EDC News: November 21, 2024 | Federal Highway Administration

November 21, 2024

Innovation Spotlight- Roundabouts

Fatal and serious injuries on our roads are preventable when the five elements of a safe system – safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads, and post-crash care – are combined into the network. FHWA promoted Roundabouts in EDC round two in the Intersection and Interchange Geometrics initiative. Roundabouts are the poster child of what the Safe System Approach (SSA) looks like in action. Roundabouts reduce conflict points between all users and are designed to lower speeds prior to and through the intersection. Should there be a crash, often they are not severe nor fatal. Research has shown converting a two-way stop-controlled intersection to a roundabout can reduce fatal and serious injury crashes by 82 percent, and converting a traditional signalized intersection to a roundabout can reduce fatal and serious injuries by 78 percent.

Aerial view of Allen, TX teardrop roundabout, which extends over another highway.

In 2017, the City of Allen, Texas, embarked on an effort to convert an outdated, rural all-way stop diamond interchange to accommodate future traffic demands and enhance safety for all roadway users. At a strategic planning meeting, a unique teardrop roundabout was proposed to not only meet the project goals, but also accommodate two decorative spaces in the center islands for future artwork to highlight the gateway to the City. Fast forward to 2023, when the City of Allen completed the construction of the teardrop roundabout that now provides other community benefits. The roundabout acts as the gateway to their community and connects residents on one side of the highway to doctors’ offices, retail stores, and a bowling alley on the other. The interchange also serves as a primary access point to an imagined revitalized downtown development center for the near future, creating a lasting impression on visitors as they enter the City, as well as enhanced safety for motorists and pedestrians alike in the surrounding area. The roundabout is considered an operational and aesthetic success, having received the American Public Works Association Texas Chapter Project of the Year in 2023 as well as a Top 10 Road Award from Roads & Bridges Magazine. Even though this interchange is the largest and most recent example, five other roundabouts have been installed in the City since the year 2003 and they are considered a viable solution in the right context.

FHWA, along with many state and local agencies, continues to advocate for roundabouts to reduce fatal and severe injury crashes at intersections. With the help of FHWA’s Resource Center Safety and Design team, TxDOT launched its new Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE) process in June 2024 intended to help practitioners select an intersection control type with defensible benefits for safety and congestion relief. The ICE process offers many benefits to adopters including increased awareness of innovative solutions like roundabouts. If you have any questions about how roundabouts can benefit your community or are interested in a workshop, please contact Elliott Moore, FHWA Senior Safety Engineer.

New Strategic Workforce Development Resource Available

The Strategic Workforce Development (SWD) team is proud to introduce the New York State DOT Road Map for Heavy Highway Construction Workforce Development, designed to help build a strong transportation workforce within a local community. The road map provides best practices and ideas on building a team ready and able to fill vacant highway construction jobs.

The SWD team has a number of other resources and on-demand webinars that can help you jump-start your program and start cultivating opportunities to identify, place, and train workers in the highway construction workforce.

To learn more about SWD, contact Chrisy Currier, FHWA Office of Infrastructure, Tina Hooper, FHWA Massachusetts Division, or Rhonda Motley, FHWA Nevada Division

New Innovator Now Available

The October/November issue of Innovator is now available, accessible from your computer, tablet, or mobile phone to optimize your reading experience!
In this issue:

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Recent bulletins:

GHG Assessment/Planning 11/18/24
Crash Responder Safety Week 11/18/24
Road Weather Management 11/14/24
Sustainable Pavements 11/14/24
NextGen TIM 11/14/24

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About EDC

Every Day Counts, a State-based initiative of the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Innovation and Workforce Solutions, works with State, local, and privatesector partners to encourage the adoption of proven and underutilized technologies to deliver transportation projects more efficiently, enhance safety forall users, support a sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and incorporate equity inproject planning and delivery.

EDC News is a weekly publication highlighting successful EDC innovation deployments across the country.

EDC News is published weekly by the FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation.

Disclaimer: The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this document only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document. They are included for informational purposes only and are not intended to reflect a preference, approval, or endorsement of any one product or entity.

Except for the statutes and regulations cited, the contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the States or the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide information regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.

Recommended Citation:
U.S Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
EDC News; November 21, 2024
Washington, DC

https://doi.org/10.21949/1521900