FOLLOW-UP OF THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF SMALL ROUNDABOUTS: RESULTS FROM FURTHER TRIALS IN VAEXJOE

UPPFOELJNING AV LAANGTIDSEFFEKTERNA AV SMAA CIRKULATIONSPLATSER: RESULTAT FRAAN FORTSATTA FOERSOEK I VAEXJOE

In the year 1991 a large-scale experiment with speed-reducing measures was carried out. Among other measures, 21 intersections on arterial roads were rebuilt as small roundabouts. Most of the roundabouts were designed in a way that the middle island could be passed by large vehicles turning left. The roundabouts had inner-diameters varying from 4 to 18 m. The aim of this study was to carry out new observations in 1995 at the intersections which had been provided with roundabouts in 1991 and compare the results with those from before the rebuilding (1990) and those from a short time after they were built (September 1991). The studied intersections were divided into two groups: (A) Intersections where the roundabouts were unchanged until 1995; and (B) Intersections where the original roundabouts - for different reasons - were rebuilt before 1995. The ten new roundabouts are not included in this study. The evaluation was carried out as before-after studies. Speed measurements, conflict observations and interviews were carried out in the field, while video recordings were used for behavioural observations and counting of road users at the intersections. Accidents reported to the police during both before and after the rebuilding were analysed. For those roundabouts which were rebuilt as permanent ones the analyses were also done for a third period after they were changed. It can be concluded that all road-user types are satisfied with the roundabouts. None of the road-user or professional driver categories express negative impressions to a large extent. Professional drivers are as satisfied as private drivers, which indicates that a large experience of driving in roundabouts does not influence the attitudes negatively. This is valid for drivers of large vehicles too. The general conclusion from the study is that the two unchanged roundabouts worked as well as they did shortly after the rebuilding. The speed level increased by a few km/h, but it was still far below the original one.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/1404272X
• Corporate Authors:

  Lund University of Technology, Sweden

  Institution for Traffic Engineering, Fack 725
  S-220 07 Lund 7,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • HYDEN, C
  • VARHELYI, A
  • NYGAARD, M
• Publication Date: 1997

Language

• Swedish

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 29p+a p.
• Serial:
  • BULLETIN
  • Issue Number: 153
  • Publisher: LUND INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
  • ISSN: 1404-272X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Behavior; Compliance; Crash rates; Evaluation and assessment; Impact studies; Near midair crashes; Radius; Roundabouts; Specifications; Speed; Time duration; Traffic surveys; Travelers; Video cameras
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases; Long term
• ITRD Terms: 1612: Accident rate; 2267: Attitude (psychol); 9001: Behaviour; 6750: Camera; 178: Compliance (specif); 9009: Decrease; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 9112: Impact study; 9110: Long term; 1642: Near miss; 6402: Radius; 1755: Road user; 438: Roundabout; 5408: Speed; 676: Traffic survey
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Data and Information Technology; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00761576
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Apr 6 1999 12:00AM