SATC 2006:

Roundabouts

JC Krogscheepers
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Outline
• Roundabout Definition
• Roundabout Types
• Safety
• Capacity
• Operations/Design
• Road Markings/Striping
• Road Signs
• Parting Thought
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Definition

Roundabout
vs
Traffic Circle
vs
Modern Roundabout
vs
Rotary
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

What is the Big Deal?

• Yield on entry, vs stop, signal or yield in circle
• Flaring of entries
• Low Speed Gap acceptance vs high speed
merging
• Deflection to control speeds on entry and exit
• No parking inside
• Pedestrians on approaches
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Kingston, NY
SATC 2006:
Roundabouts
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Outline
• Roundabout Definition
• Roundabout Types
• Safety
• Capacity
• Operations/Design
• Road Markings/Striping
• Road Signs
• Parting Thought
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

One type or More?

• Mini-roundabout
• Urban Compact
• Urban Single Lane
• Urban Double/Multi-Lane
• Rural Single Lane
• Rural Double/Multi-lane
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Mini-Roundabout Examples
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Urban Compact Roundabout

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Urban Single-Lane Roundabout

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Urban Double-Lane Roundabout

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Rural Single-Lane Roundabout

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Rural Double-Lane Roundabout

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Typology
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Outline
• Roundabout Definition
• Roundabout Types
• Safety
• Capacity
• Operations/Design
• Road Markings/Striping
• Road Signs
• Parting Thought
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Safety
• Single Lane Roundabouts are the safest type of
any intersection
• Larger than 2 lanes should be treated with
circumspect
• Two-lane exits are banned in Germany
• Cyclists are banned in Multi-lane roundabouts
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Before vs After
• France: -60% to -88%
• Denmark: -53% (urban), -84% (rural)
• Netherlands: -71%
• Australia: -71%
• USA: -76% to -88%
• Belgium:
» -50% (rural)
» -46% (semi-rural)
» -15% (urban)
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

USA
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Roundabouts vs Signals
• France: 100%
• Norway: 100%
• Netherlands: 30%
• Australia: 100%
• Belgium:
• Rural 116% 66%
• Suburban 52% 24%
• Urban 21% (Injuries) 25% (serious)
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Germany
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Golden, CO

Miles x10^6

All Coll’s
Collisions per
x10^6 Injury Coll’s
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

USA Study (55)

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

USA Study (55)

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Where Crashes Happen (USA)

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Outline
• Roundabout Definition
• Roundabout Types
• Safety
• Capacity
• Operations/Design
• Road Markings/Striping
• Road Signs
• Parting Thought
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Different Models
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Study of Roundabout Capacities

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Observed Follow-up and Critical Gap

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Effect of Geometry on Capacity

• Entry Width – Insensitive
• Diameter – Insensitive
• Entry Angle – Insensitive
• Splitter Width – Insensitive
• Number of Lanes - Sensitive
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Outline
• Roundabout Definition
• Roundabout Types
• Safety
• Capacity
• Operations/Design
• Road Markings/Striping
• Road Signs
• Parting Thought
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

FHWA Speed Model

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Right Turn Speeds

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Entering Speeds
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Exit Speeds
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Implications
• Tangential or nearly tangential exits do not
appear to cause excessive speeds if:
– Circulating speeds are low
– The distance between the point of exit and the
point of interest (pedestrian crossing) is small
• Entry speeds appear to be limited by drivers’
anticipation of the speed needed for circulation
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Additional Findings
• Angle between legs are significant, smaller
angle equals higher # crashes.
• Narrow lanes and entries are detrimental to
safety.
• Multi-lane path overlap – apparent contributor to
high # crashes at multilane roundabouts
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Path Overlap
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Path Overlap
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Path Overlap
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Outline
• Roundabout Definition
• Roundabout Types
• Safety
• Capacity
• Operations/Design
• Road Markings/Striping
• Road Signs
• Parting Thought
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

To Mark or not to Mark?

 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Types of Marking
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Road Markings
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Outline
• Roundabout Definition
• Roundabout Types
• Safety
• Capacity
• Operations/Design
• Road Markings/Striping
• Road Signs
• Parting Thought
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Road Signs
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

??
 SATC 2006:
Roundabouts

Parting Thought: Good for Business