Ease Traffic Congestion and Increase Travel Safety
Concern:
Most days, it takes me several minutes to pull out of my driveway because traffic never stops. I may wait several cycles to turn left only to have the light turn on me in the middle of the intersection. I’m nervous to drive down some roads for lack of sightlines and high traffic density. I know I am not alone in this experience.
Let’s talk about it.
The general consensus between long-term residents is that traffic is terrible, with numerous intersections the Wake Forest Police Department has identified as dangerous. Depending on the time of day, commuting even short distances can take upwards of an hour, wasting commuters’ precious time and money, draining batteries and unleashing exhaust fumes into the atmosphere the longer electric and/or combustion-engine vehicles remain idle.
My Solution: Address traffic under the Traffic Flow Theory, identifying areas like bottlenecks and congestion points, and partner with NC and USDOT for road improvements.
I will encourage the installation of roundabouts as a preferred counter to signals on the basis of increased commuter safety, ease of maintenance, and non-interrupted traffic flow, based on data found in the following studies:
Observational Before-After Study of the Safety Effect of US Roundabout Conversions Using the Empirical Bayes Method, Ryerson Polytechnic University, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, University of Maine
Roundabouts: A Safer Choice, US Department of Transportation
Study of the Traffic Safety at Roundabouts in Minnesota, MDOT
Investigating the Conversion of a Signalized Intersection to a Turbo Roundabout, San Jose State University
Are Roundabouts Safe and Economically
Viable Replacing Conventional Diamond
Interchange Ramp Terminals, Transportation Research Record
Are Roundabouts Good for Business, Alex J. Ariniello, LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc
NCHRP Report 572 – Roundabouts in the United States, Transportation Research Board of National Academies
For a detailed overview on the function, construction, and design of roundabouts, read “Guide for Roundabouts” by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program.