MODERN ROUNDABOUTS

Edgewater Drive, Charlotte County

Modern roundabouts are a safer intersection solution for both drivers and pedestrians. 

Other than the critical safety benefits, roundabouts:

  • create opportunities for placemaking (public art, landscaping, landmarks, gateways).
  • support a more efficient use of resources by reducing idling time and slowing travel speed.
  • reduce noise pollution caused by fast-moving traffic.
  • continue to operate in the case of power outages; and,
  • are less expensive to build and maintain than conventional intersections.

Resources about the safety benefits of roundabouts and how to navigate them.

Illustration of multi-lane modern roundabouts. Source: FHWA.

 

Modern roundabouts are a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Proven Safety Countermeasure and supported by a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Policy on intersection design decision-making. Modern roundabouts have shown to be highly effective in reducing the rate of serious injury and fatal crashes. Replacing stop-controlled and signalized intersections with roundabouts can reduce crashes that result in incapacitating injuries and deaths by up to 80%.

This is because they significantly:

  • slow travel speeds and calm traffic.
  • increase driver awareness.
  • reduce the number of conflict points; and,
  • reduce the possibility of high impact “T-bone” crashes.