Cost Effective Roundabouts: Evaluate Options for Reducing Roundabout Footprints and Construction Costs

The operational and safety benefits of modern roundabouts are well established, providing less delay and significantly reducing fatalities and serious injuries. While their use in Texas and throughout the country continues to grow, opportunities for further implementation can be limited in some locations due to their relatively high construction costs, compared to alternatives such as traditional intersections controlled by stop signs or traffic signals. The footprint of roundabouts is larger than these traditional alternatives, increasing costs for right-of-way and pavement; while those upfront construction costs can be mitigated over the life of the intersection through reduced maintenance and operation costs, the construction costs are still a factor in the decision-making process for intersection control. This effect can be even more pronounced when attempting to build roundabouts with scarce safety, maintenance, or mobility funds, as the cost of one roundabout can account for the entire annual allotment of a district’s safety funds. To maximize opportunities for roundabout implementation, research is needed to identify more cost-effective ways to address footprint and construction costs.

• Record URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/project=0-7275

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $455,222.00
• Contract Numbers:

  0-7275

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
• Managing Organizations:

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
• Project Managers:

  Adediwura, Jade

• Performing Organizations:

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135

  Texas State University, San Marcos

  JCK Building, Suite 489
  San Marcos, TX  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Brewer, Marcus A

• Start Date: 20260101
• Expected Completion Date: 20271231
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cost effectiveness; Costs; Road construction; Roundabouts
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Economics; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01973478
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 0-7275
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Dec 5 2025 2:19PM