Title: ROUNDABOUTS: IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY AND INCREASING CAPACITY
Abstract: Attempts to improve the safety of motorists at intersections began in the 1930s and 1940s with the construction of traffic circles in several states. As a result of design and alignment of right-of-way defects and nonuniform signing, however, the circles did little to promote safety. Moreover, they tended to constrict traffic flow. The roundabout, a variation of the traffic circle, may provide a solution to these problems in some instances. In Western Europe, where this type of intersection is commonly found, changes in roundabout design, along with changes in traffic regulations, have noticeably increased road safety and capacity. Now many highway engineers in the United States have become advocates for roundabouts as a means to reduce accidents and improve traffic flow. This article presents further information on the following: roundabout characteristics; sites where roundabouts make sense; safety versus road capacity of roundabouts; safety analysis in Europe and the United States; traffic delay analysis in the United States; and future research.
Publication Year: 1997
Publication Date: 1997-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 4
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