# Presentation: 504654

## ITE Working Group on Roundabout Accessibility Issues

- ROUNDABOUTS

## A roundabout...

**... ****is an intersection with a generally ****circular**** shape.**
**... ****requires all entering traffic to ****yield**** to circulating traffic.**
**... ****has appropriate geometric features to ensure ****slow entering and circulating speeds****.**

## Roundabouts are a subset of circular intersections...

**Roundabouts**

**Rotaries**

**Neighborhood****traffic circles**

**All circular****intersections**

**Others**

## Conversion of Rotary to Roundabout:Kingston, NY

- Photo: New York State DOT

## Key Roundabout Features

- Exhibit 1-1, p. 6

## Roundabouts versus Traffic Circles

**Five key elements distinguish roundabouts:**
**YIELD control on entry**
**Priority to circulating vehicles**
**Pedestrian access & crossing**
**Parking**
**Direction of circulation**

## Speed Reduction

**Speed Reduction**

## Speed Reduction

**Adequate Deflection**

**Little Deflection**

- Photos: Lee Rodegerdts

## Settings

**Mini-roundabouts**
**Urban compact**
**Urban single-lane**
**Urban double-lane**
**Rural single-lane**
**Rural double-lane**

## Mini-Roundabout Examples:Germany

- Photos: Werner Brilon

## Urban Compact Roundabout:Germany

- Photo: Werner Brilon

## Urban Single-Lane Roundabout:Bend, OR

- Photo:  Oregon DOT

## Urban Double-Lane Roundabout:Clearwater, FL

- Photo: Bruce Robinson

## Urban Multi-Lane Roundabout:Avon, CO

- Photo: Lee Rodegerdts

## Rural Single-Lane Roundabout:Leeds, MD

- Photo: Maryland SHA

- Photo: Lee Rodegerdts

## Rural Double-Lane Roundabout Examples

**Taneytown, MD**

**Utrecht Province, The Netherlands**

**Australia**

- Photo:  Eenheid in Rotondes, CROW

- Photo:  Lee Rodegerdts

- Photo:  Austroads

## Typical Settings and Reasons for Implementation

**Community Enhancements**
**Traffic Calming**
**Safety Improvements**
**Operational Improvements**
**Special Situations**

## Community Enhancements

- Photo: Lee Rodegerdts

- Photo: Joe Bared

**Located in areas where capacity and safety are not key issues**

**France**

**Naples, FL**

## Traffic Calming

**Naples, FL**

- Photo: Lee Rodegerdts

**Used for speed control in neighborhoods**

## Geography

**International**
**  ****- 50,000+**
**  ****- 15,000+ in the UK and France**
**US**
**  ****- 252 minimum**
**  ****- likely more than 500**

## 252 US Roundabouts

**174 (69%) single lanes**
**56 (22%) are multi-lane**
**22 (9%) unknown**
**  **

## A brief history of roundabouts

**1900**

**1950**

**2000**

**A brief history of roundabouts**

**1905: Columbus Circle in NYC**

**1966: Mandatory “give-way” rule adopted in UK****First modern use in UK**

**1997: Added to HCM**

**1970s: First modern use in France, Australia**

**2000: FHWA’s *****ROUNDABOUTS: An Informational Guide***

**1980s: First modern use in Germany**

**1990: First modern use in U.S.**

**1920s-1950s: Rotaries built in U.S.**

## NCHRP Synthesis 264 (Jacquemart)

**Before Construction**

**After Construction**

## ITE Journal, Sept. 2002 (Retting, et al.) Survey in KS, MD, and NV

**Before Construction**

**After Construction**

## Pedestrian / ADA Issues

**Positives**
**Speed-controlled environment**
**Splitter island provides refuge**
**Negatives**
**Pedestrians must assess gaps**
**Disabled, children, and elderly may have difficulty**
**Entries and exits with more than one lane are difficult to cross**

## Pedestrians

**General Principles**
**Discourage use of central island**
**Crossing set back from the yield line**
**Splitter islands**
**Perpendicular crossings**

## Visually Impaired Pedestrians

**Navigation tasks:**
**Locating the crosswalk**
**Listening for a safe gap**
**Splitter island pedestrian refuge**
**Locating the correct path after the crossing**

## Pedestrian Crossing Design

- Exhibit 6-26, p. 157

## Sidewalk Design

- Exhibit 6-40, p. 169

## Pedestrians:Europe

- Source: Werner Brilon

## Pedestrians:Annapolis, MD

- Photo: Ed Myers

## Multi-modal Treatments:The Netherlands

**Good Solution – safe – higher volumes**

**Separate bicycle track/path**

- Source: Rotondes - CROW

## Multi-modal Treatments:The Netherlands

**Multi-modal Treatments:****The Netherlands**

**Ped/Bike Priority (urban areas)**

- Source: Eenheid in Rotondes - CROW

**Vehicle Priority (rural areas)**

## Visually Impaired Pedestrians

**Design Guidance:**
**Optimal location of crosswalk**
**Optimal orientation of crosswalk**
**Application of textured pavements**
**Raised crosswalks**
**Traffic Control**
**Other guidance issues**

## Visually Impaired Pedestrians

**Technological Advancements:**
**Flashing beacons**
**Raised Crosswalks**
**In-pavement flashers**
**Pedestrian signals (midblock, actuated, ped activated)**
**WMU research**