Accommodating 

Pedestrians and Bicycles U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Highway Administration 

Making Roundabouts Work for 

Pedestrians and Bicycles 

Location 

Madison, Wisconsin 

Examples of Strategies 

Employed in Madison 

Pleasant View Rd – Valley View 

Rd– Junction Rd Roundabout 

🗸 Bicycle Ramps are provided on all 

approaches, with two approaches 

having a second exit ramp. 

🗸 Widened Sidewalks 

🗸 This roundabout has a pedestrian/ 

bicyclist underpass 

🗸 A truck gore 

🗸 Vane islands are provided on all 

approaches 

Pleasant View Rd, Mineral Point Rd 

🗸 Bicycle Ramps are provided on all 

approaches, with two approaches 

having a second exit ramp. 

🗸 Widened Sidewalks 

🗸 A truck gore 

🗸 Vane islands are provided on all 

approaches 

Lien Rd, Zeier Rd, and Thompson Dr 

🗸 Bicycle Ramps are provided on all 

approaches. 

🗸 Widened Sidewalks 

🗸 Truck gores on all approaches 

“Lower approach and 

circulating speeds can 

improve safety for all users.” 

- Robert Arseneau

City of Madison

Figure 1: Junction Road - Pleasentview Road 

Background 

The City of Madison, Wisconsin has been building roundabouts for over fifteen years. 

Their first modern roundabout, constructed and opened to traffic in 1999, was successful 

and accepted by the local residents. Soon the modern roundabout became the City’s 

preferred intersection design, whenever feasible, and this priority continues today. 

Over time, people traveling across Madison have become more familiar with 

roundabouts and have gained confidence in their performance. However, Madison 

has also made walking and biking a high priority with ambitious goals, so concerns 

for pedestrian and bicyclist safety and access are still expressed at nearly every initial 

public meeting involving a roundabout proposal. To address these concerns and build 

roundabouts that are multimodal, City staff has collected a library of design techniques, 

which are intended to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety. These techniques are 

applied in a holistic manner, considering all users and their needs, throughout the 

design process, to arrive at a balanced and optimal design. 

Approach 

Madison’s approach to accommodating pedestrians and bicyclists is to consider their 

needs from the beginning of the design process, along with motorized traffic. The 

specific needs of each group are studied and prioritized, leading to a balanced design 

that serves all users. The concept of “balance” is very important, since choices about 

design features and geometry can result in tradeoffs between competing project 

goals. For example, reducing the number of lanes and lane widths improves pedestrian 

crossing safety, but can also reduce motor vehicle capacity of the intersection. 

Non-Motorized User Consideration 

The safety and comfort of all users (motorized and non-motorized) is improved when 

approach and circulating speeds are reduced. Speeds can be managed in multiple 

ways, including more pronounced entry curvature, narrower lanes and strategic use of 

landscaping features, to name a few. Even in cases where features that reduce speeds 

through a roundabout also reduce capacity, it is still possible to deliver a project that 

creates a safer, more usable intersection for pedestrians and bicyclists, that is also more 

efficient for motorized traffic even at high volume intersections. This is the basis of the 

City’s holistic approach to roundabouts. 

Landscaping features can be used to elicit more driver caution and alertness and 

to reduce speeds, but it must be carefully designed to screen only unnecessary 

information, such as the view of vehicles beyond the immediate conflict areas, while 

allowing the driver to focus on driving tasks, non-motorized users, and appropriate 

yielding. Judicious use and maintenance of landscaping can result in safer roundabouts. 

A thoughtful approach to signing each roundabout can help reduce sign clutter and 

provide drivers with the ability to focus on the actions of pedestrians and bicyclists, 

while still providing the information needed to maneuver the roundabout 

comfortably and safely. 

FHWA-SA-13-031 

Revised June 2020
 

 

Lessons Learned 

• Reducing vehicle speeds can beneft all

users, motorized and non-motorized.

• Avoid “over-signing” that creates clutter

and may distract drivers or

hide pedestrians.

• Ensure that roadway lighting properly

illuminates critical features at and along

the roundabout, especially the pedestrian

and bicycle facilities.

• Using landscaping to limit excessive sight

distance can improve safety for all users,

but must be designed carefully.

• Balanced, multimodal roundabout designs

are possible when the needs of all users

are considered explicitly and consistently

throughout the project

development process.

Figure 2: Pleasentview Road - Mineral Point 

Learn More 

Rober t Arseneau, P.E. 

Traffic Engineer 

City of Madison 

608.267.8849 

barseneau@cityofmadison.com 

Jeffrey Shaw 

Intersections Program Manager 

FHWA Office of Safety 

202.738.7793 

jeffrey.shaw@dot.gov 

Pedestrian Considerations 

Pedestrian safety for people of all ages and abilities is improved by lower vehicle speeds, 

shorter crossing distances, greater visibility and conspicuity, and drivers that are more 

attentive and focused on the pedestrians and crossings. Visibility of pedestrians at the 

intersection, especially the crosswalks, is critically important. The driver’s view of the 

crosswalks, ramps and landings, and refuge areas should not be obstructed by signs, 

landscaping or any other feature. Crosswalks should be placed to allow drivers to see 

the crossing well in advance and to allow a focus on pedestrians that are present. 

During low-light conditions, visibility can be achieved or improved by ensuring that 

the intersection lighting is provided, and designed to avoid “negative contrast” or 

silhouetting at crosswalks. 

At some roundabouts, there may be concerns about not enough gaps in traffic or 

that drivers will not yield appropriately to allow pedestrians to cross the street safely. 

Appropriate pavement markings and signing can improve motorists’ tendency to yield, 

but other factors such as public information, enforcement campaigns, and pedestrian 

education have also been shown to work well. A rectangular rapid flashing beacon 

(RRFB) is an effective device to install at crossings where pedestrians may have difficulty 

crossing. The City has found that placing the conduit needed for RRFBs (or other 

treatments) is a low cost strategy that provides flexibility to address pedestrian crossing 

experience at a future date. 

Bicyclist Considerations 

Bicyclists approaching a roundabout can vary greatly in their cycling experience, 

skill and confidence. The majority of highly experienced bicyclists may decide to 

ride though the roundabout, while less experienced bicyclists may decide to exit 

the street and proceed as pedestrians across the roundabout. Knowledge about the 

user population should inform how to approach the design. For instance, a nearby 

elementary school or playground could result in regular use by inexperienced bicyclists 

who prefer to use the shared use paths and crosswalks. Wider bicycle off and on ramps 

and sidewalks, along with adequate refuge on the splitter islands to allow room for 

both pedestrians and bicycles, could better accommodate these users. Bicycle exit 

ramps should be provided on all approaches to allow bicyclists the option to exit the 

street before entering the roundabout. 

In the City’s experience, bicyclists who choose to ride through the roundabout usually 

prefer to ride near the center of their lane. This allows the bicyclist to control the lane 

and discourages motor vehicles from attempting to pass, while in the roundabout. 

Keeping the entry lanes less than 14 feet in width allows bicyclists better control of the 

lane. Truck gores for multi-lane roundabouts help to maintain narrower approach lanes 

while also channelizing and separating approach traffic. 

When a roundabout gets larger and more complex due to traffic volumes, more 

bicyclists will choose to exit the street before entering the roundabout and cross at the 

crosswalks. In these cases, greater emphasis should be given to the facilities that allow 

bicyclists to do this, such as adding a second exit ramp on higher volume approaches 

that give a bicyclist another chance to exit the street. Wider sidewalks or a shared use 

path provides room for pedestrians (including those walking their bicycles) and a safe 

route to the next street crossing or ramp for bicyclists to re-enter the street as they 

proceed past the roundabout. 

More Information 

The City of Madison’s website on roundabouts can be found here: 

http://www.cityofmadison.com/trafcEngineering/trafcRoundabouts.cfm