Report: MnDOT Says Roundabouts like Richfield's Are a Safer, Quicker Kind of Intersection

Richfield is headed in the right direction with roundabout intersections, according to a St. Paul Pioneer Press article citing the Minnesota Department of Transportation:

"The data show that they are the safest intersections we have," said Ken Johnson, a roundabout expert at MnDOT. ... No one has proved a connection, but fatalities started falling four years ago, which is about when the state's roundabout building binge began. ... Besides safety, the other primary advantage of roundabouts is speed.

During rush hours, MnDOT's Johnson said, cars travel through roundabouts an average of 10 seconds faster. In nonpeak hours, traffic slows only slightly at a roundabout instead of making a full stop at a red light, night or day.

Read the full article at twincities.com.

Resources:

• City of Richfield roundabout web page
• MnDOT roundabout web page

Related at Richfield Patch:

• Richfield Police Increases Enforcement Around Roundabouts
• Richfield Roundabout Restriping Project Begins This Week
• Transportation Commission Discusses Richfield Pkwy. Connection Options
• What Are the Most Dangerous Intersections in Your Neighborhood?
• Ask a Patch Pro: Pedestrian Safety