The magic roundabout in Swindon, England was constructed in 1972. It consists of five clockwise mini roundabouts arranged around an anticlockwise roundabout. In 2009 it was voted the fourth scariest junction in Britain. Before this roundabout was constructed, the area had been a motorist's nightmare which routinely failed to handle the volume of traffic which converged on it from five directions. The new roundabout was the work of the Road Research Laboratory (RRL) and their solution was brilliantly simple. All they did was combine two roundabouts in one - the first the conventional, clockwise variety and the second, which revolved inside the first, sending traffic anti-clockwise. Though it may confuse or amuse new visitors, the average English finds that his or her passage through one of the town's busiest junctions is actually quite fluid, even at peak times.
Twenty-five years on, the Magic Roundabout still works, despite ever-increasing volumes of traffic.
Though there have been 14 serious accidents and just over a hundred lesser ones recorded in 25 years, that rate is less than one would expect for such a busy junction. Most accidents have involved cyclists and motorcyclists and now a cycle lane running right round the outside of the roundabout, with pedestrian crossings, should ensure that the Magic Roundabout becomes as safe as it is efficient. Even though it is proven to be safe and efficient, do you think that this could ever be introduced in the United States for complex intersections?
This intersection looks absolutly obsered I think thats whats needed sometimes though. If every traffic engineer researcher just tried what was done before than no innovation would ever happen. It is a showing that this roundabout is still handling traffic today even with the growth that has happened over 25 years. Roundabouts in general have a stigma because people find them confusing or a waste of time, but even on mythbusters it has been tested and shown to be safer and faster. This is because it causes people to be vigilant and aware, and keeps people moving at the same time. To answer your question you proposed though I dont think that this could be implemented because of politics. If this was suggested at any sort of meeting with the public where people dont have an background in traffic engineering or related topics they would never accept that its benefits have been proven because it is so out of this world from what they know.
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ReplyDeleteDig it. Low Speeds. Drivers have to be conscious. Almost no possibility of sharp angle collisions. It is good to see the added bicycle/ped path - because otherwise looks like a disaster for those modes.
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting to see such an extreme roundabout still function fluidly. I would like to see this implemented in America or any other intersection for that matter. I wonder why there is not another like it that has been built in the last 43 years.
ReplyDeleteThis really seems to embody the principle that if you make drivers feel confused and unsafe, they will drive slowly and deliberately, resulting in a much safer street. But how many years are you shaving off the drivers' lives due to the stress of navigating that crazy starfish thing? :)
ReplyDeleteThis really seems to embody the principle that if you make drivers feel confused and unsafe, they will drive slowly and deliberately, resulting in a much safer street. But how many years are you shaving off the drivers' lives due to the stress of navigating that crazy starfish thing? :)
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