Roundabout

West Ave and West Burlington Ave Roundabout

Roundabout Infographic

What is a Roundabout?

A modern roundabout is a circular intersection where drivers travel counterclockwise around a center island. There are no traffic signals or stop signs in a modern roundabout. Drivers yield at entry to traffic in the roundabout, then enter the intersection and exit at their desired street.

See Why Leaders Choose Roundabouts and why it worked for this Johnston, Iowa city.

Studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that roundabouts provide a:

  • 90 percent reduction in fatal crashes;
  • 76 percent reduction in injury crashes;
  • 30 to 40 percent reduction in pedestrian crashes;
  • and 10 percent reduction in bicycle crashes

The installation of the Roundabout at West Avenue and West Burlington Avenue was a RISE grant project associated with new Silgan Containers facility. A roundabout was chosen for the improvement at the intersection due to the proven safety benefits of reducing the number of conflict points (especially critical with the additional truck traffic), decreased life-cycle costs (removal of traffic signals with will remove long term maintenance costs), fulfill the solution of extending the existing turn lane, improving the turning geometry for the proposed truck traffic, and uninterrupted traffic flow which will not only aid the trucks to the new development, but in decreased time and fuel consumption for all traffic utilizing this intersection.

Details:

  • The project estimate was approximately $1.35 million
  • Bid awarded to Mike Nelson Concrete Paving Co for $961,614.98
  • Design Consultant: French-Reneker-Associates, Inc.