A Comparison of Traffic Flow Performance of Roundabouts and Signalized Intersections: A Case Study in Nigde

Abstract

Background: Intersections affect the safety and capacity of urban traffic. Therefore, the design and selection of the type of intersection need to be made very carefully. According to the demand level, a different intersection can be designed. Signalized intersections are one of the intersection types in which the sequence and duration of the flow at the intersection are provided by the lights. Generally, this type of intersection is used on roads with high traffic volume. Modern roundabouts are one of the types of circular intersections that provide advantages over other types of intersection in terms of smooth operation and safety. Modern roundabouts exist in several types today worldwide. In practice, the distinction about the kinds of roundabouts would not be fully clarified; as a result, queuing and delay can be seen as negative effects. Methods: In this study, to make a distinction and clarify the kinds of roundabouts, first, the roundabouts types are introduced according to geometric and operational aspects. A signalized intersection, where a circular island is placed and also signalized, was investigated in terms of capacity, delay, and emissions located in Niğde. The traffic flow performance of the current state (nested signalized roundabout) was calculated with HCM Method (for signalized intersection) using SIDRA and compared with roundabout solutions of the intersection with HCM6 (for roundabout) method using SIDRA Intersection analysis software. Results: From the results of the intersection capacity analysis study based on HCM6, it was seen that the application of a roundabout scenario (intersection considered as a modern roundabout) showed higher performance at the intersections than the intersection having a secondary signal. Capacity increased to 67.8%, the average delay decreased to 72.8% and 95th percentile queue dropped to 82.2%. Conclusion: Roundabout controlling instead of a nested signal system can be an example of the increase in the performance of traffic flow. This highlights the importance of choosing the appropriate roundabout design.