ROUNDABOUTS IN FRANCE: DEVELOPMENT, SAFETY, DESIGN, AND CAPACITY

This paper discusses give-way-at-entry roundabouts ("garrefour giratoire") which have been in use since 1972 in U.K., and over a wider range since 1984. Over the past 12 years, roundabouts have been installed at a colossal rate throughout France. The number reached approximately 15,000 by the end of 1996. Three factors have resulted in this development: improved safety; reduced geometric size and corresponding cost reductions; and, aesthetic and visual preferences for roundabouts, including the perception of roundabouts as a community focal point. Safety studies regarding roundabouts have been numerous. This paper presents some of the primary results of before and after comparisons, frequency analyses, and comparisons with other intersections. All are favorable for roundabouts. An overview of two new guidelines soon to be published - one for rural intersections and one for urban intersections - is also included. Both guidelines contain important chapters providing basic rules and design standards. Finally, the paper presents an analysis of the capacity software GIRABASE.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology

  University of Idaho, Moscow
  115 Engineering Physics Building
  Moscow, ID  United States  83844-0901

  TransNow, Transportation Northwest

  University of Washington, Department of Civil Engineering
  129 More Hall, Box 352700
  Seattle, WA  United States  98195-2700
• Authors:
  • Guichet, B
• Conference:
  • Third International Symposium on Intersections Without Traffic Signals
  • Location: Portland, Oregon
  • Date: 1997-7-21 to 1997-7-23
• Publication Date: 1997-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 100-105

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design standards; Intersections; Roundabouts; Rural areas; Safety factors; Traffic circles; Unsignalized intersections; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rural intersections
• Old TRIS Terms: Urban intersections
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00741183
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 28 1997 12:00AM