Traffic Circles and Roundabouts: An Online Guide to Auto Navigation
Traffic Circles and Roundabouts: An Online Guide to Auto Navigation
A traffic circle is regarded as a kind of rotary or circular intersection, where traffic is forced to move around a central island in only one direction. In some countries of the world, the traffic that enters this circular intersection possesses the right-of-way, which means that drivers around the circle have to yield. In other countries, the setup is reversed, and it is the entering traffic that is forced to yield. A popular feature of a traffic circle or a roundabout (which is the chiefly British term for a traffic circle) is a big diameter that can stretch in excess of 300 feet. Another common feature of a traffic circle is something known as horizontal deflection; this encourages traffic to travel at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour around the traffic circle.
What is a Roundabout/Traffic Circle?
The phrase “traffic circle” is a term that is most often used exclusively in the U.S.; in other countries such as England, the term for a traffic circle is typically "roundabout." There is, however, a difference between a traffic circle and a roundabout. In a traffic circle, the traffic entering the circle might not be officially controlled, or it might be controlled by way of either traffic signals or stop signs. In a roundabout situation, the traffic that enters the circular intersection always has to yield to traffic that already finds itself in or around the circular intersection.
There is a distinct difference between the concept of a traffic circle or a roundabout and something else called traffic calming. The point of traffic calming is to either reduce or slow down any motor-vehicle traffic for the purpose of improving the safety for both pedestrians as well as bicyclists. Another intended goal of traffic calming is to improve the surrounding environment for residents of the street. Traffic calming is an urban engineering strategy that manifests itself through many different ways, all of which, are designed to have a substantial impact on the way that traffic flows. Some well-known examples of traffic calming are speed bumps, speed humps, dead-ends or cul-de-sacs and boom barriers. Other examples of traffic calming are less common such as chicanes, curb extensions, speed cushions and vehicle-activated signs.
- What are Traffic Circles? (PDF)
- Analysis of a Traffic Circle (PDF)
- What is a Traffic Circle, Specifically?
- Getting Familiar with a Traffic Circle
- Information on Traffic Circles
History in a "Roundabout" fashion
As early as the year 1877, circular intersections were being designed by the French architect Eugene Henard. In 1905, the American architect William Phelps Eno built Columbus Circle in New York, which was a smaller traffic circle. Columbus Circle is a traffic circle that still exists today because it was successful; however, the majority of traffic circles that were subsequently built throughout the earlier decades of the 20th century were unsuccessful. In the U.S., the attempts at traffic circles were nearly always met with failure because traffic circles were defined by congestion dilemmas and enormous accident rates. By the midpoint of the 1950s, traffic circles were no longer being built in the U.S.
- History of Roundabouts and Traffic Circles
- Roundabouts and their History
Navigation
There are rules that govern how one should navigate through a traffic circle. For example, to make a right turn, a motorist should be in the right-hand lane and yield to circulating traffic. Once in the lane, the motorist should stay on the right and quickly exit with a right turn. To make a left-hand turn, the instructions are the same, except drivers should do everything in the inverse. Motorists can also just drive straight through the traffic circle, and they should first yield to traffic in the circle before entering it. Once in the circle, motorists should continue until they reach their desired exit.
Older traffic circles had different conventions than today’s modern ones, primarily because of certain right-of-way rules existing back in the early 20th century. These right-of-way rules in the U.S. led to locking problems with the traffic circle, causing congestion and frustration to motorists. Today, though, especially in foreign countries, conventions have changed. The priority-to-the-circle rule has reduced accidents by up to 40 percent and is adopted in countries like Britain.
Regional differences exist in terms of navigation protocol around traffic circles. For example, in New England, entering traffic is expected to yield to traffic that is already inside the traffic circle, but in states like New Jersey, the circulating traffic in the circle should yield to traffic that is entering the circle. Bicyclists should follow the same rules as motorists if they are comfortable riding in traffic, but if they are not, they can dismount and walk with their bicycle across the designated crosswalks. Pedestrians should always stick to the designated walkways when approaching or leaving the traffic circle. Pedestrians should know to cross to the center island, proceed to what is known as the splitter island, and then watch for traffic once more as they utilize the crosswalk to exit the traffic circle.
- Pedestrians and Traffic Circles
- How Things Work in a Traffic Circle
- Driving in a Traffic Circle Situation
- Driving Rules of a Traffic Circle
- Dealing with Traffic Circles (PDF)
- How to Handle a Traffic Circle
Written By: Edson Farnell | Email |
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