Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD-2008) These proposed revisions are open for comment until July 31, 2008. Tho it contains greatly Roundabout coverage, there are no examples that I saw of the several ways to incorporate them in highway interchanges.
Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD-2003)
"We love to drive! Americans relish the freedom of climbing in a vehicle and hitting the road. And as we drive, we rely on a complex series of visual cues to help us make the journey safely. The signs, signals, and pavement markings that guide us are called traffic control devices. These devices are the language that communicates to drivers along the Nation's roadways. They tell us to slow down for the sharp curve on a two-lane rural byway. They make it possible for us to drive 100 km/h (65 mi/h) on the highway separated from other lanes of traffic by only a narrow yellow line. They tell us when and where to stop, and where we should think twice before we park. And they communicate with us in Mobile and Minneapolis, New Orleans and New York, in Seattle and Savannah."
Overview, Millenium ed.
The
Peer-to-Peer Program (new 2003) for Traffic Control Devices (P2P TCD): FHWA is introducing a new assistance program to provide short-term assistance to address specific, technical issues on traffic control devices at
no cost to the user.
Click here for more information.
California (DOT) Roundabout Design - DESIGN INFORMATION BULLETIN #80-01
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC), a federally owned and operated research facility in McLean, VA. -
Roundabouts: An Informational Guide FHWA-RD-00-67, June 2000 (Out of print ~May'04; new revised edition will be needed)
NCHRP 03-65A - a thorough revision & update of the 2000
Informational Guide - due for completion in 2009
Tri-fold Flyer on community benefits - printed copies available directly from FHWA - contact NEAR for the address (Almost out of print, May'04)
FHWA -
Safety -
Roundabout Safety (2 pages -
2nd page covers history, retro-fitting, & poor results from non-conforming circles)
CMAQ funding spend on Roundabouts would both reduce congestion & improve air quality
Transportation Authorization funding-HR3 (signed Aug'05,
2.1mb pdf), "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users" or "
SAFETEA–LU" - p370 at the bottom, says:
SEC. 1947. ELIGIBLE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
<== for 100% funding
Section 120(c) of title 23, United States Code, is amended
<== Text of Title 23, Sect-120
in the first sentence by inserting "traffic circles (also known as
‘
roundabouts’)," after "traffic control signalization,".
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration -
Intersections - doesn't mention the importance of Roundabouts!?
"
National Agenda for Intersection Safety" -
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) -
AASHTO GREEN BOOK - A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (2001)
National Association of Design Organizations (
NADO) - Regional Transportation Online Center (
RTOC) -
Transportation Research Board (
TRB) - Washington, DC - In 6/03 a site search showed 51 references to Roundabouts. In 3/05 a site search showed 103 references to Roundabouts.
TRB's 1st "
National Roundabout Conference" held in Vail, Co., 22-25 May 2005. Details of
Presentations
TRB's 2nd "
National Roundabout Conference" (860kb pdf) will be held 18-21 May 2008, in Kansas City, Missouri.
More information & registration
National Cooperative Highway Research Program (
NCHRP) - administrated by TRB
Institute of Transportation Engineers (
ITE) -
Road Safety Audits (
RSA)
American Council of Engineering Companies (
ACEC) -
National Transportation Safety Board (
NTSB) -
Highway Safety Office - From the NTSB
Mission Statement:
"The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent Federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant accidents in the other modes of transportation -- railroad, highway, marine and pipeline -- and issuing safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents..."
DMV stuff
Transportation Association of Canada
(TAC) - (Canadian equivalent of the US AASHTO & more) - each publication may be purchased from their online
Bookstore or phone: 613-736-1350 x235
TAC 2003 Conference (Sept'03) in St.John's Newfoundland heard 2 papers on Roundabouts
TAC 2004 Conference (Sept'04) in Quebec City, PQ
...
TAC 2008 Conference (21-24 Sept'08) in Toronto, Ont
Canadian Transportation Research Forum (CTRF) - The CTRF was created in 1965 by Canadian transportation professionals who felt there was sufficient interest to break away from the American Transportation Research Forum (TRF)
Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada (1998) (MUTCD) - PTMMUTCD
Purchasing this edition automatically includes the newest updates (see below)!
Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada (2002) PTM-MUTCDUP02, 22pp - December 2002 update
Updates to the MUTCD, covering the fiscal period April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2003, are being released this year in one update package. The 22-page package, the third in the series of updates since the Manual was published in 1998, covers the following topics:
- Visibility of traffic signals
- Signage for roundabouts
- Photo enforcement signage
- Telephone teletype signage
- Hospital signage.
Geometric design guide for Canadian roads (1999) - PTM-GEODES99
"This new guide updates, combines and replaces the 1986 Geometric design guide and the Urban supplement to the geometric design guide for Canadian roads. New information in the guide includes provision of explicit discussions regarding road safety throughout the guide, as well as a chapter devoted to "roadside safety" and the introduction of the concept of "design domain." Plus, there are many other new/expanded areas covering design consistency, roundabouts, rumble strips, truck escape ramps, design vehicle dimensions, retrofit design, aesthetics, ramp design speed for trucks and pedestrian accommodation. The major divisions within the guide are Principles of Design, Elements of Design,
Special Design Features, and Supporting Material. 830 p."
Canadian guide to neighbourhood traffic calming (1999), 100pp - PTM-TRAFCALM
Transport Canada -
Road Safety Vision 2010 - 2001 Update - Road engineering research currently being undertaken to support the Vision’s targets includes the development of:
(Without mentioning Roundabout directly, this Initiative opens the door!)
- a reference guide for transportation specialists that will summarize safety-related information on intersection controls, signal design and operation, traffic signs and pavement markings, as well as information on enforcement and pedestrian and cyclist safety;
- a Transport Canada Road Safety Web page called "Read Your Road," which is intended to inform the public about road signage and how to safely interact with vulnerable road users; and
- a manual of recommended practices and engineering solutions to reduce red-light running.
UK "Highway Code" (Driver Training Manual) -
UK Department of Transport
2Pass UK Driving Test -
How 2 do Roundabouts - animated w/ dialog (remember its mirror imaged of North America! :-)
UK Social Costs for 2002 in 2002 currency
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) - includes Air Quality assessment techniques - complete 15vol set, ISBN 0-11-551384-1, £2,300
Individual chapters & sections may be purchased separately
Roundabouts covered in Vol.6, Sect.2 -
contents,
download - looks like Ourston's book!?
Nordic Road & Transport Research
Joyriding: A Practical Manual For Learning the Fundamentals Of Masterful Driving by Ken Zuber (401pp)
-
Roundabout Workshops for Planners or Engineers - (for WSs outside the NE see the KSU site)
NorthEast Area Roundabouts (NEAR) -
Roundabout Workshops
-----------------------------
Outside the Northeast -
Mid-Atlantic ITE &
NE Roundabouts (Howard McCulloch & Rich Schell) - March 2005 - (Philli 8-9th; Pittsburg 28-29th)
flyer (166kb pdf)
Ourston Roundabout Engineering -
Workshops (~$1000 for 3 days in July) in UK style Roundabout Design - 806 Fawn Place, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 - (805)563-1400
with Instructors Leif Ourston, Scott Ritchie,
Mark Lenters, and Jim Ito in North America's lovely Roundabout Valley.
Avon and Vail now have 14 roundabouts for you to view, drive, and videotape, and the best time is Fourth of July.
Historic Roads should advocate retro-fitting Classic Circular Intersections to 21st century standards for better traffic flow & safety
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Experienced Engineers, Design Firms, Planning - (in addition to the firms listed below, there are now many in the Northeast that have designed & built at least 1 Roundabout)
NE Roundabouts - Howard M. McCulloch, PE;
HMMcCulloch(at)roundabouts.cc Roundabout Design, Peer Review, Workshops - Experienced with both Single & Double Lane Roundabouts (single, double or arrays); & Retrofitting of existing circular intersections
Roundabouts Canada - This organization has been instrumental in designing many Roundabouts that have recently been built across Canada with several in Quebec & Ontario
Also available to work in New England, & New York State.
----------------
SVE Associates - Robert A. White ASLA, Norwich, Vt, (802)649-2718,
email
Alternate Street Design, P.A
. Pres. Michael Wallwork, PE writes:
"During my previous experience as a District Traffic Engineer in Melbourne, Australia, recently voted the most livable city in the world, I developed a design perspective that streets were to be designed for people, pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, and because the function of streets varies, we cannot apply the same design standards to all streets.
"During my work in Melbourne
safety for all people was paramount. However,
the old methods, traffic signals, all-way stop control flashing lights are usually inadequate. To make streets and highways safer we need medians, roundabouts, traffic calming, and new people friendly road designs.
"My objective is to help communities develop safer, more efficient and more attractive roads that better suit their current needs. You may be surprised as to what tools are now available and meet current standards. Please call to find out what how I can bring a new perspective to your situation."
Modern Roundabouts - "Modern roundabouts are the prettiest and safest form of traffic control in the world.
Roundabouts slow all vehicles, provide refuge for pedestrians, and are the only traffic control device in which trees can be planted, fountains can bubble or spray, statutes can sparkle into the next century. When constructed as part of new road construction they are cheaper to build than signalized intersections. If used instead of traffic signals they save us all money. Their maintenance cost is almost zero. They require no electricity, no regular tune-ups, no annual replacements of parts, suffer no blackouts and cannot be blown away." - Michael Wallwork
email (Gap Model advocate)
Modern Roundabouts - Kittleson & Associates - KAI provides transportation engineering and planning services, including applied national, state, and local research. The firm generated FHWA's Roundabouts: An Informational Guide, conducted NCHRP 3-65 (Report 572) Roundabouts in the United States, and is presently producing a second edition of the FHWA Roundabout Guide. The firm conducts training, peer reviews, and planning, operations, and design evaluations for all types of intersections, including roundabouts. The firm also maintains an online, searchable database of all types of circular intersections at
roundabouts.kittelson.com
RoundaboutsUSA (Runs "Cookie Script" on your computer!!!)
An excellent web site, with links to many reports, & city/state RDB guides, standards, etc
Bill Baranowski (
email)- Salt Lake City, Utah - Roundabout Designer since 1995. Bill is a city traffic engineer and consultant designing roundabouts mainly in Utah and Colorado. Bill has helped design 50 roundabouts constructed in the USA. His roundabouts include freeway interchange roundabouts, single-lane roundabouts, multi-lane roundabouts and the first roundabout in the USA incorporating light rail transit through the center.
Roundabout Warrants & Design Basics - check list
Mini-Roundabouts (UK based, seminar series - US-1999, most UK)
Ourston Roundabout Engineering -
Roundabout Design Guidelines by
Leif Ourston ($25 from
Amazon, ISBN# 0-97-138151-8 )
Planners
BFJ (Buckhurst Fish & Jacquemart, Inc.)
Toni Gold, Senior Associate, Training
email -
Project for Public Spaces
Walkable Communities - Dan Burden, Florida, (386)454-3304;
contact
Sustrans UK (Ben Hamilton-Baille)
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Software
RODEL Software Inc - (
ROundabout
DELay) - no web page ~$800us.
RODEL Manual - based on "Empirical Model" (ie, based on extensive observation data - especially accurate for RDB's that operate close to max. capacity) -
Demo Version (6 week) available by contacting
Barry Crown (remove 2nd "@")
ARCADY (
Assessment of
Roundabout
CApacity and
Dela
Y ) - single license £950 (~$1450us) -
TRL Software - Windows based, up to 7-leg Intersections w/ accident projections - based on "Empirical Model"
TRL Software Bureau "CALLING ALL TRAFFIC ENGINEERS, we would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to our exclusive range of
software products designed to help Traffic Engineers world wide, to solve their often complex traffic problems. Our world renowned software is used extensively throughout the UK and overseas and our technical staff are involved in continuous development work in order to meet customer requirements".
£850 minimum cost ($1275 for 1 installation) <== from TRL - a Transportation Research & Engineering firm
TRL Reports that RODEL & ARCADY are based on may be obtained from the
TRL Bookstore or email info@trl.co.uk, phone (from the US) 011-44-1344-770-203
SIDRA - Developed in Australia by Rahmi Akçelik, ~$900us for single license - based on "Gap Model" (ie, based only on theoretical considerations - excellent for rural RDB's with low traffic volume). At high traffic densities, indicates overly large ICD's needed -
http://www.aatraffic.com/SIDRA/roundabouts.htm
Software Compared (RPI - ppt)
RPI - Roundabout Design considerations (prepared by Kittleson)
PPt
Savoy Computing Services, Ltd (UK) -
AutoTrack 6, Call for pricing in US, site licences, or upgrades - "In version 5 we gave you multi-vehicle animation and movie file output. Now with version 6 we give you a free stand-alone version complete with CAD system. Demand for this version has been unprecedented, with hundreds of downloads within just days of release."
Used by all New England DOTs, NYSDOT, & 12 other states. A "Buy Canada" policy blocks sales in the Atlantic Provinces.
Demo Version (~15mb) fully functional, but you can't use specific vehicle templates.
UK: 011-44-1580-720-011; US: 1-866-527-3790; E:
sales@savoy.co.uk
Transoft Solutions -
AutoTURN 4.2 retains all the essential features of 4.1 such as Path Control, simultaneous vehicle simulation, maximum width indicators, vehicle naming, summary reports and network log utility.
AutoTURN 4.2 is now compatible with MicroStation V8.1 and AutoCAD 2004.
Demo Version (~5mb) -
Main Office in Richmond, BC; phone 1.888.244.8387 (US & Canada)
Visum - http://www.english.ptv.de
Vissum,
Corsim,
Aimsun
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Roundabout Web Pages & pdf's
Alaska - in 2006, 71 references to RDB's, & good Roundabout Program, but no DOT or LTAP RDB webpage
Alberta - Ministry of Transportation - couldn't find RDB references
Camrose RDB's -
Arizona DOT -
California
(Very brief! Placeholder? :-) - Ca Driver Manual (see p32-33 of 7.7mb pdf)
Colorado -
Jefferson County -
Brochure (261kb pdf)
Florida -
Design Guide - (Ch3 Geometric Design - Roundabouts only mentioned in 3.2.1 referring to
"Florida Roundabout Guide"; Ch4 Signalization; ) -
Ch 2 Intersection Design Concepts - Many references to RDB's
Ch 5 Signs & markings - seems an add-on, not thoroughly integrated into the chapter
Kansas -
Highway Patrol - Roundabouts
Shawnee Roundabouts
Maine DOT - no dedicated web page but 3 references to RDB's
Maryland Roundabouts -
Missouri Hwy Design Guide (378kb pdf), Ch4 (At grade Intersections, 4-05.8, Roundabouts) -
Michigan DOT - In Michigan, home of the nation's first stop sign and traffic signal, about 20 roundabouts are currently in use, and another six are in planning stages (2006, Ed Waddell, transportation planner) - Omni Transportation Eng -
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New Jersey Traffic Calming, Roundabouts, 9ft lanes
Waterloo Municipality Ontario - west of Hamilton
New York State DOT -
Nova Scotia Roundabouts - A 7p pdf, looks like a Driver Training supplement
Pennsylvania DOT -
Guide to Roundabouts (pdf) - very informative!
Oregon DOT -
Province du Québec - Transports du Québec
Provo, Utah -
Virginia DOT - DMV Driver Manual - good description on p36, does mention turn signals, but no sample Roundabouts signs.
Wisconsin DOT -
Washington DOT -
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City of Palo Alto, Ca - A collection of references:
http://www.city.palo-alto.ca.us/embarcadero/ including
"Crash & Injury Reductions ..." 2001
Transportation Alternatives - Cost comparisons of Traffic Calming alternatives to signalized intersections in NYC
115 West 30th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10001
info@transalt.org; Phone: 212-629-8080; Fax: 212-629-8334
Center for Transportation Research & Training
(CTR&T - Kansas State Univ.): extensivive information
Cyburbia - Urban Planning Portal - the Internet's oldest portal site for urban planners and others
interested in cities and the built environment, contains a selective directory of Internet resources relevant to planning and urbanism.
Cyburbia also includes information about mailing lists and newsgroups, and it hosts a very active bulletin board and image hosting gallery.
Affiliated with Univ. of Buffalo
Traffic Studies -
McFarland-Johnson - 5 offices in the North East
Eno Foundation - It was founded in 1921 by
William Phelps Eno, with the goal of improving traffic control and safety.
Among his proposals in this country were traffic circles, pedestrian crosswalks, right-side driving, pavement markings, traffic signs, drivers' licences, vehicle registration and citations for traffic violations. Eno is know as "The Father of the Stop Sign".
French architect
Eugene Henard was designing one-way circular intersections as early as 1877. American architect William Eno favored small traffic circles. He designed New York City's famous Columbus Circle, which was built in 1905.
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Roundabout Support from Insurance Companies
Alberta Motor Association (AMA) - Traffic Safety Program
Mission Possible @ Work - Unfortunately doesn't seem to have anything to do with fixing dangerous intersections
ICBC's Road Improvement Program (Insurance Corporation of BC) - $10 million per year available for local projects! Advocates Roundabout construction!! Try a search on
Roundabouts
Video
Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) - Does this have a community grant pgm?
Saskatchewan Government Insurance
(
SGI) - Auto Insurance & Community Involvement!!
Community Grant Program - Does not specifically mention Roundabouts like ICBC, but does provide funding to correct dangerous intersections
State Farm Dangerous Intersections - an IIHS member company
Dangerous Intersection Project - started in 1999; program still active, but pages have been pulled for revision
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (US) -
Roundabouts -
IIHS is a highway safety research organization supported by insurers -
member companies
Insurance Bureau of Canada - I've written them to see if they support Roundabouts (6/4/03, & 4/19/06)
Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America - (800) 221-7917 - Do they have a Road Safety & Loss Prevention function?
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Roundabouts & Safety -
National AAA Roundabout Policy? -
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety - a funding agency for traffic safety research - issues RFP's, & funds 12 or 24 month studies (supported by local clubs & memorial gifts) - Roundabout safety is mentioned -
Roundabout Background Paper (~90kb pdf - 2004)
U.S. Access Board - "Pedestrian Access to Modern Roundabouts: Design and Operational Issues for Pedestrians who are Blind" (updated August 2003)
Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP) -
Roundabouts - More than Just a Traffic Circle
Could a roundabout be right for your community?
Roundabouts are gaining acceptance as an intersection control device in the U.S. & Canada
Not only do Roundabouts reduce the speeds of vehicles through an intersection, but crash angles are limited to 0o - 45o (crashes are constrained by geometry to low "speed differential" rear-enders & side swipes - ie, T-bones & Head-ons are eliminated!!).
It is estimated that the "Social Costs" for 1000 crashes at Signalized Intersections could be 24x greater than for 1000 crashes at Roundabouts with similar traffic flow.
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Selected references that relate to New England & the Maritime Provinces
Stafford Springs, Ct 06076 -
Oldest "Rotary" in North America?
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A page on
signalized intersections
is started - early results indicate most Traffic Lights are foreign made,
may cost more to install than Roundabouts & can have significant annual
energy consumption, & are useless during blackouts (battery backup doubles
the cost of an intersection). How many Roundabouts were affected by the Blackout of August'03? ;-)
Missouri DOT 44mb Roundabout Video (right click, "Save Target as ..")
Washington State DOT 94mb Roundabout Video (right click, "Save Target as ..")
This is a collection of Internet references related to Roundabout issues & design criteria
Prepared by Bob White, NEAR(at)cox.net
in Fall 2002.
Visitors:
 (~260/month)
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Disclaimer: Neither Roundabouts nor Signals are suitable for all Intersections.
They complement each other, however there is truth in this slogan!
(Only ~200 left from the original 1000; send suggestions for 2nd printing)
To help defray the cost of this web site: $2/sticker, $8 for 6, $15 for 12, $125 for 100 Bumper Stickers - tax, S&H included -
Send check to NEAR, POBox 201, Stafford, Ct 06075
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