Roundabout - Advantages of Roundabouts

Advantages of Roundabouts

• Roundabouts are safer than signal controlled junctions, with crashes usually occurring at a slower speed and at a slight angle instead of right-angle or rear-end collisions at junctions.
• Roundabouts allow U-turns within the normal flow of traffic, which often are not possible at other forms of junction.
• In general, roundabouts substantially reduce congestion and delays as vehicles are not required to perform a complete stop.
• Compared to intersections, Roundabout operate more efficiently and thus reduce delays and congestion as they are not at the whim of an artificially induced delay by traffic signals. Efficiency is gained by a direct response from the driver to the traffic conditions without any restrictions set by traffic signals - i.e. drivers may proceed when traffic is clear without the delay incurred by a traffic signal.
• The mound of land inside a roundabout may be used for a monument, civic art, or landscaping, thus contributing to the urban environment while at the same time solving a traffic problem. Features that might encourage pedestrians to cross the circulating roadway in order to approach whatever is in the circle should be avoided completely, however, as pedestrians should not be in the circle at any time.