VIDEO: Watch the smooth flow of traffic at the Mason-Montgomery and Bethany Road roundabout
Safety is a big reason roundabouts have grown in popularity with county engineers and traffic specialists. Traditional intersections leave drivers with 32 points of potential conflict, sometimes resulting in injury-involved – if not fatal - T-bone, head-on and rear-end crashes.
“With a roundabout, you’re down to eight points,” Neil Tunison, Warren County Engineer, said. “That’s the beauty of the roundabout. Your speeds are slower. You are going in the same direction. The severity of the crashes tends to be less.”
RELATED: Why this community is spending $7 million on new intersection designs
Roundabouts also keep traffic flowing. All turns from the roundabout are made to the right. Dedicated right-turn lanes keep motorists out of the main circle. Roundabout designs use yield signs, “splitter islands” and other devices to merge drivers into openings in moving traffic, cutting the amount of time stopped.
About the Authors
