Roundabout Directions

It’s 8 PM Tuesday and the barricades are still in place. But, if all goes as planned, the new roundabout at the intersection of Morgantown and Fairview should be open sometime tomorrow. Living just west of the project, across from Pleasant Grove Elementary, my wife and I have been in a perfect location to watch the progress of the project. And the progress has been swift.

Since my first visit over the July 4 holiday I’ve seen it move from a roughed-in roadbed to a completed project that will substantially improve the traffic flow through the intersections. In discussions with some of the workers I learned that they have been studying traffic patterns at the intersection for a number of years, and it is designed for as much as 40% increase in traffic volume.

While this is all great, we are going to have to learn how to navigate this new intersection. In cooperation with Crossroads Engineers, the county held a public hearing describing the rules of the road. Unfortunately, no more than 30 people attended and my wife was among them. I thought I’d share some of what she learned that evening. Much of this comes directly from the information Crossroads Engineer presented that night.

What is a Roundabout?

• A roundabout is a one-way circular intersection on which traffic flow counter-clockwise around a center island
• Drivers yield at the entrance
• There is no parking permitted on the roundabout
• There is no activity in the center island

How do you navigate a Roundabout?

Signs and lines. First you want to watch the signs detailed below. They will help you understand your options and what you should do. Secondly, play close attention to the lines. The rules of the lines are identical to all other road lines: Don’t cross solid lines, stop for pedestrians at crosswalks, cross dotted lines only when traffic permits. Following these rules, the worst that is likely to happen is that you have to circle the roundabout a second time to get the direction you want to go. One of the best features is that three of the four directions have dedicated right-turn lanes. The traffic in the circle still has the right of way, but in many cases you will be able to proceed without even stopping.

Here’s an overview of the signs you will see:

	Slow down to the advisory speed.
	If multi-lane, choose appropriate lane based on destination prior to entering the roundabout
	Look both ways for pedestrians
	Yield to all traffic on your left. (Note: You are not required to stop. Look left, if clear…continue.)
	Enter when there is a gap in the traffic.

Remember: Look left for oncoming traffic, merge to the right!

Other Resources

• Crossroads Engineers information on the intersection.
• Washington State’s roundabout navigation video.
• Federal Highway Administration web site.
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety video.

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