Evaluating Pedestrian Considerations for Transit Advantage at Roundabouts
Roundabouts have proven to be an efficient approach to intersection control for medium-volume roads and generally provide greater capacity than an equivalent stop-controlled intersection. They are often selected due to the observed reduction in fatal crash risk and reduced operational costs. However, some evidence suggests that drivers exiting a roundabout are less likely to yield to pedestrians than drivers at other controlled intersections (e.g., stop-controlled). When considering transit operations, transit advantage treatments such as dedicated bus lanes are often implemented to reduce conflicts between transit vehicles and other traffic. These treatments, however, can widen the overall driving surface, making it more difficult for pedestrians to cross the road. Limited data exists to evaluate how such transit-only lanes impact pedestrian behavior and safety. When transit and roundabouts are combined, both of these issues are present, potentially introducing new hazards for pedestrians. This is particularly relevant near bus or other transit stops, where pedestrian volumes are generally higher. Therefore, understanding the interactions among pedestrian–roundabout, pedestrian–transit advantage treatment, and transit–roundabout is essential to designing and implementing safe and efficient transit advantage roundabouts with pedestrian considerations in mind. The key question is: What considerations and best practices should be applied when designing transit advantage roundabouts?
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $110,000.00
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Contract Numbers:
1060698
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Sponsor Organizations:
Minnesota Department of Transportation
395 John Ireland Boulevard
St Paul, MN United States 55155 -
Managing Organizations:
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Office of Research & Innovation
395 John Ireland Boulevard, MS 330
St. Paul, MN United States 55155-1899 -
Performing Organizations:
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Minneapolis, MN United States 55455 -
Principal Investigators:
Stern, Raphael
- Start Date: 20250916
- Expected Completion Date: 20270730
- Actual Completion Date: 0
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Bus priority; Design; Pedestrian safety; Pedestrian traffic; Roundabouts; Transit traffic
- Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01967898
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Minnesota Department of Transportation
- Contract Numbers: 1060698
- Files: RIP, STATEDOT
- Created Date: Oct 3 2025 3:58PM