Double-lane Roundabouts Research Articles

A practical method for assessing sustainable traffic levels of roundabouts in urban areas using the macroscopic fundamental diagram

In traffic engineering, queue lengths, waiting times, and delay values are denoted as measures of effectiveness (MOEs). In the case of roundabouts, MOEs are generally calculated starting from the gap-acceptance theory in which the driver behaviour needs to be properly modelled. This research presents an unconventional technique, based on Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams (MFDs), to describe sustainable traffic levels and (MOEs) of roundabouts, in terms of capacity, speed, density and delay. The deduction of MFDs is based on relatively simplified theoretical hypotheses, but the outcomes could be of interest in several practical applications. MFDs are estimated in the cases of single and double-lane roundabouts, modelled by microscopic simulations starting from a real-world case study in Italy. MFDs are obtained for a wider sample size of origin-destination traffic matrices taking into consideration time intervals of 5 min and 1 h. The results of this research demonstrate that the traffic distribution between arms can influence the shape of a roundabout-MFD. However, the proposed procedure allows us to evaluate the performance of a roundabout as a whole, taking into account numerous MOEs including the total capacity, the critical density and the Level of Service (LOS). Therefore, the use of MFDs could represent a complementary procedure for evaluating the performance of roundabouts.

Developing Highway Capacity Manual Capacity Adjustment Factors for Connected and Automated Traffic on Roundabouts

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are expected to transform future transportation systems. Over time, these vehicles might enhance traffic efficiency and safety, especially at urban intersections. Therefore, it is essential to make adaptations to the traffic analysis models that are currently designed for human-driven vehicles only. This paper aims to assess the impact of CAVs on the entry capacity of roundabouts and develop an approach to adjust the capacity values calculated by the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) for planning level analysis. Both single- and double-lane roundabouts are studied under various CAV market penetration rates and conflict flow rates in this paper. A specific CAV application, cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC), is evaluated in this study because it enhances the car-following behavior at the roundabout entrance and has the best potential for improving the entry capacity. The simulation results indicate that the introduction of CAVs can substantially improve the entry capacity as the market penetration rate increases for both single- and double-lane roundabouts. The capacity improvement is more significant in the single-lane roundabout than in the double-lane roundabout. The capacities under different CAV market penetration rates and conflict flow rates are calculated and compared with the capacity results estimated from base models in the HCM to acquire the adjustment factors. Finally, a table of capacity adjustment factors is provided for the future implementation of HCM models.

Are Double-Lane Roundabouts Safe Enough? A CHAID Analysis of Unsafe Driving Behaviors

This study investigated the nature and causes of unsafe driving behavior at roundabouts through an on-road study. Four urban double-lane roundabouts with different layouts were selected for an on-road study. Sixty-six drivers (41 males and 25 females) aged 18–65 years took part in the study. Unsafe behaviors observed during the in situ survey were divided into three different categories: entry unsafe behaviors, circulation unsafe behaviors, and exit unsafe behaviors. Three chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID) analyses were developed in order to analyze the influence of roundabout characteristics and maneuvers on unsafe behaviors at double-lane roundabouts. The results confirmed the awareness that double-lane roundabouts are unsafe and inadvisable. More than half of unsafe driving behaviors were found to be entry unsafe behaviors. Moreover, the entry radius was found to be the geometric variable most influencing unsafe driving behaviors.

Performance Evaluation of Basic Turbo Roundabouts as an Alternative to Conventional Double-Lane Roundabouts

Since their introduction in the late 1990s, basic turbo roundabouts have made a great success in several European countries. Researchers, however, have been unable to reach a general consensus on the operational performance advantages and benefits derived from such a novel design of multi-lane roundabouts, as compared with conventional double-lane roundabouts. Those contradictory results could be mostly attributed to wide variations in driver behavior among different traffic environments. This study aims to analyze and evaluate the operational performance of an existing, congested double-lane roundabout in the State of Florida and a proposed, simulated basic turbo roundabout. Local field data was used to accurately calibrate and validate the microsimulation models and to precisely capture local driving behavior. Three scenarios were created for evaluation. Results indicated that basic turbo roundabouts with regulatory entry speed as per Dutch standards, that is, 25 mph, were the most suitable alternative to reduce average delay and provide comparable capacity to double-lane conventional roundabouts for traffic flow ranging between 4,350 and 6,050 vehicles per hour. However, double-lane conventional roundabouts, including their major and minor approaches, always managed to process significantly more vehicles.

CAVs and roundabouts: research on traffic impacts and design elements

Roundabouts’ design combined with gradual changes in vehicle characteristics entails that the existing layouts need to be examined to a wider range of scenarios. Nowadays, the modern automotive industry is facing a revolution that is possible to lead the introduction of automated vehicles for use in everyday traffic. This paper investigates the traffic impacts, as well as the possible changes in the design elements needed by the introduction of automated and connected vehicles on double lane roundabouts. Two case study roundabouts were examined. Different CAV penetration rates were established regarding assertive and defensive driving behavior of CAVs. The assumptions and the parameters for modeling the driving behavior of CAVs were selected according to recent studies and experiments. Results indicate several benefits in terms of operational performance regarding the introduction of CAVs on traffic flow and possible needs for changes in the design elements.

Long-term crash trends at single- and double-lane roundabouts in Washington State

Introduction: Despite the proven safety benefits, crashes still occur at roundabouts. This study examined long-term trends in total crash counts, crash severity, and crashes involving common driver errors (failing to yield the right-of-way and speeding) in the period following the completion of single- and double-lane roundabouts in Washington state. Method: Crashes occurring during 2010–2016 at single- and double-lane roundabouts completed between 2009 and 2015 in Washington state were included. Poisson regression examined changes in annual total crash counts over time. Logistic regression estimated average annual changes in the odds that a crash involved an evident/incapacitating/fatal injury and that a crash involved a driver error. Regression models were estimated for single- and double-lane roundabouts separately. Results: Annual total crash counts declined significantly by 8.8% over time at double-lane roundabouts and increased nonsignificantly over time at single-lane roundabouts. The study estimated a significant 32.1% annual reduction in the odds that a crash involved an evident or incapacitating injury at double-lane roundabouts and a nonsignificant 18.9% reduction at single-lane roundabouts. There was a significant 10.6% annual decline in the odds that a crash was right-of-way related at double-lane roundabouts and a significant 19.1% annual decline in the odds that a crash was speeding-related at single-lane roundabouts. Conclusions: The current study demonstrates that safety can improve over time at double-lane roundabouts as drivers gain experience navigating them. At the same time, it is important that roundabouts include design elements that will prevent right-of-way mistakes and reduce speeds. Practical applications: Communities installing double-lane roundabouts may find that their benefits will increase the longer they are in place, even if initial changes in crashes and injuries are underwhelming.

The Surrogate Safety Appraisal of the Unconventional Elliptical and Turbo Roundabouts

Double-lane roundabouts have been created in many European countries over the past few centuries and are now characterized by an unsafe geometric development and by a low sustainability capacity or level. In this regard, new double-lane geometries have been implemented to overcome to these critical points. This article shows a comparison of two nonconventional double-lane roundabout schemes defined as elliptical and turbo. Considering this research on the unsafe and congested conditions for each road schemes at grade, the microsimulation approach allows comparing schemes of intersections not yet realized in order to be able to evaluate the critical issues. A symmetric traffic distribution and an identical vehicle mix for both design solutions are considered. The research was conducted considering two different double-lane roundabout-turbo roundabout and the elliptical roundabout. By comparing their geometry and technical elements, this article assumes that turbo roundabout due to its physical separating traffic lanes in the central circulatory carriageway will enable potentially better traffic safety conditions. This article has the following main goal: a comparison of traffic safety using VISSIM microsimulator and SSAM tools. The results can provide to show safety level on investigated scenario considering level of service (LOS) and also the possibility of obtaining time to collision (TTC) and postencroachment time (PET) through the use of surrogate parameters obtained by SSAM tool. In fact, the surrogate safety parameters allows evaluating the possible collision scenarios between them, according to the trajectories of the single vehicles. This assessment is useful in order to be able to evaluate by the local authorities which of the examined schemes can provide greater negativity in the construction and operation phase. Therefore this comparative analysis allows reducing, in the preliminary phase, possible security impacts and also economic ones for the community.

Effect of traffic roundabouts on accident rate and severity in Arizona

ABSTRACTAlthough roundabouts have been used at many locations around the world, the safety of roundabouts under different conditions has not been fully understood. In this study, 17 roundabouts in five cities in Arizona were evaluated, out of which 11 are single lane and six are double lane. Most of the intersections of single-lane roundabouts were controlled by two-way stop signs before roundabout conversion, whereas most of the intersections of double-lane roundabouts were controlled by traffic signals. Accident data were collected and broken down into five categories: damage without injury, minor injury, nonincapacitating injury, incapacitating injury, and fatality. Equal number of years were used before and after the roundabout conversion at each location. The average rates of accidents, damages without injury, injuries and fatalities per year and per million vehicles were evaluated. It was found that single-lane roundabouts reduced the accident rate, whereas double-lane roundabouts increased the accident rate. The results also showed that single- and double-lane roundabout conversions reduced the severity levels of accidents. Considering accident rate and severity level, warrants need to be developed for roundabout conversion and number of roundabout lanes under different traffic conditions.

Capacity-based calculation of passenger car equivalents using traffic simulation at double-lane roundabouts

Calculation of passenger car equivalents for heavy vehicles represents the starting point for the operational analysis of road facilities and other traffic management applications. This paper introduces a criterion to find the passenger car equivalents that reflect traffic conditions at double-lane roundabouts, where the capacity is typically estimated for each entry lane. Based on the equivalence defined by the proportion of capacity used by vehicles of different classes, the criterion implies a comparison between the capacity that would occur with a traffic demand of passenger cars only and the capacity reached beginning from a demand with a certain percentage of heavy vehicles. A preliminary activity consisted of the comparison of the empirical capacity functions based on a meta-analytical estimation of critical and follow up headways, and simulation output data derived for a double-lane roundabout built in AIMSUN. The formulation of the calibration process as an optimisation problem enabled to minimize an objective function using the genetic algorithm tool in MATLAB®. A subroutine in Python implemented the automatic interaction with AIMSUN. Differently from methods that propose constant values for the passenger car equivalents, the results highlighted that the passenger car equivalents at double-lane roundabouts increased when the circulating flow increased, while a higher effect was expected when the traffic streams included a higher number of heavy vehicles.

Operational Evaluation of Two-Lane Roundabouts at Freeway Ramp Terminals: Comparison Between Roundabout and Signalized Interchanges

In the United States, roundabouts have recently been constructed to replace signalized intersections at freeway ramp terminals as both a safety and an operational treatment. In practice, this treatment is in need of guidelines specifying conditions when the roundabout or signalized intersection is more appropriate to assist practitioners in deciding which alternative to choose. In particular, research providing a comprehensive operational comparison between roundabouts and signalized interchanges is lacking. The current research—though a strictly calibrated microscopic simulation platform—analyzes and models the control delay at double-lane roundabouts and signalized interchanges. Both roundabouts and signalized interchanges were modeled in a Vissim simulation platform. Capacity at each roundabout entrance was calibrated and validated separately for passenger cars and heavy vehicles, since both vehicle types have different critical and follow-up headways. The design of the simulation experiments covered 2,880 different scenarios for roundabouts and signalized interchanges with varying ramp and arterial volumes, ramp spacing, and heavy-vehicle percentages. From the simulation results, control delay and level of service of the off-ramp and arterial approaches of roundabouts and signalized diamond interchanges were modeled and compared. Ultimately, guidelines for the selection between double-lane roundabouts and signalized interchanges were developed and presented in the form of look-up tables. These tables provide an easy-to-use tool for practitioners to determine the appropriate double-lane interchange to install under specific combinations of traffic demand, heavy-vehicle percentage, and ramp spacing conditions.

Case Study: Capacity Characteristics Comparison of Single-lane Roundabout and Turbo-roundabouts

Turbo-roundabouts are new type of roundabouts that recently become more popular for their significant advantages. Due to their specific geometry of spiral leading circulatory lanes and raised lane dividers provide a high level of traffic safety while a relatively large capacity maintain. To compare with conventional double-lane roundabouts, turbo-roundabouts ensure above all a reduced number of conflict points moreover without waving and lower driving speed through the intersection. Challenge of this paper is to transfer existing single-lane roundabout into configuration models of basic and egg turbo-roundabouts and compare their capacity characteristics. Case study is placed in Zilina, the city on the north of Slovakia, where the single lane roundabout has a great congestion problem not just during peak hours. Configurations of the roundabout are evaluated and compared from their performance parameters using microsimulations and theoretical models. For calibration procedure of microsimulation, complex data obtained from survey of existing roundabout were used and derived as input variables for two new configurations. This example is to demonstrate the capacity increase of turbo-roundabouts comparing with single-lane roundabout and the comparison of microsimulation model and theoretical models to determine capacity of turbo-roundabouts.

Gap-accepteance parameters for roundabouts: a systematic review

The critical and follow-up headways are the two gap-acceptance parameters which explain the traffic interaction of a minor street vehicle when enters the roundabout, merging into or crossing one or more circulating (major) streams. Several studies and researches provide measurements of critical and follow-up headways from real data at roundabouts. The objective of our research is to synthesize the data from the series of selected studies to interpret variation across the studies. In order to match the research goal, a systematic literature review on estimations of critical and follow-up headways at roundabouts was undertaken. Since several studies and researches developed worldwide were examined, we were able to note that the effect size varied from study to study. Thus the meta-analysis of effect sizes was performed as part of the literature review through the random-effects model. After discussing the assumptions of this model, the dispersion in effects across studies was assessed and the summary effect for each of the parameters under examination was computed. Calculations were made both for single-lane roundabouts and double-lane roundabouts, as well as for turbo roundabouts. Compared to the results of individual studies, the single (quantitative) meta-analytic estimate provides an accurate and reliable synthesis on the specific issue here addressed, and gives, with greater power of the individual reviewed studies, a comprehensive measure for the parameters of interest.

Evaluation of the safety performance of turbo roundabouts by means of a potential accident rate model

Turbo roundabouts are a particular road intersection layout, designed to increase the safety of double-lane roundabouts, while maintaining their excellent capacity. The main feature of this new concept of roundabout is the impossibility to move from one lane to another, provided by physical barriers marking the lanes. The paper shows an application to turbo roundabouts of a potential accident rate model, aiming to evaluate their safety improvement. Themodel is based on the concept of potential conflict: each vehicle involved in a general intersection performs a series of maneuvers which potentially imply a crash, according to the actual traffic. The number of accidents related to each critical maneuver is proportional to the number of times this maneuver occurs at the intersection. In order to define the critical maneuvers, and hence the relevant potential conflicts, specific crash typologies for roundabouts are adopted. Traffic volumes are required, to evaluate the expected number of accidents, and also probabilities of accident for every critical maneuver. These ratios were obtained by a model calibration, based on actual accident and traffic data recorded on conventional single and double-lane roundabouts. The model was then used to compare four-leg turbo roundabouts to conventional roundabouts. The comparisons have taken into account only basic differences in layout, such as geometric elements, that also play a role in determining safety performances of a roundabout. The results obtained show that turbo roundabouts significantly decrease the accident rate with respect to conventional roundabouts, by eliminating conflicts between circulating and exiting vehicles.

Low-Clearance Truck’s Vertical Requirements at Roundabouts

While roundabouts have already been proven to be an effective intersection treatment, there are many instances where low-clearance vehicles have problems using roundabouts. Low-clearance vehicles, such as lowboy trailer trucks, have problems, damaging the curbs and truck aprons at roundabouts when there is not sufficient ground clearance. This area has been generally neglected by designers and U.S. states. The latest roundabout manual has guidelines available to design various features of the roundabouts, but they are not specific for low-clearance vehicles. While some previous studies have identified roundabout locations with ground-clearance problems for lowboy trailers that have truck-apron heights that are greater than three inches, no published information is available about truck-apron heights based on three-dimensional analyses. This study addresses the ground-clearance problems for low-clearance vehicles at roundabouts by proposing a procedure where truck-apron heights, truck-apron slope, circulatory roadway slope, and approach roadway slope are analyzed to determine the optimum design measurements for a roundabout’s vertical profile in order to accommodate low-clearance vehicles without terrain conflict. The study procedure was demonstrated on standard single-lane roundabouts and double-lane roundabouts designed according to latest roundabout guide, and recommendations were provided for truck-apron heights and the grade for various features of the roundabouts. This research can guide transportation planners and decision makers when determining the optimum roundabout vertical-profile design when low-clearance vehicles are expected. The study uses TORUS software to design roundabouts, and the AUTOTURN and AUTOTURN Pro 3D software for generating two-dimensional and three-dimensional vehicle simulations as well as for conducting three-dimensional vehicle-clearance analysis.

Flower Roundabouts And Double-Lane Roundabouts: A Comparative Performance Analysis

AbstractIn the paper, a choice criterion between flower roundabouts and double-lane roundabouts is proposed, focusing on operational benefits that can derive from one scheme over the other, and outlining a general framework for benefit-cost analysis. In order to assess operational benefits of innovative roundabouts over modern roundabouts, a comparative analysis was made. Capacity was estimated using gap-acceptance models. In detail, assuming the dichotomic shifted negative exponential distribution to model headways in circulating streams, the Hagring formula was adjusted to obtain entry capacity estimations at roundabout approaches where entering vehicles face one or two conflicting flows. Based on the control delay, the suitability domains and indifference areas were constructed. Thus, a sensitivity analysis to changes in traffic demand for operational benefits of flower roundabouts over double-lane roundabouts was carried out and discussed. At last, evidence for new installations and conversion of existing roundabouts can be found.

Turboroundabouts

A “turboroundabout” is a variation of the conventional multilane roundabout in which spiral road markings and raised lane dividers force drivers to follow a specific path according to their intended destination. This geometry eliminates weaving and cut-in conflicts by guiding drivers continuously from entry to exit. Turboroundabouts were conceived with the main aim of improving safety, but their practical benefits are relatively unknown. Likewise, the few existing studies on turboroundabouts do not allow definitive conclusions to be drawn about the delay and emissions performance characteristics of turboroundabouts; further research is needed. This research focused on the use of appropriate modeling methodologies to understand the effects of turboroundabouts on capacity, safety, and emissions in comparison with the effects of conventional single-lane and double-lane roundabouts. The results indicate that turboroundabouts have capacity levels comparable to those of two-lane roundabouts but are less robust concerning the directional split of the entry traffic; turboroundabouts lead to fewer traffic conflicts, but the traffic conflicts that do occur are more severe. The results also show that the implementation of turboroundabouts provides no advantages for emissions when the main concerns are carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen.

Driver Behavior Characterization in Roundabout Crossings

Roundabouts are widely accepted for their safety, capacity and environmental advantages. Although it can be easily recognized that the driver behavior is mostly related with the roundabout geometry.This paper presents a detailed characterization of the driver behavior while crossing three consecutive double-lane roundabouts in an arterial road.Driver behavior was described in three main levels: i) speed profiles; ii) lateral acceleration profiles; iii) roundabout geometry. It is shown that roundabouts can substantially reduce speed in the negotiation zone. The entry speed and influence zone depends on the desired speed in the upstream sections and on the roundabout geometric characteristics.

Public Opinion, Traffic Performance, the Environment, and Safety after Construction of Double-Lane Roundabouts

This study evaluated the impact of double-lane roundabout conversions on public attitudes, traffic performance, the environment, and safety at two intersections near Bellingham, Washington, and evaluated whether older drivers avoided the roundabouts by taking an alternative route. Driver support for the roundabouts increased from 34% before construction to 70% at 1 year after construction. At 1 year after construction, more than 40% of drivers did not believe the signs and pavement markings adequately conveyed information about appropriate speeds, right-of-way rules, and navigation of the roundabouts in the presence of large trucks. After other roadway changes were accounted for, substantial declines in the delays and queue lengths on minor roads, the proportion of queued vehicles, fuel consumption, and vehicle emissions were attributed to the roundabout conversions. Analyses of crash rates per million entering vehicles found that the roundabout conversions were associated with reduced rates of injury and fatal crashes combined and increased rates of property-damage-only crashes. Only the increase in the property-damage-only crash rate at one roundabout was significant. The odds that drivers age 70 years and older traveled the study corridor instead of an alternative route after the roundabout conversions were 0.32 times the odds before the conversions. These findings are generally consistent with prior research finding substantial traffic, environmental, and injury reduction benefits of single-lane roundabouts. However, the greater complexity of double-lane roundabouts may present challenges, as some confusion persisted 1 year after construction, evidence that some older drivers may have taken an alternative route to avoid them was found, and the rates of property-damage-only crashes increased.

Efficiency of Roundabouts as Compared to Traffic Light Controlled Intersections in Urban Road Networks

Evaluating the performance of a multi-lane intersection is important to identify the best scheme as congestion is becoming a worldwide serious problem. A Multi-stream Minimum Acceptable Space (MMAS) Cellular Automata (CA) model is used for the simulation of vehicular traffic at double-lane roundabouts and cross intersection. Comparison is made between roundabouts with traffic light and without traffic light and signalized intersections on the basis of their performance to simplify traffic congestion. Computer simulations are used to propose critical arrival rates to separate between the three mentioned modes to decrease congestion at intersection points.

Turbo-roundabouts vs Roundabouts Performance Level

In this paper the performance level of basic turbo-roundabouts and double-lane roundabouts are compared. Cowan's M3 headway distribution was chosen to take into account bunched vehicles moving along each circulating lane; the Hagring model was adopted to evaluate entry capacity both at turbo-roundabout and at double-lane roundabout.The comparative analysis was performed evaluating operational performances in terms of delay suffered by users entering the intersection.Results of the analyses show that efficiency of basic turbo-roundabouts highly depend on traffic situations and can be significant when major road captures most of the traffic demand.