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What the heck is a roundabout, and why are they so bad?
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Author:  Jeff Brenton [ Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:34 pm ]
Post subject:  What the heck is a roundabout, and why are they so bad?

There's been a lot of discussion on one of the local talk shows about roundabouts (or "rotaries" as I've heard them described in the eastern US), and the fact that they have a shockingly high rate of collisions, given that they're "supposed" to be so simple. Two of them in New Berlin, Wisconsin, for example are in the top 3 most dangerous intersections on a per-vehicle-operation basis.... and they're within sight of each other.

While doing some background checks on the situation (Wisconsin DOT wants to change many busy intersections into roundabouts whenever they come up for major repair), WiDOT has linked to a page from Alaska that describes their operation, with animations. I thought people here might want to see "proper roundabout etiquette".

I know of only 2 in the area I normally travel. One is so small, you have to wonder why it's there (and it's too close to the police station to have any REAL fun on! :cry: ), and the other is so totally screwed up that it sometimes seems dangerous to stand too close to it. But, a lot of the pages I've found while poking around says that it isn't just WiDOT on the RA bandwagon; US DOT is pushing them, too. Any time federal money is involved, the agency doing the work must at least consider making major intersections into roundabouts, rather than using lots of traffic lights.

Hmmm... I should go check the ILDOT webpages, and see if they're planning any new ones around here... I know two intersections that were just built (tollway ramps) that probably would have made great RAs.

Author:  Jeff Brenton [ Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What the heck is a roundabout, and why are they so bad?

Wisconsin DOT has been going bonkers on roundabouts for years... here's a full-house set of them, from near Richmond, Wisconsin

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