The design, also called a ThrU-turn intersection, is supposed to relieve congestion and improve safety at the intersection of Ga. 141 (Medlock Bridge Road) and State Bridge Road, according to the city's website.
The novelty of the design is that it eliminates left turns. Drivers wanting to turn left continue straight through the intersection, make a U-turn a short distance past it and then double back to make a right turn onto the street they wish to travel on.
“It seems counter-intuitive, but people will actually spend less time driving through the intersection and making a U turn than they do sitting through two or three red lights,” said Johns Creek Public Works Director Tom Black in a press release.
ThrU-turns also can reduce crashes by 20 to 50 percent, particularly the head-on and angle crashes that tend to cause more severe injuries, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
The project would cost about $4 million. The city is seeking federal and state grants to help fund it. Construction would start in 2017 at the earliest, if approved.
