Sweeping rights are convenient, Why is WISDOT getting rid of them?

[peterj920]

I'm noticing that WISDOT is getting rid of sweeping right turns, where traffic turning right can turn and merge or yield to traffic.  I'm noticing that they are starting to be eliminated at intersections now, despite being more convenient that stopping at a stop sign or going through a roundabout.  Here are a few places below:

WIS 42 south at Wis 57 with the sweeping right:

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.7857124,-87.4790825,3a,75y,93.84h,70.45t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s9Qj73FEeWOzGfxbqic-8ZQ!2e0!5s20151101T000000!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

WISDOT decided to have right turn traffic stop at a stop sign instead:

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.7858226,-87.4788353,3a,75y,214.96h,72.6t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sXmdwLcKUBA_niwFU54r_hQ!2e0!5s20151101T000000!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

I think the sweeping merge makes more sense and is more convenient.

Wis 22 at Wis 32 south was reconstructed to a roundabout but I don't see a reason why the sweeping right had to be eliminated here.  Traffic traveling south on Wis 32 could bypass the roundabout and kept the convenience if the sweeping yield was kept in place.  With the roundabout, that connector was eliminated and traffic had to use the new roundabout. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8961353,-88.2502596,3a,75y,98.63h,85.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6oqTwc0lAHyjUTQQoSDTMA!2e0!7i3328!8i1664?hl=en

I have a map below of the County R and US 10/Wis 42 intersection where the sweeping yield is proposed to be eliminated along with reconstructing the intersection to a roundabout, according to WISDOT and the City of Manitowoc.  There's no reason why the sweeping yield can has to be eliminated, even with the roundabout.  The proposal is in the overall plan below:

http://www.manitowoc.org/DocumentCenter/View/12909

Plenty of them still exist in Northeast Wisconsin, including Wis 57 at Wis 42 north of Sturgeon Bay, Wis 55 south at Wis 54, US 45 south and US 8, and US 8 at Wis 47 north to name a few.  If these intersections are reconstructed in the future the sweeping rights may be eliminated.  I know there are others in the state and there may be some other ones that were eliminated.  I don't understand why WISDOT would want to get rid of them. 

[froggie]

There's documentation that they're more dangerous, especially for pedestrians, but even when there are no pedestrians (in no small part because American drivers have forgotten how to yield).  Forcing turning traffic to stop before they turn is safer because it forces them to look to see if there is traffic coming.

[DaBigE]

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=18515.25, see posts 27-30

[peterj920]

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=18515.25, see posts 27-30

On that thread they're talking about right turns with a pork chop, I'm referring to sweeping rights where traffic has to merge with traffic.  The first intersection of Wis 42/57 had the sweeping merge replaced with an intersection that now has a pork chop separated right turn lane.  Traffic now has to stop at a stop sign instead of merging with Wis 57 north.

[GeekJedi]

My guess is that they're having problems with people understanding the "yield" part of "sweeping yield". The fact that there's merging traffic has likely caused problems.

I'm assuming that the little convenience lost is more than made up for by reduced accidents.

[DaBigE]

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=18515.25, see posts 27-30

On that thread they're talking about right turns with a pork chop, I'm referring to sweeping rights where traffic has to merge with traffic.  The first intersection of Wis 42/57 had the sweeping merge replaced with an intersection that now has a pork chop separated right turn lane.  Traffic now has to stop at a stop sign instead of merging with Wis 57 north.

Still a similar function - the pork chop is just more massive. In any case, like others have said, it mostly has to do with safety. Many times the driver behind is looking severely over their left shoulder for conflicting traffic and not looking at the driver ahead of them that came to a dead stop. Boom, rear-end collision. Similar reasoning as to the angle change shown in the thread I linked to.

While not totally an apples-to-apples comparison this intersection along John Nolen in Madison is notorious for people coming to a dead stop when they don't have to and the driver behind them not expecting the sudden stop.

The sweeping right turns may also not be operationally needed, taking up much more pavement than necessary.