The width of a standard median in a major street in the City of Los Angeles is 14 feet. However, the influence of major and secondary highway capacity studies, available right of way, and related studies which are covered elsewhere in this Part of the Manual should be considered when determining the median width to be used.
The following factors indicate instances in which the median should be designed to a width of 10 feet:
- Where an existing section of street with a median strip 10 feet wide is joined by a new, relatively short section of highway, the new median should also be 10 feet wide. This practice makes it possible to maintain lanes at a uniform width throughout the entire length of highway.
- When winding, high-speed standard width major highways are constructed, a painted median strip 10 feet wide is used. Part of the extra width is then allocated to the outside curbed lane. This extra lane width tends to minimize conflicts between parked and moving vehicles.
Individual consideration should be given to each intersection, and the entire length of the project should be evaluated to determine properly whether to use 10- or 14-foot-wide medians. A minimum width of 14 feet is necessary where piers or abutments are to be located on the median strip. The width chosen should provide a minimum of 5 feet of clearance between the face or the structure and the inner edge of the inner painted traffic lane or curb face (whichever applies). The nose of a 14-foot-wide median has a standard width of 6 feet and a minimum width of 4 feet. Any width less than 4 feet may permit vehicles to straddle the island and, in addition, would not be considered wide enough to protect pedestrians, traffic signs, and signal installations. The minimum length of the nose is 24 feet.
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