Benefits of Roundabouts

Roundabouts are increasingly becoming more popular due to the benefits that they provide. These benefits include dramatic reductions in serious injury and fatality crashes as well as reductions in delay for road users. Benefits of modern roundabouts have been shown to occur in both urban and rural areas under a wide range of traffic conditions.

 

The Federal Highway Administration designated roundabouts as one of nine proven safety counter measures. Roundabouts provide a number of benefits as described below:

Safety

  • Fewer crashes, 90% fewer fatalities and 75% fewer injuries

  • Fewer severe crashes

  • 10 to 40% fewer pedestrian/bicycle crashes

  • Roundabouts are safer for beginner and elderly drivers

  • Can be used in multiple road intersections

Time Savings

  • 30 to 50% increase in traffic capacity for intersection, less delay waiting at stops and signals

Environmentally Friendly

  • Reduces pollution (from cars not waiting at traffic signals), reduces noise, reduces fuel consumption

  • Roundabout islands can be landscaped with native plants and trees

  • Roundabouts generally take less land than traditional intersections as they don't require turning lanes

Saves Money

  • Without traffic signals, no cost for traffic signals and yearly maintenance

  • Intersection still operates in power outages, no need for police to direct traffic

  • Roundabouts can help  improve sales at nearby businesses across the country as more people can walk or easily drive to locations compared to traditional intersections

  • Can act as a marker to a business or downtown district