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July 2008
Special Research Conference Issue: Concurrent Sessions
Talking in circles: roundabouts in Minnesota
Anyone who has ever visited Europe has probably driven through a roundabout, but are Minnesotans ready for them? Two sessions addressed the challenges and implications of using roundabouts in the United States, and more specifically, in Minnesota.
Transportation experts from Minnesota and Iowa shared case studies, statistics, and educational tools related to roundabouts. In the earlier session, Shauna Hallmark from the Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State discussed the use of roundabouts along corridor systems in states such as Iowa and Colorado. Hallmark focused specifically on the concerns many transportation officials have with roundabouts, such as safety for pedestrians, the impact on emergency response time, and the ability to accommodate farm vehicles.
Tony Heppelman and Chuck Rickart from WSB and Associates were on hand to discuss safety and public awareness issues created by roundabouts. Heppelman shared crash data gathered from the roundabout located on 66th Street and Portland Avenue in Minneapolis; Rickart and Wayne Houle from the City of Edina detailed the plan they followed while constructing a series of roundabouts on West 70th Street in Edina. Their five-step plan included identifying the problem, increasing public involvement, creating a detailed design, construction, and public education.
Rickart and Houle said the objectives of the Edina roundabouts have been achieved, partly because of the cooperation of the public. "Reaching a consensus with stakeholders is extremely important," Rickart said. "The improvements we made have been accepted by businesses and the public."
Public involvement and education was the focus of the second roundabout session. Much of the discussion revolved around the roundabout located at Trunk Highway 61 and Jamaica Avenue in Cottage Grove, Minn. Tom Fidler from Bonestroo and Jennifer Levitt from the City of Cottage Grove shared their tips for keeping the public involved in the construction process. "Public involvement is extremely critical, but also extremely challenging," said Levitt. "The public didn't come to us, we had to go to them."
A new roundabout in Cottage Grove, Minnesota
Ted Schoenecker from Washington County and Cassandra Isackson from Mn/DOT were also panelists, and the group led a Q & A session with participants that addressed communication and common problems and challenges faced when teaching the public about roundabouts.
Schoenecker shared the communication plan called "Roundabout U" that Washington County officials used to educate the public. The plan included DVDs, matchbox car models of the roundabout, and a "magic carpet" that allowed people to walk through the roundabout as if they were driving.
Panelists emphasized the importance of public awareness and communication and noted that Washington County officials are willing to share materials and ideas with other cities that are considering the development of a roundabout. "The Internet is an extremely powerful tool for sharing information such as this," Schoenecker added.