A Michigan left, sometimes known as a median U-turn or median U-turn crossover, is an automobile traffic maneuver in which a right turn and a unidirectional U-turn replace a prohibited left turn. The term comes from the fact that the arrangement is quite common along Michigan roads and highways, and extremely rare anywhere else in the United States.
Michigan lefts occur at intersections where at least one road is a divided highway or boulevard. Left turns onto the divided highway are prohibited. Instead, drivers on roads that cross the highway are directed to turn right. Within a 1/4 mile (400 m), they queue into a designated U-turn lane in the median. When traffic clears they complete the U-turn and go back through the intersection. For additional safety purposes, the U-turn lane is designed so traffic only flows through it one-way.