WILMINGTON —Drivers coming across a roundabout might have a bit of internal panic, but the concept is increasing in popularity and the North Carolina Department of Transportation is planning on installing a new roundabout on Castle Hayne Road where it intersects North 23rd Street, north of Wilmington.
What is commonplace in some parts of the world can come as a surprise for others. For the uninitiated roundabouts can be confusing, but as it turns out, roundabouts have more benefits than negatives, according to NCDOT Spokesman Brian Rick.
“I was the ultimate skeptic when it came to roundabouts, my first encounter was, ‘what is this and what do I do?’” Rick said.
Now Rick says he sees them in a whole new light. For Rick, the biggest positive regarding roundabouts is the increased safety they provide.
“Once I was able to train my brain to operate through the roundabout, it eliminated any chance of being T-boned – some of the worst incidents related to non-highway driving are the proverbial T-bone when a car is speeding through an intersection – the next thing you know is, you have a serious incident that could involve death,” he said.
Roundabouts prevent these types of collisions and work to slow traffic down.
“You’re not going to see a truck speeding through a roundabout at 60 mph, the physics don’t allow it, in addition to safety you have a constantly moving facility – at four-way stops you have a bottleneck. What it does do is improve the flow of traffic through that intersection dramatically – (even though) you still have to stop and yield to traffic in the roundabout,” Rick said.
The NCDOT as a whole also recognizes the safety impacts of roundabouts, including the reduction in head-on collisions.
“At traditional intersections with stop signs or traffic signals, the most serious types of crashes are T-bone, left-turn, and head-on collisions. With roundabouts, these types of crashes are reduced because vehicles travel in the same direction at a lower speed. In North Carolina, crashes of all types have been reduced by almost half where roundabouts have been installed at existing intersection locations
Navigating a roundabout
As a driver approaches a roundabout there is typically a yield sign where drivers are expected to stop before entering the circle if there is traffic already using the circle.
Common courtesy also comes into account when driving in a roundabout Rick said, let the traffic already in the circle pass before entering.
NCDOT suggestions for drivers include:
- Yield to vehicles already in the roundabout;
- Once in the roundabout, you have the right of way
- Use your turn signal when exiting the roundabout
- Always be cautious and look for unexpected vehicles, pedestrians or bicycles
For pedestrians trying to navigate a roundabout, NCDOT recommends, “A pedestrian should walk around the outside, not through the middle of a roundabout. Roundabouts usually have marked sidewalks or striped crossings to help pedestrians navigate.”
Anyone interested in hearing more about the plans for the roundabout at Castle Hayne Road and 23rd Street can attend a public meeting on July 17, at the Wave Transit Operations Center at 1480 Castle Hayne Road from 5 – 7 p.m.
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