A raised intersection is an area that is flat and raised, used to completely cover an intersection. The raised intersection has a ramp on all directions and usually made up of textured materials on the flat area. To assist the visually impaired and to make the raised intersection visible, a "lip" is made which usually rises to just below or level with the sidewalk. This raised section also makes motorists aware of the crosswalks allocated for pedestrians. A raised intersection is most useful at an intersection with high pedestrian activity, and for where other traffic calming methods are not as effective as they reduce parking bays for motorists.

  

Advantages:

• Can be used to control more than one street at a time
• Can be aesthetically pleasing if designed professionally
• Increased safety for vehicles and pedestrians alike

Disadvantages:

• Drainage needs to be taken in to consideration as they might have a negative impact
• Slightly less effective at traffic calming as compared to Raised Crosswalks, Speed Tables or Speed Humps
• Depeding on the material used for construction, the raised intersections may be expensive

Effectiveness:

• An average of 1% reduction in travel speed in the 85th percentile, or from an average of 50 - 55 kilometers per hour, taken from 3 locations

  

Alternatve Options:

• Raising a short section of road to a flat level (excluding a crosswalk), will be a Speed Table
• By raising an even shorter section and built without the flat top, will be a Speed Hump
• Raising a single crosswalk, will be a Raised Crosswalk