Local stats demonstrate design effectiveness

The Ohio Department of Transportation is recognizing National Roundabouts Week as "a time to celebrate a simple engineering design that has dramatically improved the safety of intersections throughout the country."

Officials are also eager to share numbers that demonstrate how well these new installations are performing, even if they might not be immediately popular. “The acceptance of roundabouts can lag in areas where roadways rarely change. You introduce a vastly different concept like a roundabout where stop signs and traffic signals rule, and it’s understandable why some motorists are hesitant,” said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director.

At the same time, ODOT says the positive effects are clear: "No intersection improvement will eliminate all crashes, but nothing equals the effectiveness of a roundabout in lessening the severity of crashes," said Pat McColley, ODOT District 2 deputy director.

In 2019, Governor Mike DeWine directed ODOT to target safety improvements at 150 intersections statewide in rural, suburban, and urban areas. This represents an investment of $425 million over several years.

The table below details crash statistics at select locations throughout northwest Ohio before and after a roundabout was constructed. "The goal is always to reduce the number of injury and fatal crashes, and at every location, that occurred," said Hughes.

The closest roundabout location to be monitored is State Route 309 at Thayer Road and Napoleon Road, Allen County, which shows a 77% injury/fatal crash reduction since it was constructed in 2022.

Visit ODOT's website and National Roundabouts Week | FHWA (dot.gov) for further information regarding the benefits of roundabouts and the week of observance.

A new roundabout is scheduled for construction this fall near Bluffton: SR 103 and Pocano Drive.