Roundabouts in Massachusetts State of the Practice at MassDOT

Roundabouts in Massachusetts Overview of current MassDOT’s approach to “modern roundabouts” Negative connotation to the roundabout due to the “rotary” design Changing driver behavior starts from the top with the Drivers Manual and education of the future motorists in the Commonwealth Winning the public over to the benefits of a roundabout versus the traditional intersection design

Roundabouts in Massachusetts “Text Book Design” vs. the New England Intersection – Why we have a tough time selling a roundabout. - Standard design layout is hard to obtain and build without ROW takings.

Roundabouts in Massachusetts What are our biggest challenges: Overcoming the stigmatism of the “rotary” Addressing the peak-hour volume flows Providing for accommodation of all users Gaining public trust in the dedicated lane assignment configuration of a roundabout Documenting the safety benefits of the reduction in crashes at roundabouts Obtaining buy-in from the Public Safety community

Roundabouts in Massachusetts Design Challenges – Achieve desired capacity with 2 lanes Provide better pedestrian access Offer improved Aesthetic qualities Accommodate the bicycle community

Roundabouts in Massachusetts So where are we now? MassDOT has begun to request project designers and private developers to consider roundabouts as a “first option” to address a uniform approach to traffic operations and providing accommodation for all road-users. Roundabouts are now being considered as viable options for interchange junctions.

Roundabouts in Massachusetts COMPLETED IN DESIGN we should have paid more attention to the civil and site design properties. The topographical layout of the intersection hinders the sight lines throughout the intersection. As s state highway department we were so focused on the LOS and capacity that we didn’t consider using a smaller diameter to achieve a context sensitive design. Sacrificing some level of service to better accommodate pedestrians. Proactively address design principals.

Roundabouts in Massachusetts Next Steps for MassDOT Working with the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) from the Boston MPO on the development of a “Roundabout Planning Screening Tool” to assist designers in when to consider a roundabout versus a signalized intersection. Develop a “Local Community Reference Guide” to provide details on the benefits of roundabouts on traffic calming and livable streets. Ensure that a roundabout is considered for the correct reasons.