---
title: "Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT)"
url: "https://commonwaysystem.org/patterns/intersections/restricted-crossing-u-turn/"
id: "INT-RCU-13"
description: "An at-grade intersection design in which minor-road through and left-turn movements are removed entirely and redirected via a right turn followed by a U-turn at a designated median crossover."
updated: "2026-10-18"
---

INT-RCU-13 Situational / Discouraged

# Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT)

An at-grade intersection design in which minor-road through and left-turn movements are removed entirely and redirected via a right turn followed by a U-turn at a designated median crossover. Also known as a J-turn or superstreet.

## Pattern viewer

Illustration in progress

No illustration of Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) has been made yet. Interactive views are planned for every pattern and Retrofit Strategy.

## Related Media

The items below come from outside the Commonway System, external videos, podcasts, and articles related to this page's topic, not part of the guidebook itself.

Aligned

### [The Intersection That Makes Left Turns Impossible](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nLK9GzfqHA)

Safe By Design

This video explains how the Restricted Crossing U-Turn removes left turns and crossing movements from the side street, with crash-reduction results from Alabama, Nebraska and North Carolina and an honest look at the longer pedestrian crossings it can create. It is a close companion to the Commonway System's RCUT pattern and retrofit strategy, and to the related Median U-Turn and Displaced Left-Turn designs.

MED-089

Typical at: Rural Suburban

Compact is an edge case. Urban and Core are unlikely pairings.

## Design notes

RCUT goes further than a Median U-Turn intersection by removing the minor road's direct crossing movement as well as its left turn, letting the main intersection serve the major road's through traffic with minimal minor-road interference.[1] This design carries particular benefit for large trucks, since a driver only has to judge a gap in one direction of traffic at a time rather than crossing the full width of a divided highway at once.[2] Like Median U-Turn, this pattern is Situational: it's a strong fit for a high-speed, four-lane-or-larger divided highway, and a poor fit anywhere lower speed or lower volume already makes a Roundabout the better default.[3]

## Related patterns

-   [Median U-Turn](https://commonwaysystem.org/patterns/intersections/median-u-turn.md) (INT-MUT-12) (the related, less restrictive geometry that still allows a direct minor-road through movement)
-   [Displaced Left-Turn](https://commonwaysystem.org/patterns/intersections/displaced-left-turn.md) (INT-DLT-14) (an alternative approach to the same unprotected-left-turn and through-crossing problem)
-   [Signal](https://commonwaysystem.org/patterns/intersections/signal.md) (INT-SIG-03) (the conventional intersection this pattern modifies rather than replaces outright)

## Getting there: Retrofit path options

[Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) retrofit](https://commonwaysystem.org/retrofits/intersection/restricted-crossing-u-turn-rcut-retrofit.md) (RFT-INT-03) reroutes an existing conventional intersection's minor-road movements to this geometry.

## References

1.  Legal / regulatory [Texas Department of Transportation, "14.6 Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersection (RCUT)."](https://www.txdot.gov/manuals/des/rdw/chapter-14--alternative-intersections-and-intercha/14-6-restricted-crossing-u-turn-intersection--rcut.html)
2.  Precedent-based [Wisconsin Department of Transportation, "Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) Intersections."](https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/safety-eng/rcut.aspx)
3.  Evidence-based [Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, "Reduced Conflict U-Turn," SAFERoads Solutions, before-after crash data.](https://transportation.ky.gov/saferoadsolutions/Pages/RCUT.aspx)