1


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

Actually very nice report.
I've got a question about interchanges. I see two right turns - to Svedvi and another one to Hallstahammar. Can you explain, which direction has got 2 driving lanes in each situation (it's hard to understand from pictures). Why? I don't understand, whether is there additional lane used for turning or not.


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## kanterberg (Aug 3, 2009)

Jevpls said:


> Actually very nice report.
> I've got a question about interchanges. I see two right turns - to Svedvi and another one to Hallstahammar. Can you explain, which direction has got 2 driving lanes in each situation (it's hard to understand from pictures). Why? I don't understand, whether is there additional lane used for turning or not.


Glad you liked the pictures. There is not a general rule, but a common practise is to let the entrance ramp become the right lane and the start of a 2-lane stretch. Exits usually come at the end of a 1-lane stretch. As a result, it is often 1+1 through the interchange/junction.


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

kanterberg said:


> As a result, it is often 1+1 through the interchange/junction.


So, it really happens. Once I had a talk with road planners and they also said that the only suitable way is to use 1+1 in interchange stretches.


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## tbh444 (Jul 31, 2010)

There are some short sections of these for hills on routes I sometimes drive in England - e.g. this one has double solid white line as divider and works fine as far as I've seen
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...=JnNTnBgE_jmBQ_yz0VkV1g&cbp=12,122.5,,0,15.64

This one has a wider divide which becomes a proper barrier - the problem here is that it's so short and there's sometimes about 10+ cars backed up behind a slow lorry who all want to get past, so the return to 1+1 can feel a bit dodgy, especially for those of us with a low power engine
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...KnU733vTgGtSzcCAPYRKIA&cbp=12,217.37,,0,16.62

We also have some 1+1 roads probably best described as 1.5+1.5 as per earlier post (or maybe 1.75+1.75) - OK if people are sensible but I think this example underlines how dangerous it can be, as the googlecar is being overtaken by the vw (and previously the open-top volvo) in the face of lots of oncoming traffic
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...lrojnmb05QJEZwHkVlgjJQ&cbp=12,325.84,,0,24.56


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## kanterberg (Aug 3, 2009)

tbh444 said:


> There are some short sections of these for hills on routes I sometimes drive in England - e.g. this one has double solid white line as divider and works fine as far as I've seen
> http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...=JnNTnBgE_jmBQ_yz0VkV1g&cbp=12,122.5,,0,15.64


2+1 up a hill is a great way to increase capacity and safety, but when it comes to road safety there really is no point making it a longer 2+1 unless you have some sort of proper barrier (e.g. concrete, steel cable). A 2+1 road with a proper barrier will have a near-motorway safety standard because head-on-collisions are eliminated. 

The problem is that a 2+1 will have capacity problems once you pass a certain AADT (I would guess already at 15 000). Then you’ll start seeing sudden traffic jams for no other reason than people merging into a one-lane stretch.


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## nerdly_dood (Mar 23, 2007)

kanterberg said:


> 2+1 up a hill is a great way to increase capacity and safety, but when it comes to road safety there really is no point making it a longer 2+1 unless you have some sort of proper barrier (e.g. concrete, steel cable). A 2+1 road with a proper barrier will have a near-motorway safety standard because head-on-collisions are eliminated.
> 
> The problem is that a 2+1 will have capacity problems once you pass a certain AADT (I would guess already at 15 000). Then you’ll start seeing sudden traffic jams for no other reason than people merging into a one-lane stretch.


*The vast majority of American 2+1 roads are on hills to allow slower trucks to go up without obstructing traffic that can keep up with the speed limit. After the top of the hill, they normally go back to a 1x2.*


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

^^ Those are not considered 2+1 roads, but more like crawling lanes for slow traffic.


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

ChrisZwolle said:


> ^^ Those are not considered 2+1 roads, but more like crawling lanes for slow traffic.


I agree.

Something like this. About 1 km long lane for heavy traffic.


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## nerdly_dood (Mar 23, 2007)

*^^ yeah they call it a climbing lane*


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## Substructure (Sep 10, 2004)

CborG said:


> 1x5(!) in Berlin, if the overtaking vehicle in front of you isn't fast enough you can take the middle lane. The porsche 911 behind you chased by the faster bugatti evyron can take the 4th and 5th lane. Judged by the marking it's all fully legal :lol:
> http://maps.google.nl/?ie=UTF8&ll=52.507592,13.223757&spn=0.001499,0.00537&t=k&z=18&om=0


Digging this up.. This is the first time I see a 1x5 in Europe.
I remember driving on many of them in North America, namely Ontario :
http://maps.google.com/maps?source=...010986&t=h&z=17&panoid=RzfpivnJ-nE9vdZ99karOA

What is the AADT of such a 1x5 (or 2+1+2) road ? How safe are they compared to 2+1 ?
Also, if 2+1 (and 'super 2+1' with central barriers, safety and merging lanes) are not alternatives to small motorways, could 1x5/2+1+2 be a solution in Europe ?


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

Are you sure that it isn't a usual 2x2 without safety barrier?
And if it is some 2+1+2, what is the idea of it? On 2+1 additional lane allow faster drivers to pass by slower ones. On 2+2 you can do it without problems, because there are 2 lanes in each direction. What is the point of another one in the middle? It should create only accidents.
I know such place in Latvia (the beginning of road A6). But this lane is only for emergency vehicles and not for usual ones.


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## Substructure (Sep 10, 2004)

The middle lane is used as a turning lane for cars wanting to turn at a left junctions.
This removes the need for an exit lane and overpass bridge since it's technically a 2x2.

http://www.wiserealestateinc.com/up...a_Pictures_-_Hwy_150_-_5_Lanes_-_WREI_026.JPG


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## Fargo Wolf (Oct 23, 2009)

kanterberg said:


> *E18 Trafikplats Västjädra (127) – Trafikplats Strö (123)*
> A potentially deadly head-on collision was avoided here. These steel cable barriers have been heavily criticised for being dangerous for motorcyclists.


The cable barriers are LETHAL for motorcyclists. If a rider lays his/her bike down, and slides into the barrier, the cable acts as a guillotine and said rider is decapitated. hno: Here in BC, Canada, they are illegal to use. No-Post (concrete barrier) is most commonly used instead.


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## kanterberg (Aug 3, 2009)

Fargo Wolf said:


> The cable barriers are LETHAL for motorcyclists. If a rider lays his/her bike down, and slides into the barrier, the cable acts as a guillotine and said rider is decapitated. hno: Here in BC, Canada, they are illegal to use. No-Post (concrete barrier) is most commonly used instead.


I agree, these cable barriers should be replaced. 

Still, even with steel cable barriers this road is safer for motorcyclists than an ordinary road. Motorcyclists are far more likely to be killed or seriously injured on a regular 1+1 or a 2+1 without steel cable barriers.


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

What about barriers on both sides of road (picture above). They seem to be from steel cable or at least look like them. Are they really necessary?


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## kanterberg (Aug 3, 2009)

Jevpls said:


> What about barriers on both sides of road (picture above). They seem to be from steel cable or at least look like them. Are they really necessary?


Yes, if there are trees or rocks or something at the side of the road. As you can see in the pictures, there is fencing on the side of the road in some sections and not in others. The idea is to build a “forgiving” road environment that protects drivers and passengers in the event of a crash. If there are trees or other hard obstacles at the side of the road you need a security barrier. 

The whole idea is to design the road, the junctions, the median and the road side in this “forgiving” way. If you do, people who follow the speed limit and wear seatbelts should survive and not be seriously injured even if they crash.


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

I understand the idea of "forgiving road" but probably you didn't understand me correctly.

Are these side barriers of steel cable? If they are then what about biker safety?
Usually driving off the road isn't that dangerous as head-on collision and [if there is no barrier] in most cases it ends with damaged car or minor injuries only. But if biker crashes into such cable barrier then he might get killed. Maybe he would survive without it?

That's theoretically only. :lol:


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## kanterberg (Aug 3, 2009)

Jevpls said:


> I understand the idea of "forgiving road" but probably you didn't understand me correctly.
> 
> Are these side barriers of steel cable? If they are then what about biker safety?
> Usually driving off the road isn't that dangerous as head-on collision and [if there is no barrier] in most cases it ends with damaged car or minor injuries only. But if biker crashes into such cable barrier then he might get killed. Maybe he would survive without it?
> ...


Sorry for the misunderstanding :hammer:
I think the best solution is to use another type of barrier alltogether.


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

kanterberg said:


> I think the best solution is to use another type of barrier alltogether.


That might the the best solution. By the way, don't know now anything about price difference between steel cable barriers and these ones (or similar)?


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## Fargo Wolf (Oct 23, 2009)

Jevpls said:


> That might the the best solution. By the way, don't know now anything about price difference between steel cable barriers and these ones (or similar)?


That style of barrier is MUCH better than a cable barrier. Far more effective too. While a little more expensive than cable barrier, they make up for that in proven effectiveness. The Province of Alberta, Canada uses this style of barrier exclusively with very few exceptions where concrete barrier is used.


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## Fargo Wolf (Oct 23, 2009)

Jevpls;61427683Are these side barriers of steel cable? If they are then what about biker safety? But if biker crashes into such cable barrier then he might get killed. Maybe he would survive without it?[/QUOTE said:


> Yes, those pics are of steel cable barriers. Refer to my earlier post:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

I'm sorry, but such continuous barriers are just as lethal to motorcyclists as cable barriers. It doesn't matter if your head gets chopped off by a cable or a pole from a barrier, it's pretty bad either way.


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## kanterberg (Aug 3, 2009)

*1X1*

*1x1 - safe but boring?*

Here’s a few pictures from a road that opened just a few weeks ago in central Sweden (National road 49 in Närke province). It’s not really a 2+1, but rather a 1+1 with a barrier. I don’t know the forum terminology for this type of road – maybe it should be called a 1x1-road?

This road has the highest possible safety standard, but it is not grade-separated. Although it is mostly 1+1 there are few two-lane stretches for overtaking. 

The AADT for this particular road is 2500 vehicles per day, so it works in terms of capacity. Speed limit 100 km/h. 

Safe? Yes, very much so. Fun to drive? Not really…hno:






It’s not grade-separated, but left turns are eliminated because you still need to turn right in order to go left. 




The intersection. Turn right to turn left… this setup reduces the time the vehicle is exposed to other traffic and increases safety. 


A two-lane stretch for overtaking. But do it quickly, it’s only 600 meters long. :runaway:


Another intersection coming up ahead.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

2x1 (2 roadways with 1 lane each). 

Nice pictures. Such roads are annoying with a lot of traffic as you cannot pass a slower vehicle. But I guess it's not a big problem at 2,500 vehicles per day. Also, what do you do if a truck gets a breakdown at a 1 lane section? There's no shoulder.


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## rarse (Jan 3, 2010)

Thanks for the info and photos kanterberg.

I think too that 1 lane is boring.

Anyway I guess low AADT apologizes building 1+1 instead of 2+1 road.



> It’s not grade-separated, but left turns are eliminated because you still need to turn right in order to go left.


I think I read this kind of interchange is called spanish interchange.


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## rarse (Jan 3, 2010)

Some photos of 2+1 roads in Sweden
source


Road 636, between Vikingstad and Linköping




















Road 108, between Trelleborg and Svedala




















Road 50, north of Hovsta (Orebro)






































E18, between Kristinehamn and Karlskoga











Road 50, between Östansjö and Åsbro


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

In Belgium 1+2 and 2+1 roads are very common and every city +40.000 has one. These are the old roads that where used to called "steenweg" wich means: paved road, because before the Industrial revolution these used to be the only roads that where paved outside some mainstreets in city centers. They are mostly layed in straight lines between cities and towns and are still used a lot today by regional traffic. This is something tipical for Belgium and can't be found in The Netherlands for instance.

This is the N3 road between Brussels and Liège. This road was first constructed by the Romans. Then during the middle ages It became the main road between Aachen and Brussels. Later on several other cities like mine(Sint-Truiden) developped next to this road. Untill the construction of the E40 highway in the 50ties this road maintained the main connection between Brussels and Liège. Back then it was a road with suicide lanes. Now siucide lanes are forbidden in Flanders(but still in use in Wallonia!!!!) and the old roads where turned into 2+1 raods.

*Some examples of the N3 near Sint-Truiden:*

*Before entering the City*:



















Then it becomes a normal 1+1 raod near the city due to safty reasons because there are a lot of warehouses next to this road.










This part serves as a ring road around the city. It has now become a 2x2 road without a crashbarrier dividing the lanes.










Here is corsses the N80 at a point where is becomes a 2x2 road. The N80 is partially an old connection road to the city of Namur and partially newly constructed(part between Sint-Truiden and Hasselt)










When leaving the city again in the direction of Liège the road turns into a 1+1 road with seperated turning lanes at crossing points.










Here you can see that the N3(Road at the bottom going form West to East) is a now a bypass road around the city. The N80 is also a bypass road (The road that comes from Nord-East and goes to the South.)


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## piotr71 (Sep 8, 2009)

I remember driving on 1x3 with suicide lane in Flanders some 3 years ago. I am not sure if it's still in that shape or has been rebuilt, however google shows it as it was back then:










It is more or less where the blue line indicates:











Btw; I find Swedish 2+1 or 1+1 model as a solution which having been implemented in Poland on larger scale, would definitely reduced number of fatalities.


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

> piotr71;62035741]I remember driving on 1x3 with suicide lane in Flanders some 3 years ago. I am not sure if it's still in that shape or has been rebuilt, however google shows it as it was back then:


In time al suicide roads should be history, but it might take on several years before that...


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

Don't know how to call this but it's the N2 between Leuven and Diest, its a 1x3 road but with a seperated buslane.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

ChrisZwolle said:


> The 2+1 setup is definitely much safer than the wide 1x2 setup with shoulders which turns the road into a de-facto 1x4 setup where it wasn't designed for.


that's what i wanted to say exactly. i anm horrified of those 1+1 roads with wide shoulders. in HR we have only one (D2 Koprivnica - Varaždin) but thank god we don't have in common such driving. 
when there was expressway instead of A6, it had similar traffic managment and it was called the road of death.


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## AtD (Oct 22, 2002)

Sometimes you see this set up on rural highways in Australia

http://expressway.paulrands.com/gal...-a-b1/10_crystalbrooktoportaugusta/index.html


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## Praktykteoretyk (Dec 8, 2010)

x-type said:


> that's what i wanted to say exactly. i anm horrified of those 1+1 roads with wide shoulders. in HR we have only one (D2 Koprivnica - Varaždin) but thank god we don't have in common such driving.
> when there was expressway instead of A6, it had similar traffic managment and it was called the road of death.


I also prefer 2+1 profile than 1,5+1,5. Unfortunately, on wide single carriageways in Poland you can see 1,5+1,5 more often than 2+1.

And we have such dangerous “road of death” in Poland too. It’s road 7 between Gdańsk and Warsaw with few expressway sections (as yet) and mostly with 1,5+1,5 profile.


But this time pictures of:
*road number 7 between Kraków and Kielce*
(author: marco.406, http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=14065860&postcount=361, http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=14065865&postcount=362)


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## Praktykteoretyk (Dec 8, 2010)

And that’s why 2+1 lanes sections are better than 1,5+1,5 - drivers don’t need to make such actions then:


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## metasmurf (Nov 16, 2007)

*2+1 with different railing*

E4 north of Örnsköldsvik (Sweden). This is the only stretch I've seen this kind of railing on.


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## metasmurf (Nov 16, 2007)

*bump*

A bunch from Sweden, E4 in Norrland









http://www.flickr.com/photos/kerstins_mail/6181936487/









http://www.flickr.com/photos/kerstins_mail/6181844285/










http://www.flickr.com/photos/kerstins_mail/6181768324/









http://www.flickr.com/photos/kerstins_mail/6226618604/in/set-72157627853386868


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

iN Brazil 2x1 road


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## ed110220 (Nov 12, 2008)

Ron2K said:


> You _can_ overtake into the oncoming lane if you're on the x1 side of the road on our ones, but the traffic is generally low enough to make this unnecessary.
> 
> (EDIT: For those wondering where that is - N1 between the Molenaar River Valley and Worcester.)


I think usually in South Africa a 2+1 lane arrangement is used where a road that is mainly 1+1 climbs up a hill and so an extra lane is added so that slow vehicles can be overtaken more easily _when going uphill_. Usually in that case it is not permitted for vehicles travelling downhill to overtake by crossing into the other side of the road, and a solid double white line indicates this.


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

B406 in Germany, approaching Luxembourg



















Then, a 2+1 in Luxembourg, Main Road 2 after Remich if I recall it correctly:


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

D45 in HR


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

*Finland*

The history of 2+1 road in Finland dates back to 1970's. Initially, the third lane was a crawling lane for trucks and other slow vehicles to climb uphill. As the rules were unclear, the system was changes rather soon: The middle lane became an overtaking lane for the uphill traffic. These first generation 2+1 sections were rather short, and not very widespread. There were kind of a firefighting to relieve the paint at the most problematic spots.

http://maps.google.fi/?ll=60.29247,...=f2u5_210Gf1dUuTP2rKxWg&cbp=12,144.38,,0,8.67

The second generation 2+1 sections were much longer, and a number of those were built. Somewere in the 1990's, the traffic rules changed: It is not any more allowed to overtake using the overtaking lane of the opposite direction.

http://maps.google.fi/?ll=61.61717,...oid=EebktZkFa-Hvgc4LfkJM3w&cbp=12,108.85,,0,0

The second generation 2+1 sections are still being built as point solutions. The third generation road is a so called 'continuous overtaking lane road'. It is a long road section with frequently repeating overtaking lanes. The road is partly 1+1 and partly 2+1 (or even 2+2 if the overtaking lanes happen to run in parallel). 

Many (but not all) of the 3rd generation 2+1 sections are equipped with the middle barrier. The design resembles the Swedish roads, but still is rather different:










The Swedish solution was to convert the existing 13 metres wide 1+1 roads to 2+1 roads. In Finland, that road type is rare. Instead, the typical 9 metres wide roads must be partly rebuilt. The Finnish solution is 14.25 metres wide in minimum, thus allowing wider lanes than the Swedish minimum solution. There is a room to carefully overtake a tractor on the single-lane side.

Often, a parallel road is built for the local and agriculture traffic to improve the safety.

http://maps.google.fi/?ll=61.945432...noid=egoPCCCDfPlBnf9eVip9HQ&cbp=12,346.6,,0,0

A left turn is forbidden in many places in the name of safety. Instead, there is an arrangement to make a right turn, and then to cross the road.

http://maps.google.fi/?ll=60.37499,...d=1UnCvGkHauKnnqnz52X-Wg&cbp=12,88.67,,1,5.11


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## crazyknightsfan (Oct 14, 2005)

xrtn2 said:


> iN Brazil 2x1 road


Look at the fvckwit in the truck! Lanes? what lanes? This is my road :nuts::bash:


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## crazyknightsfan (Oct 14, 2005)

metasmurf said:


> *bump*
> 
> A bunch from Sweden, E4 in Norrland


In Australia, these are often promoted as some sort of awesome solution for road safety where there are head on crashes occurring.

What I don't understand is why people aren't aware that the brifen fencing doesn't deflect a vehicle, it will actually slacken by about 1.5-2m, basically taking the offending vehicle well into the opposite lane and still causing a head-on crash. 

I suppose it reduces the risk somewhat - e.g. the vehicle won't cross BOTH lanes - but I am very surprised that this problem is never discussed.


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

crazyknightsfan said:


> In Australia, these are often promoted as some sort of awesome solution for road safety where there are head on crashes occurring.
> 
> What I don't understand is why people aren't aware that the brifen fencing doesn't deflect a vehicle, it will actually slacken by about 1.5-2m, basically taking the offending vehicle well into the opposite lane and still causing a head-on crash.
> 
> I suppose it reduces the risk somewhat - e.g. the vehicle won't cross BOTH lanes - but I am very surprised that this problem is never discussed.


The middle barrier is usually strong enough to stand the collision and keep the vehicle on its side of the road. The collision seldom hits the barrier at a large angle.










Of course, it is discussed. Every new type of protection mechanism leaves some residual risk, and introduces new risks. It the benefit of the mechanism is better than the drawbacks (including the cost), it is worth putting in place.

The Swedish statistics show that the middle barrier has reduced the number of frontal collisions by 90-95 per cent and the fatalities by 75 per cent compared to similar roads without separation.


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## crazyknightsfan (Oct 14, 2005)

MattiG said:


> The middle barrier is usually strong enough to stand the collision and keep the vehicle on its side of the road. The collision seldom hits the barrier at a large angle.


I've seen the crash tests done for these barriers and they don't "stand the collision" they slacken about 1.5-2m (obviously depends on the angle of the vehicle hitting it) and then drag the vehicle back onto the same side of the road.



MattiG said:


> Of course, it is discussed.


I've not seen/heard it discussed here (in Oz). Good to hear it is discussed elsewhere.



MattiG said:


> Every new type of protection mechanism leaves some residual risk, and introduces new risks. It the benefit of the mechanism is better than the drawbacks (including the cost), it is worth putting in place.
> 
> The Swedish statistics show that the middle barrier has reduced the number of frontal collisions by 90-95 per cent and the fatalities by 75 per cent compared to similar roads without separation.


Agree.

I suspect a large contributing factor is the perception that the barrier creates - i.e. when its just painted lines people will be less careful as nothing happens to them if they get lazy and cross the lines, whereas if there's a barrier there then they will take more care make sure they don't hit it.


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

crazyknightsfan said:


> I've seen the crash tests done for these barriers and they don't "stand the collision" they slacken about 1.5-2m (obviously depends on the angle of the vehicle hitting it) and then drag the vehicle back onto the same side of the road.


That depends on the material of the barrier. A wire rope behaves differently from a W-beam or a pipe-fence, for instance.

Matti


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## metasmurf (Nov 16, 2007)

MattiG said:


> The Swedish solution was to convert the existing 13 metres wide 1+1 roads to 2+1 roads. In Finland, that road type is rare. Instead, the typical 9 metres wide roads must be partly rebuilt. The Finnish solution is 14.25 metres wide in minimum, thus allowing wider lanes than the Swedish minimum solution.


There are 2+1 roads which have been built widening the road from 9m here too. An example near my town, which is 14m wide: http://maps.google.fi/maps?q=Gubb%C3%B6le+E12,+Sverige&hl=sv&ie=UTF8&ll=63.890044,19.992113&spn=0.027159,0.111494&sll=61.944522,22.989235&sspn=0.058373,0.222988&vpsrc=0&hnear=E12,+Sverige&t=m&layer=c&cbll=63.892525,19.985485&panoid=-2gNjAmhWCPNohTD3BV3iQ&cbp=12,274,,0,0&z=14


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## Attii (Jan 11, 2008)

MattiG said:


> The history of 2+1 road in Finland dates back to 1970's. Initially, the third lane was a crawling lane for trucks and other slow vehicles to climb uphill. As the rules were unclear, the system was changes rather soon: The middle lane became an overtaking lane for the uphill traffic. These first generation 2+1 sections were rather short, and not very widespread. There were kind of a firefighting to relieve the paint at the most problematic spots.
> 
> http://maps.google.fi/?ll=60.29247,...=f2u5_210Gf1dUuTP2rKxWg&cbp=12,144.38,,0,8.67
> 
> ...


I must nevertheless say that most of the Swedish (former 13m-wide-roads) that recently been converted to 2x1 (collision-free) type roads have been rahter widened somewhat similar to 14 meter-model than remained their original shape as "under 13-meter-wide"..check for example förbifart Sala (Sala-ringway) so in that respect in reality they are more similar to the "finnish drawing" on your diagram than the "Swedish one".


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## Aphelion (May 29, 2010)

^^ The Sala bypass was a complete new build if I recall correctly.


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## Attii (Jan 11, 2008)

Aphelion said:


> ^^ The Sala bypass was a complete new build if I recall correctly.


hm.is that some sort of disegreement with my statement.?
In any case there`s a lot of other examples of modern 2x1 roads than RV 70
yep, the major part of it, except for Salarakan samt the northenmost connection to the rest of the Riksväg 70 within the Västmanland but even Dalarna has undoubtedly been new build, but nevertheless, rebuld in accordance to the current standard of how 2x1 roads are expected to look like - which is wider than 12,25m and definitely not acc.to the dimensions that Matti showed here


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

Attii said:


> hm.is that some sort of disegreement with my statement.?
> In any case there`s a lot of other examples of modern 2x1 roads than RV 70
> yep, the major part of it, except for Salarakan samt the northenmost connection to the rest of the Riksväg 70 within the Västmanland but even Dalarna has undoubtedly been new build, but nevertheless, rebuld in accordance to the current standard of how 2x1 roads are expected to look like - which is wider than 12,25m and definitely not acc.to the dimensions that Matti showed here


Yes. Newbuilds and upgrades are wider than original standard of 12.25 metres. That is well understandable.

The reason why Sweden was able to so quickly introduce hundreds of kilometres of 2+1 roads with separation, was accepting the narrow construction on top of the existing roads as a reasonable trade-off between the functionality and the cost.


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## DanielFigFoz (Mar 10, 2007)

The end of the 2+1 section on the A246 in Leatherhead


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

1 x 3 in southern France, near Perpignan (think it was D900)
August 2012


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## piotr71 (Sep 8, 2009)

Proper suicide lane. Not many left in Western Europe.


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

*Belgium*

^^In Belgium still quite a few exist although many are converted to 2+1 in the last 10 years.


N3 between Diest and Herk-de-stad











location: http://goo.gl/maps/ZJwbv


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

There is a short section (1.2 km only) on the Swedish road 222 having a reversible middle lane:

https://maps.google.fi/?ll=59.31208...=GS8l_-2GIN6dhpSjpOcyQw&cbp=12,66.54,,0,-6.63

The middle lane is open to the inbound traffic (to Stockholm) in the morning, and to the outbound one in the afternoon.

Initially, the middle lane was planned to be closed during the winter because of low traffic. I wonder if this still is the case.


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## i15 (Apr 26, 2008)

joshsam said:


> ^^In Belgium still quite a few exist although many are converted to 2+1 in the last 10 years.
> 
> 
> N3 between Diest and Herk-de-stad
> ...


I don't understand, there is enough space for 4th lane. IMO safer overtaking is more important than safe place to stop the car


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

Corvinus said:


> 1 x 3 in southern France, near Perpignan (think it was D900)
> August 2012


thats why yellow lanes is important.


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

i15 said:


> I don't understand, there is enough space for 4th lane. IMO safer overtaking is more important than safe place to stop the car


There would be no hard shoulders if a 4th lane was there, and also the road runs through urban area's a lot where it is reduced to a 1+1 road with median. The road is lined with houses on most places too. The suicide lane becomes a turning lane if a street crosses the road. I agree the part I showed isn't very safe to drive on. The road is probably been the same since the 70ties. The concrete is also from that time! Shows the high standard concrete roads in Belgium where made off in those golden years. To bad they don't produce them like that anymore.


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## riiga (Nov 2, 2009)

xrtn2 said:


> thats why yellow lanes is important.


How would you put yellow lines there if both sides are allowed to use the road as two lanes? Makes no sense.


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## ufonut (Jul 24, 2007)

Poland DK50


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## RipleyLV (Jun 4, 2008)

^ Where is that?


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## UPR20 (May 27, 2011)

Żyrardów by pass, part of DK50 which in turn is Warsaw's southern HGV bypass.


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## Haljackey (Feb 14, 2008)

Highway 17 in Ontario Canada


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## Kjello0 (May 1, 2009)

riiga said:


> How would you put yellow lines there if both sides are allowed to use the road as two lanes? Makes no sense.


This way.


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## zaphod (Dec 8, 2005)

I drive on one of these everyday. It has a double yellow in between opposing directions and the passing side alternates every 2 miles with a 1/4 mile margin of safety in between. 

I've never been on a road with a true suicide lane, with broken lines on both sides allowing either opposing direction to pass to the left in the same area.


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## metasmurf (Nov 16, 2007)

Video of the northern part of the newly built Norra Länken, Umeå, Sweden. This is how 2+1 roads usually look in Sweden.


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## coruñes21 (Jan 30, 2012)

Edit


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## piotr71 (Sep 8, 2009)

**






There is a lot more French roads in this movie.


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

Fout this video of the Belgian N9 Between Maldegem and Sijsele. Filmed in 2011, I think this read is still in the same condition. Probably concrete has never been resurfaced since the 70ties and the road didn't change since then. In the meantime ofcourse, urbanisation crawled forward along this road wich was quite rural back then.

2+1 sections and suicide lane sections. Enjoy this road of the past 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mNH5aNIjzFA#!

ps: I can not embad this video because it is made private and can only be watched by this link


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## Festin (May 21, 2010)

metasmurf said:


>


This should be best solution


x-type said:


>


This should also be excepted if there is no possibly to upgrade to first one. 


Corvinus said:


>


This is just crazy hehe :lol:

But in all the cases it seem to be enough space to upgrade it to an expressway 2x2 with a barrier in the middle. That should be the main solution...

Of course many countries do not change this because it is not worth the money maybe or because there is no room for it in the budget the coming years. But those kind of roads are dangerous should be more important to the ministries of transports.


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## shpirtkosova (Jun 7, 2009)

I think 2x1 roads can be very dangerous, especially when overtaking.


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## Fender56 (Feb 22, 2009)

The profile of the planned 2+1 highway A11 in Denmark, between Esbjerg and the Danish/German border, will be like this.:



77 km long, pricetag aprox dkr 2,4 billion.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

€ 4.15 million per kilometer. Not bad.


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## snowdog (Mar 27, 2011)

Tbh I prefer the 1x2 with shoulder configuration like in Poland, it allows for a higher average speed due to ease of overtake, most cars move to the shoulders if they notice someone wants to pass them.

That said, there are many reckless overtakes and on a long trip you're nearly guaranteed to have to brake for an overtaker from the other direction. There should just be more enforcement for actual reckless overtakes. Seeing THREE people beside each other is not rare, some idiot overtaking someone who already overtaking another happens way to often!

But overall, on 2+1, you are bound get stuck behind some truck or grandpa on the 1 lane bits, while on 1x2+shoulders you can usually continue to drive on cruise control!

Ideally any busy road should be at least 2x2... The problem with many of these roads in Poland, is they handle traffic way in excess of what a 1x2 road should.


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## geogregor (Dec 11, 2006)

snowdog said:


> Tbh I prefer the 1x2 with shoulder configuration like in Poland, it allows for a higher average speed due to ease of overtake, most cars move to the shoulders if they notice someone wants to pass them.
> 
> That said, there are many reckless overtakes and on a long trip you're nearly guaranteed to have to brake for an overtaker from the other direction. There should just be more enforcement for actual reckless overtakes. Seeing THREE people beside each other is not rare, some idiot overtaking someone who already overtaking another happens way to often!
> 
> ...


You are absolutely wrong!
These wide shoulder 1x2 roads in Poland are one of the most dangerous in Europe due to reckless overtaking you wrote about. More policing won't help, it is just a bad design for the heavily trafficked routes They should be all changed to 2+1 where possible.
You might get stuck behind someone slow for a bit but then you can easily and safely overtake on two lane stretch in your direction.


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## snowdog (Mar 27, 2011)

geogregor said:


> You are absolutely wrong!
> These wide shoulder 1x2 roads in Poland are one of the most dangerous in Europe due to reckless overtaking you wrote about. More policing won't help, it is just a bad design for the heavily trafficked routes They should be all changed to 2+1 where possible.
> You might get stuck behind someone slow for a bit but then you can easily and safely overtake on two lane stretch in your direction.


What is wrong ? My opinion ? Yes I know they are very dangerous, but as I said, I can hold a more constant higher speed on them on average!

2+1 will not significantly increase the roads capacity if the direction is alternating, only if it is 2 lanes in 1 direction the whole way...

I'm not opposed to 2+1, but I don't mind the Polish roads with shoulders either.

The problem is that many of these roads, need to be 2x2 in the first place.
Before the A2 between the border and Nowy Tomysl was finished, massive jams sometimes formed on DK92. For low traffic these roads would be fine I think.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Major Polish routes need to be replaced by 2x2 motorways. However, the Danish example carries much less traffic so 2+1 is adequate. Too bad for racing boy here that he can't pass for a minute.


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

snowdog said:


> Yes I know they are very dangerous, but as I said, I can hold a more constant higher speed on them on average!


Any non-enforcing arrangement is dangerous if the traffic culture is primitive.

Of course, a 3-lane system is fatal, if there is no discipline regarding to the middle lane. But a 2+1 does not need to be like that. Finland changed the rules some 15 years ago: it is not allowed to overtake in the "opposite" direction. The traffic is rather disciplined in Finland, and this rule is usually obeyed. No major problems related to the 2+1 roads. The situation might be different in the areas east of the Oder-Neisse line.









_2+1 stretch on route 3/E12, Hämeenkyrö_



> 2+1 will not significantly increase the roads capacity if the direction is alternating, only if it is 2 lanes in 1 direction the whole way...


Their purpose is not increase the road capacity but the average speed by providing oppotunities to overtake the slow heavy traffic.


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## snowdog (Mar 27, 2011)

MattiG said:


> Their purpose is not increase the road capacity but the average speed by providing oppotunities to overtake the slow heavy traffic.


My point is more, that on 1x2 roads, where YOU ARE allowed to overtake at any time, the average speed is even higher, provided traffic allows it...

The only advantage over 1x2 wide roads with shoulders, is safety...

The situation changes of course if overtaking is prohibited, like on many provincial roads in Holland, then I'd take 2+1 over 1x2 any time!


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## Aphelion (May 29, 2010)

In my experience, roads like this (http://goo.gl/maps/ebSXV) in Sweden are sometimes treated as having 2+2 lanes. The shoulders on these (often built 50 years ago or so) roads are many times not stable enough to repeatedly carry trucks who move out to let others overtake.

Many with a somewhat high AADT have already been made 2+1. The example in my link will be replaced by a motorway adjacent to it, thus no upgrade has been made.


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## geogregor (Dec 11, 2006)

snowdog said:


> What is wrong ? My opinion ? Yes I know they are very dangerous, but as I said, I can hold a more constant higher speed on them on average!
> 
> 2+1 will not significantly increase the roads capacity if the direction is alternating, only if it is 2 lanes in 1 direction the whole way...
> 
> ...


For the low traffic roads the 1x2 format with wide shoulders is perfect. Many of the US highways across Dakotas, Kansas and other sparsely populated regions use such format and they are real pleasure to drive. But traffic there is minuscule comparing to major Polish roads.
If we can't afford 2x2 somwhere then 1+2 is always a safer option for heavy traffic than 1x2 with wide shoulder. Even if it slows down some occasional boy racer.


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## Sponsor (Mar 19, 2006)

snowdog said:


> My point is more, that on 1x2 roads, where YOU ARE allowed to overtake at any time, the average speed is even higher


High average speed and unlimited overtaking matters when driving long distances - then you simply pick a motorway.


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## ElviS77 (Aug 3, 2007)

snowdog said:


> The only advantage over 1x2 wide roads with shoulders, is safety...
> 
> The situation changes of course if overtaking is prohibited, like on many provincial roads in Holland, then I'd take 2+1 over 1x2 any time!


The first point is, in my opinion, far more valid than any other. Public roads should be as safe as possible.

The second is an "easy fix" in terms of safety. A busy non-divided road is by definition not particularly safe, and the road authorities are likely to impose simple measures supposed to combat this. Bans on overtaking and reduced speed limits are the simplest ones. I prefer a 100 kph 2+1 to an 80 kph wide 2-lane any day. It's far safer, and - for reasonably law-abiding drivers - generally faster, too.


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

snowdog said:


> My point is more, that on 1x2 roads, where YOU ARE allowed to overtake at any time, the average speed is even higher, provided traffic allows it...


Show me an 1+1 road where overtaking is allowed and possible at any time.


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

^^

+1

In Brazil 2+1 reduced car accidents in these old 1+1 sections.


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## Blackraven (Jan 19, 2006)

IMHO, I think the number of lanes should be equal on both the left side and on the right side. In short, perfect symmetry (what you do on the left, you do on the right)

Hehe


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## snowdog (Mar 27, 2011)

Sponsor said:


> High average speed and unlimited overtaking matters when driving long distances - then you simply pick a motorway.


What motorway ( regarding Poland!) ?

Many routes don't have motorways, eg. Warszawa-Lublin, or until recently, most of the route Swiecko-Warszawa; Nowy Tomysl-Lodz (the A2 bit) was a breeze to drive but the other parts were traffic hell, completely congested DK roads...

Secondly, why would high average speed only matter on long trips, saving 2 minutes on 10 short trips is the same as saving 20 on a long one!


> Public roads should be as safe as possible.


Okay, so you're for a speed limit of 30km/h on all roads ?
( yes I exaggerate to make my point, my line of freedom vs safety is a bit less towards safety than average...)


My opinion is still:

2+1 is better than 1x2 with prohibited overtaking.
1x2 with overtaking allowed is fine, provided it doesn't have much traffic.
If traffic is to heavy on a 1x2 road to comfortably overtake, then 2x2 is necessary...


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## Positronn (Jan 25, 2008)

snowdog said:


> *My point is more, that on 1x2 roads, where YOU ARE allowed to overtake at any time, the average speed is even highe*r, provided traffic allows it...
> 
> The only advantage over 1x2 wide roads with shoulders, is safety...
> 
> The situation changes of course if overtaking is prohibited, like on many provincial roads in Holland, then I'd take 2+1 over 1x2 any time!


This might be true only on straight and flat sections. The traffic obviously, influences on how often you can overtake. Even in flat, but curvy stretches, you can't overtake at any time; depending on the road design, you will never be able to overtake. This is the point, IMO. But if the situation is the following, which one would you prefer, considering the same width and probably similar construction costs: 2+1 with shoulder and no central barrier, or 2+1 with central barrier without shoulders? In Brazilian roads, you can overtake in the 1 lane direction if there is a dashed painting on the ground.


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## Arbenit (Mar 22, 2010)

Fender56 said:


> The profile of the planned 2+1 highway A11 in Denmark, between Esbjerg and the Danish/German border, will be like this.:
> 
> 
> 
> 77 km long, pricetag aprox dkr 2,4 billion.


I wonder, perhaps it would be better if the profile of this road would be 2x2 without these 1.5 m wide hardsholders? And the road would have still the same width 4 X 3.75m =15m + 1m central separation = 16m. :dunno:


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## ElviS77 (Aug 3, 2007)

snowdog said:


> Okay, so you're for a speed limit of 30km/h on all roads ?
> ( yes I exaggerate to make my point, my line of freedom vs safety is a bit less towards safety than average...)
> 
> My opinion is still:
> ...


My point is, as quite clearly made out in the paragraph you neglected to quote, that reducing speed limits and introducing overtaking bans is the easy fix to dangerous (i.e. busy) wide 2-lane roads. I'm also implying that I think such measures will be introduced more often in an increasing number of countries. 

Motorways are of course the best and safest solution, but they will not happen everywhere overnight. 2+1 is a very cheap and reasonably effective solution which is also safer, 2+1 with a fixed central barrier is more expensive, but far cheaper to build than a motorway and almost as safe.


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## flierfy (Mar 4, 2008)

Arbenit said:


> I wonder, perhaps it would be better if the profile of this road would be 2x2 without these 1.5 m wide hardsholders?


These 1,5 m wide strips aren't hard shoulders but verges. They are necessary regardless of the width of the road.


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## Arbenit (Mar 22, 2010)

flierfy said:


> These 1,5 m wide strips aren't hard shoulders but verges. They are necessary regardless of the width of the road.


If so, than google translate is guilty!  yderrabat (danish) = hardshoulders (english)


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

Road 35: a 2+1 road at some hilly sections 



This road is also full of speed cameras, most of them are not in use though.


Some parts of the road are narrow




Other parts are wider


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

^^That looks so much like the southern part of belgium that region! the roads, the landscape...


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

In Sweden 2+1 roads are very common. Some may see them as a temporary alternative for a full motorway, but I consider them to be satisfactory, they keep the speed down.
The 2 lane sections are long enough for overtaking.

Road 40 Ulricehamn-Jönköping is a 2+1 road



Road 40 with wire barriers west of Jönköping.

9km to Jönköping and 5km to Axamo Airport. This part of the road 40 is also shared with road 26 from Halmstad.

End of the 2 lane section. Could be a stressfull moment.


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

In Brazil its very common


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

^^no barriers ? Why not divide the lanes with wires ?


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

^^

Yes. Low Traffic volume. Barrier isnt necessary there.

More one example:


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

NordikNerd said:


> Road 40 with wire barriers west of Jönköping.
> 
> 9km to Jönköping and 5km to Axamo Airport. This part of the road 40 is also shared with road 26 from Halmstad.
> 
> End of the 2 lane section. Could be a stressfull moment.


Why most 2-lanes roads in Europe there is not hard shoulder?


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Hungary, main road 8 westbound after Veszprém
- photos taken August 2013 -


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## ElviS77 (Aug 3, 2007)

xrtn2 said:


> Why most 2-lanes roads in Europe there is not hard shoulder?


I noticed no-one has commented on this, so I'll try to give a reasonable answer. First, "Europe" is not a single entity and the situation differs considerably from country to country. In many countries, most two-lane roads have been replaced with motorways built in a separate corridor. Thus, the old two-laner is much quieter and there is no need to widen it. In other places, wide two-lane roads have been made into 2+1 roads or 2+2 expessways/motorways. Further, many roads in rural parts are not very busy, meaning that the governments don't really see the point in spending the extra money on wide shoulders and mountain or semi-urban roads are often very expensive to realign and/or widen. Still, you will find quite a few wide two-lane roads around the continent, some are even grade-separated.


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## flierfy (Mar 4, 2008)

ElviS77 said:


> I noticed no-one has commented on this, so I'll try to give a reasonable answer. First, "Europe" is not a single entity and the situation differs considerably from country to country. In many countries, most two-lane roads have been replaced with motorways built in a separate corridor. Thus, the old two-laner is much quieter and there is no need to widen it. In other places, wide two-lane roads have been made into 2+1 roads or 2+2 expessways/motorways. Further, many roads in rural parts are not very busy, meaning that the governments don't really see the point in spending the extra money on wide shoulders and mountain or semi-urban roads are often very expensive to realign and/or widen. Still, you will find quite a few wide two-lane roads around the continent, some are even grade-separated.


The real reason is the lack of space or the high expense of space to be precise. Europe is far denser populated than both Americas. Space is valuable over here. Hence it is necessary to use space well and design roads sleek and slender. Shoulders on 2-lane-roads add very little and they simply cost too much to justify its construction.


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## Wilhem275 (Apr 7, 2006)

In fact in Europe the 2+1 is seen as a solution to specific limited problems instead of a general design for complete routes.

2+1 roads are pretty rare, but we have some short segments where needed, usually on steep stretches with an important traffic flow. I'm thinking about the Fernpass road, for example.


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

A short (ca. 5 km) stretch of 2+1 in B27 federal road in Germany, near Buchen (Odenwald). There are first 2 lanes in direction ahead, then it changes to two lanes for the opposite traffic.

May 2014

1.









2. 









3. Here it ends already ... but A81 is not far away!


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## Road_UK (Jun 20, 2011)

Yes. Extra lane going uphill to avoid being stuck behind a crawling lorry. They're all over Germany.


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## BriedisUnIzlietne (Dec 16, 2012)

V512 (soon to be A12/E22) 2+1 road in Latvia. AFAIK the only 2+1 road (except some hill climbs) in the country.
https://www.google.com/maps/@56.392...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sPLnRzvVhmhGs8nETCkWBeQ!2e0

There is no barrier and it's a broken white line so you can overtake. The extra lane is to accommodate lorry queues, not to accommodate high AADT which on this road, when it is complete, will probably be only 1825 - like on the road that this will replace.


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## nestvaran (Oct 6, 2013)

Ivan Sedlo pass on Sarajevo-Mostar M17 road, Bosnia


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## piotr71 (Sep 8, 2009)

British example.


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## verreme (May 16, 2012)

I was in Ireland last month and noticed some Swedish-style 2+1 roads, with at-grade junctions and cable barriers such as this. They couldn't be better -the extra lane is handy to overtake slow traffic, yet when you do it and find you were almost alone you notice there's no need for a dual-carriageway road there. Later, playing with Street View I noticed more roads like that in the country (example).

I'd love to see more of this in my country. It would speed up the upgrade of many corridors that will need to wait a lot because a motorway is too expensive and not justified by traffic volumes.


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

2+1 road with crash barrier. The trucks slow down the pace on these roads, no overtaking possible for 2 km, just slow down.


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## Kanadzie (Jan 3, 2014)

No wonder the rate of suicide is high in Sweden


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## RV (Oct 23, 2007)

As i've always said: the tendency to of building 2+1-roads instead of a very low additional price to pay for narrow 2+2 is ridiculous on AADT 7000-15 000 roads. And then you still have to upgrade to 2+2 later.


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## BriedisUnIzlietne (Dec 16, 2012)

Only if you think that the AADT is going to constantly increase. Maybe Sweden thinks that the oil will run out, and people will cycle to work and eat homegrown potatoes instead of driving to the supermarket?


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## verfmeer (Jul 30, 2014)

In Holland, 2x1 roads with 20 000 vehicles per day are normal, and shouldn't be changed. 2x2 is only build when more then 30 000 vehicles use them daily. So I think the Swedish shouldn't complain here, especially since long distance traffic can use the nearby E4, which is 2x2.


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

2+1 roads are a complete waste of time, 2+2 with no hard shoulder is the same cost, safer, and more effective. 

The Swedes, especially, found this out over time and through a process of trying to upgrade dangerous 1+1 roads or stopping wasting money on wide 1+1 with large hard shoulders. So did Ireland, Finland and Portugal.

Large hard shoulders on 1+1 are no longer required because modern cars in countries with mandatory car inspection regimes are much more reliable and do not need a hard shoulder for breakdowns any more. 

So the Swedes are right, you build 1+1 or 2+2 and no more 2+1. 2+1 should ONLY be used for climbing lanes and ONLY in places where you need to get a 1+1 over a mountain.


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

RV said:


> As i've always said: the tendency to of building 2+1-roads instead of a very low additional price to pay for narrow 2+2 is ridiculous on AADT 7000-15 000 roads. And then you still have to upgrade to 2+2 later.


Most of the 2+1 roads in Sweden are originally 1+1 roads. The conversion cost was rather marginal compared to newbuilds.

The road construction cost is almost directly proportional to the area of the road, especially in arctic areas. Therefore, building 2+2 roads is not a marginal cost increase only to 2+1 roads.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Yep, many Swedish 2+1 roads were created on formerly very wide two-lane roads (wider than in most of Europe). This resulted in a very low conversion cost, while a four-lane expansion would likely require a much more expensive reconstruction and widening of the road. 

2+1 is fine at most locations in Sweden, where traffic volumes are routinely under 15,000 vehicles per day. 

The only real 2+1 road in the Netherlands (N50) is another story though. It carries 30,000 vehicles per day and needs upgrade to four lanes. 2+1 roads are not suitable for this kind of traffic volumes.


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## Wilhem275 (Apr 7, 2006)

Being stuck behind a truck is not a big deal... they always keep a constant speed, the higher permitted to them, and going a steady 80 instead of 90 is fine.

Their problem is that they really waste a lot of time approaching and leaving intersections.


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## ElviS77 (Aug 3, 2007)

ChrisZwolle said:


> Yep, many Swedish 2+1 roads were created on formerly very wide two-lane roads (wider than in most of Europe). This resulted in a very low conversion cost, while a four-lane expansion would likely require a much more expensive reconstruction and widening of the road.
> 
> 2+1 is fine at most locations in Sweden, where traffic volumes are routinely under 15,000 vehicles per day.


In addition, many of these roads aren't grade-separated expressways ("motortrafikled") either, where local traffic would have other options and slow-moving traffic would be banned, but rather rural highways with at-grade intersections. Thus, a complete realignment or rebuild would be required for a 2+2 motorway. Many if not most such sections would see a much lower AADT than even 15000, 4-8000 is not uncommon.


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## Road_UK (Jun 20, 2011)

Wilhem275 said:


> Being stuck behind a truck is not a big deal... they always keep a constant speed, the higher permitted to them, and going a steady 80 instead of 90 is fine.
> 
> .


I agree. Plus you always have that advantage of having something to look forward to when the road becomes dual again. And people like me will not waste an inch of road to overtake the buggers when that happens :lol:


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

ElviS77 said:


> In addition, many of these roads aren't grade-separated expressways ("motortrafikled") either, where local traffic would have other options and slow-moving traffic would be banned, but rather rural highways with at-grade intersections. Thus, a complete realignment or rebuild would be required for a 2+2 motorway. Many if not most such sections would see a much lower AADT than even 15000, 4-8000 is not uncommon.


You can have 2+2 NON Motorway but the lack of hard shoulder and some at grade intersections plus the alignment will mean it is speed limited around 100kph.

Here is a Finnish section of 2+1 on National Road 5 










Simply Lose the hard shoulders, add wire median barrier, reduce lanes to 3.5m wide each and you have enough space for a 2+2 no problemos! No change to land take and alignement required.


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## devo (Jun 24, 2011)

I wouldn't call that proper hard shoulders (3m +), the road needs some shoulders or similar (curb). So I'm sceptical to converting this section to a decent four lane solution.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Roads need to be a little wider than just 4 lane widths. There needs to be at least 0.75 m of pavement on either side of the carriageway between the lanes and barrier / soft shoulder.

0.75 m + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + 0.75 m <barrier> 0.75 m + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + 0.75 m


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## Shifty2k5 (Jun 17, 2010)

ChrisZwolle said:


> Roads need to be a little wider than just 4 lane widths. There needs to be at least 0.75 m of pavement on either side of the carriageway between the lanes and barrier / soft shoulder.
> 
> 0.75 m + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + 0.75 m <barrier> 0.75 m + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + 0.75 m


Sweden builds plenty of 2x2 roads that are just 16 meters wide and those work fine. Usually they have a speedlimit of 100 kph.

Example:

https://www.google.se/maps/@56.9052...m4!1e1!3m2!1s9L9pNRjm194WJiN9q45JjA!2e0?hl=sv


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

They work fine as long as there are not high volumes of (truck) traffic. You don't want a 16 meter wide road with high traffic volumes. A regularly designed motorway (4 lanes, shoulders, median barrier) is usually up to 27 - 28 meters wide. 

Lanes could be narrower than 3.5 m when there is a 100 km/h speed limit though.


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## Jevpls (Apr 8, 2010)

BriedisUnIzlietne said:


> V512 (soon to be A12/E22) 2+1 road in Latvia. AFAIK the only 2+1 road (except some hill climbs) in the country.
> https://www.google.com/maps/@56.392...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sPLnRzvVhmhGs8nETCkWBeQ!2e0
> 
> There is no barrier and it's a broken white line so you can overtake. The extra lane is to accommodate lorry queues, not to accommodate high AADT which on this road, when it is complete, will probably be only 1825 - like on the road that this will replace.


Well, it's hard to call this one as 2+1 road. The extra lane is for resting trucks mostly and drivers actually do not have any benefits. They simply don't have to wait or to overpass lots of trucks. And there is no need for REAL 2+1 - as you said, AADT is quite low.
By the way, Latvian road regulation LVS 190:2 (crossections) has got NP15,5 as a 2+1 road crossection but it has got a barrier. As far as I know, there is no such road in Latvia.


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

ChrisZwolle said:


> Roads need to be a little wider than just 4 lane widths. There needs to be at least 0.75 m of pavement on either side of the carriageway between the lanes and barrier / soft shoulder.
> 
> 0.75 m + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + 0.75 m <barrier> 0.75 m + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + 0.75 m


The Finnish standard for a narrow 2+2 road having the speed limit 100 km/h is 1.50+3.50+3.50+2.00+3.50+3,50+1.50 = 19.00 m. If a concrete divider is used instead of a tube-shaped one, 0.30 meters is to be added.

A narrower road (17.70 m) is allowed, if the speed limit is 80 km/h,

The current route 5 between Lusi and Mikkeli is not a continuous 2+1 road but a 1+1 one with 2+1 sections. The width is 12.00 m on the 1+1 sections and 17.50 m on 2+1 sections. Thus no way to convert it to a 2+2 road by just adding dividers and paint.


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

ChrisZwolle said:


> Roads need to be a little wider than just 4 lane widths. There needs to be at least 0.75 m of pavement on either side of the carriageway between the lanes and barrier / soft shoulder.
> 
> 0.75 m + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + 0.75 m <barrier> 0.75 m + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + 0.75 m


No, it can be 0.5m on the verge and the 2 x 0.75m in the middle INCLUDES the wire barrier not separately, this gives you 0.5m back Chris. 

*0.5* m + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + *1.5m *inc barrier* + 3.5 m + 3.5 m + *0.5 *

Example > http://nrastandards.nra.ie/road-des.../chk833c1f829294d574b0a9a308be9bdf70/no_html1

I stress again that this is a rural or low-medium traffic 100kph expressway standard but a very safe one that can cope with 30k AADT before it starts to get seriously congested. It can also cope with stormy Irish weather and blustery crosswinds.

2+1 maxes out practically at 18k-22k AADT depending on LOS and the danger penalties get high after that point ...mainly 2 impatient drivers not giving way at the end of the 2 bit and colliding.

EDIT, Matti got there before me.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Road authorities cutting cost by building substandard four-lane highways doesn't mean it's always a good idea  Design standards are there for a reason. 

You can build very narrow roads. Is it safe? Maybe, depends on the situation, such as the traffic volumes, truck share, curvature & geometry, etc. 

Some road authorities / policymakers also seem to think that the minimum design standards are also the maximum design standards (just look at any roundabout in the Netherlands...  )


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

A 16m 2+2 width is not in the least substandard at 100kph unless: 

1. There are too many roundabouts inline or
2. The junction run in and run out ( RIRO or Right in Right out) lanes are too short. 
3. The outer edge is not painted in reflective paint.

They are very safe and predictable otherwise except that they cannot take much beyond 30k AADT unless they are completely 100% rebuilt to Motorway and the curve geometry will often be too tight for safe 120kph Motorway running. Then again England and France have numbers of 80kph curves on their motorways where they cocked up the curve geometry on day one. 

Ireland also has a 2+2 'Rural Motorway' standard with 3.5m lanes and most of the Irish Motorway Network by length is built to this standard save near cities. It is probably fine up to 40k AADT not that any sections are near that yet. The carriageway is 21.6m total inc the 60cm slipform concrete barrier. Above that design year AADT you need proper width 3.5m hard shoulders and a wider median ...in case.

Obviously the curves are 120kph rated too. In practice it is perfectly fine to drive it at 140kph, allowing for stiff crosswinds and water spray or fog of course where you should slow down to a more sensible speed.

http://nrastandards.nra.ie/road-des.../chk2d625bbe78e1700d9a1377c2fbad565b/no_html1

But I would not go below 3.5m lane widths in Northern Europe save for 'urban' sections limited to 60-80kph max where I might consider 3.2m width lanes as safe. One must be mindful of side winds/storms and ice too.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Sweden was in a unique position that it had so many 11-13 meter wide roads which could be converted to 2+1 at minimal cost. I've read reports that some segments cost only a few € 100,000 per kilometer to convert (mainly restriping and adding a cable barrier). 

How common are 2+1 roads with no barrier in Sweden? I don't recall having seen them. They are fairly common in Germany.


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

ChrisZwolle said:


> How common are 2+1 roads with no barrier in Sweden? I don't recall having seen them. They are fairly common in Germany.


They are a 1980s era retrofit standard in Sweden. France and Germany built a lot of 2+1 on their national road network in the 1950s and 1960s before they gave up and built a Motorway alongside in the end. 

I doubt if France and Germany built (or retofitted in) any rural 100kph (110kph) 2+1 after 1980.

Both Germany and Sweden liked wide straight 1+1 as they planned heavily on dispersing their substantial air forces to them in the event of war pre 1991.


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## patakcze (Jul 9, 2012)

First class road I/48 in Czech Republic is a 16m wide grade-separated road designed as a two-lane road with wide shoulders, but painted as a four-lane road. The speed limit is 90km/h and it carries 12000-20000 VPD. I have to say, that on weekdays at peak hours it is a very unpleasant road to drive on with many HGV etc. 
On the other hand, when the traffic volume is lower(weekends, early mornings, ...), it isn't that bad, especially the part with cable barrier.

Unseparated part: http://goo.gl/maps/xMQC0
Part separated by a cable barrier: http://goo.gl/maps/widbZ


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

patakcze said:


> First class road I/48 in Czech Republic is a 16m wide grade-separated road designed as a two-lane road with wide shoulders, but painted as a four-lane road. The speed limit is 90km/h and it carries 12000-20000 VPD. I have to say, that on weekdays at peak hours it is a very unpleasant road to drive on with many HGV etc.


I think the unseparated part is a tad less than 16m and the geometry (curves) is tighter than Ireland and Sweden would allow. 

The Irish and Swedish ones are straighter than that which allows 100kph.


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

A short 2+1 stretch in San Marino, driving from Acquaviva to San Marino city.
September 2014.

1.









2.









3.









4.


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## patakcze (Jul 9, 2012)

sponge_bob said:


> I think the unseparated part is a tad less than 16m and the geometry (curves) is tighter than Ireland and Sweden would allow.
> 
> The Irish and Swedish ones are straighter than that which allows 100kph.



Whooops, the road is actually built in two categories:
http://goo.gl/maps/VpwTv S15,0/100 - 15m wide, designated speed 100km/h, no barrier
http://goo.gl/maps/5oRn7 S15,0/100 - 15m wide, designated speed 100km/h, cable barrier
http://goo.gl/maps/1wloH S16,5/100 - 16,5m wide, designated speed 100km/h, no barrier
Anyway, the part with a cable barrier could easily have a speed limit of 110.


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

patakcze said:


> Whooops, the road is actually built in two categories:
> http://goo.gl/maps/VpwTv S15,0/100 - 15m wide, designated speed 100km/h, no barrier
> Anyway, the part with a cable barrier could easily have a speed limit of 110.


Ahhh. I thought it was less than 16m looking at it. 

The real problem is with the continous curves you encounter.

You feel yourself 'pushed' out or in all the time and OUT means against a car travelling at a relative 180kph less than 1m away from you. That 1m of median and the barrier makes it 'feel' more comfortable and if the road was straighter it would feel more comfortable again. Tell the Czech lads to read the Irish and Swedish and Finnish standards _properly_ next time to see how it is done.


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## patakcze (Jul 9, 2012)

Well, the whole I/48 is constantly being reconstructed to an expressway in category R25,5/120. However, I don't really think that it's necessary, especially in the parts with AADT <15000. Adding a cable barrier and a little widening to 16,5m must be enough. But that's my opinion.
By the way, the narrowest four-lane expressway than can be built today in CZ is R21,5/100 with a maximum speed of 110 and left lane just 3,25m wide. And there is no category for 2+1 roads and I don't really get why, because I think that would be a perfect solution for newly built roads with AADT <10000.


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

patakcze said:


> Well, the whole I/48 is constantly being reconstructed to an expressway in category R25,5/120. However, I don't really think that it's necessary, especially in the parts with AADT <15000. Adding a cable barrier and a little widening to 16,5m must be enough. But that's my opinion.


Well 16m at least but the road may still be a 90kph after that owing to the curviness. 



> By the way, the narrowest four-lane expressway than can be built today in CZ is R21,5/100 with a maximum speed of 110 and left lane just 3,25m wide.


Considering Ireland can get a full 120kph motorway into 21.6m you must be doing something a bit odd there.....oh!!! and NO 



> And there is no category for 2+1 roads and I don't really get why, because I think that would be a perfect solution for newly built roads with AADT <10000.


Only in urban areas, too many crashes at the end of the 2 bits if you build them in rural areas _apart from climbing lanes_ on mountains. Developed countries should not build 2+1 roads any more, too dangerous. Even in urban areas the middle lane should be a tidal flow lane to my mind not a 'real' 2+1 

Build 1+1 or 2+2 and thats it or if you must 2+2 > Roundabout > 1+1 > Roundabout > 2+2 etc etc. And no hard shoulder on non motorways, just a layby area every 10km or so.


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## riiga (Nov 2, 2009)

ChrisZwolle said:


> How common are 2+1 roads with no barrier in Sweden? I don't recall having seen them. They are fairly common in Germany.


There are a few. Mostly climbing lanes though.
http://goo.gl/maps/oduRR and http://goo.gl/maps/x91I7 (both same stretch, built in early 90s). There's also a newly built bypass here, which is 1+1 and 2+1 without barriers, but I can't find any images of it.


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

Brazil


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

This 13 m wide road in Poland (DK22) will be converted to 2+1


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## Rebasepoiss (Jan 6, 2007)

This is the standard cross-section for 2+1 roads in Estonia:









Currently there are no 2+1 roads in Estonia but the first section should be built in a couple of years.


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

Rebasepoiss said:


> This is the standard cross-section for 2+1 roads in Estonia:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



15m. When you could get a 2+2 into 16m. 

Hopefully Estonia will ditch that standard and build full 2+2 instead. Much safer and more futureproof.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

If you would incorporate the Estonian design standards of 2+1 into four lanes, the road width would be around 17.5 meters wide.


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## sponge_bob (Aug 11, 2013)

Go for 3.5+3.5 or 3.4+3.6 and no 1.0m edge strip either side and you get a perfectly good 2+2 into 16m. 

As Estonia _is flat_ there is no need for climbing lanes on 1+1 which is the only possible use for that standard in my opinion.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

sponge_bob said:


> Go for 3.5+3.5 or 3.4+3.6 and no 1.0m edge strip either side and you get a perfectly good 2+2 into 16m.


By 'perfectly good', you mean 'heavily substandard'. You can't eliminate all safety features and then call it a 'perfectly good road'.


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## Rebasepoiss (Jan 6, 2007)

sponge_bob said:


> 15m. When you could get a 2+2 into 16m.
> 
> Hopefully Estonia will ditch that standard and build full 2+2 instead. Much safer and more futureproof.


The difference between 2+1 and 2x2 is not one extra lane. It's limited access, collector roads, interchanges etc - that´s why it's a lot cheaper to build 2+1.

Mind you, the planned 2+1 roads currently have an AADT of around 7,000 which is way too little to justify a dual carriageway.

BTW, 15m includes the 50cm wide gravel shoulders on both sides. Without them it's 14m, perfectly fine for a 2+1 road IMO.


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## Kanadzie (Jan 3, 2014)

sponge_bob said:


> Go for 3.5+3.5 or 3.4+3.6 and no 1.0m edge strip either side and you get a perfectly good 2+2 into 16m.
> 
> As Estonia _is flat_ there is no need for climbing lanes on 1+1 which is the only possible use for that standard in my opinion.


What narrow lanes and no edges, what crappy road to drive on. The extra cost is marginal! Should never have lanes narrower than 3,75 m and constrained shoulder unless there is a real reason (existing viaducts or dense urban area...)


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

Wilhem275 said:


> As a driver, I'd strongly prefer the top example, since it totally avoids the bottleneck of the onramp merging into a single lane. Everyone gets its own lane and all the merging manouevers can be carried out easily on a longer distance.


This may be a valid argument when the merging traffic flow is high. Still, the design is different from how motorways typically are constructed, also in Italy, and therefore potentially a bad design. The common concept is that the merging traffic is the one to yield.

The discussion was initially about Swedish 2+1 roads where the merging seldom creates any capacity issue. I made a quick look on my cockpit video from the last year from my southbound trip on the E4 in Sweden. There is a 30 km section of 2+1 road between the motorway endpoints in the south. The section has six merging ramps (five junctions and a service area). The traffic on the main road was moderate, but the number of vehicles merging was zero. Thus, every thru-traffic driver had to change lanes six times. It is hard to see any other reason than to keep the drivers awake 

(The AADT figures show that number of merging vehicles on this section is about 2 to 10 per cent of the main road traffic flow. The figures are highest at the junctions on Ljungby where the E-W main road 25 meets the E4.)


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

A Swiss-German 2+1 road between the Swiss and German border stations at the Bargen -> Randen crossing.

The Swiss part is national road 4, a motor traffic way (Autostrasse), the German is B27 (trunk road - Bundesstrasse); both have a 100 km/h speed limit before the slowdown for the stations.


1. Right after leaving the Swiss station for Germany











2. 











3. German coat of arms signposted ahead, that's where one effectively enters the country.











4. Pick your lane - passenger cars left, trucks right. Border station is ahead.


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