WHAT THIS IS ABOUT
Roundabouts have been successfully employed throughout the world for many years to provide safe and efficient intersection operations. In the United States we have been slow to understand the advantages of such intersections, as in 1995 there were only about one dozen roundabouts in the entire country. Today, however, roundabouts have become very popular, with their number growing to over 2300. The primary purpose of this course is to increase the understanding and awareness of the many advantages of roundabouts, and thereby to increase their popularity and usage. This will be accomplished by discussing roundabout operational and safety advantages, with a focus on the conditions where roundabouts are the preferred solution, and to present the fundamental design principles. This will include discussion of roundabout geometric design elements, associated roadway design considerations, and the basic design checks and measurements.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of the course, the participants will possess a fundamental understanding of:
• the different types of rotary intersections and their uses
• the advantages of modern roundabouts
• roundabout general design principles and considerations
• roundabout design elements, design checks and measurements
• roadway design considerations for roundabouts
• other roundabout related design considerations
• including pedestrian and bicycle provisions, signing and pavement marking, street lighting, and landscaping
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
This course is appropriate for local and state government engineering, planning and public works employees, consulting personnel, and others involved in the evaluation and design of roadway and intersection improvements. The workshop material will serve as an excellent source of current information for people with different levels of experience and participation in the subject matter, and could even prove valuable for administrators, politicians and others whose involvement is more at the policy and/ or decision-making levels.