{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T18:27:10Z","timestamp":1786559230508,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":19,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786492800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This paper presents a microscopic simulation modeling of 30 signalized intersections in Riyadh, using detailed datasets on direction traffic volume, lane configurations, and current signal control structure. Six distinct Median U-Turn scenarios were developed, categorized by longitudinal offset from the intersection center ranging from 120\u2013300 meters. These configurations were closely evaluated against the conventional signalized intersection for operational viability. Simulations were executed within PTV VISSIM for both the baseline signalized control and the six MUT alternatives, resulting in more than 3,000 simulation runs to ensure statistical soundness in extracting travel time, delay, and queue length metrics. The final results indicate that the MUT design outperforms the conventional signalized intersection at total entering volumes (TEV) of 4,000 vehicles per hour (vph) or less. Within this range, the results identify optimal offsets of 150m for moderate volumes, 180\u2013210m for high directional splits, and 250\u2013300m for high-intensity demands (&gt;1,200 vph). While MUT designs excel below 4,000 vph, the conventional four-leg signalized intersections consistently emerge as the superior design once this total volume threshold is exceeded.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0355385","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T17:27:39Z","timestamp":1786555659000},"page":"e0355385","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Scenario-based operational evaluation of Median U-Turn intersections across traffic demand levels"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-0653-6264","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Abdulrahman","family":"Badwes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Saif","family":"Alarifi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0355385.ref001","unstructured":"Riyadh City Royal Commission. Traffic Intersections by Main Street and Cross Street. 2025."},{"key":"pone.0355385.ref002","author":"Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services","year":"2024"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0355385.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1249","DOI":"10.1139\/l11-085","article-title":"Operational performance analysis of the unconventional median U-turn intersection design","volume":"38","author":"M El Esawey","year":"2011","journal-title":"Can J Civ Eng"},{"issue":"0","key":"pone.0355385.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"0","DOI":"10.21608\/sej.2022.157149.1020","article-title":"Calibration and Validation of Microsimulation Models for Estimating Control Delay at Signalized Intersections in Upper Egypt, Sohag city as case study","volume":"0","author":"A Mandor","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sohag Engineering Journal"},{"key":"pone.0355385.ref005","first-page":"50","article-title":"Median U-turn design as an alternative treatment for left turns at signalized intersections","volume":"72","author":"JG Bared","year":"2002","journal-title":"ITE J"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0355385.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"206","DOI":"10.1177\/0361198120921158","article-title":"Safety Evaluation of Median U-Turn Crossover-Based Intersections","volume":"2674","author":"MMA Al-Omari","year":"2020","journal-title":"Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0355385.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1080\/18128600902795042","article-title":"Modelling the operational effects of unconventional U-turns at a highway intersection","volume":"5","author":"J Shahi","year":"2009","journal-title":"Transportmetrica"},{"key":"pone.0355385.ref008","author":"W Hughes","year":"2010"},{"key":"pone.0355385.ref009","author":"JJ Kay","year":"2022"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355385.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.3141\/2439-07","article-title":"Optimal Intersection Operation with Median U-Turn","volume":"2439","author":"J Zhao","year":"2014","journal-title":"Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0355385.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.3311\/PPtr.23354","article-title":"The Feasibility and Operational Performance of Implementation Median U-turn Intersections: A CRITIC Method","volume":"52","author":"TI Alhadidi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Period Polytech Transp Eng"},{"issue":"0","key":"pone.0355385.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"0","DOI":"10.21608\/sej.2024.326251.1067","article-title":"Operational Performance Evaluation of the Median U-turn Intersection","volume":"0","author":"T Abdel-wahed","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sohag Engineering J"},{"key":"pone.0355385.ref013","article-title":"Introducing two new versions of continuous flow and median U-turn combination intersection designs","volume":"151","author":"A Mehrara Molan","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Transp Eng A Syst"},{"key":"pone.0355385.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijtst.2025.04.006","article-title":"Investigating safety implications of median U-turn (MUT) intersections based on dilemma zone and critical gap analysis","volume":"22","author":"SI Kamili","year":"2026","journal-title":"International J Transportation Sci Technol"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0355385.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1352","DOI":"10.1177\/03611981211015990","article-title":"Evaluation of a New Intersection Design, \u201cShifting Movements\u201d","volume":"2675","author":"MMA Al-Omari","year":"2021","journal-title":"Transportation Research Record: J Transportation Research Board"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355385.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1287\/trsc.2022.1163","article-title":"Microscopic Traffic Modeling Inside Intersections: Interactions Between Drivers","volume":"57","author":"J Zhao","year":"2023","journal-title":"Transportation Science"},{"key":"pone.0355385.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104489","DOI":"10.1016\/j.trc.2024.104489","article-title":"A behaviourally underpinned approach for two-dimensional vehicular trajectory reconstruction with constrained optimal control","volume":"159","author":"J Zhao","year":"2024","journal-title":"Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies"},{"key":"pone.0355385.ref018","author":"Saudi Roads Authority","year":"2023"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0355385.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"863","DOI":"10.3390\/su13020863","article-title":"Perception Analysis of E-Scooter Riders and Non-Riders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Survey Outputs","volume":"13","author":"MH Almannaa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sustainability"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0355385","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T17:27:45Z","timestamp":1786555665000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0355385"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Zhihong (Arry)","family":"Yao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"references-count":19,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0355385","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]}}}