Gaining countless new insights on roundabout design.
Learning Roundabouts: As the islands of Hawai’i continue to be key tourist destinations, the safe and efficient flow of traffic remains paramount. Public agencies in Hawai’i saw a need to learn about improved roadway design, specifically roundabouts. Reid Middleton headed up a 2-day roundabout training at the University of Hawai’i. Led by Reid Middleton’s expert roundabout engineers and designers, attendees learned about commonly-voiced comments, concerns, and design deficiencies. Students participated in hands-on roundabout design with exercises that included site-specific conditions. They were taught to identify and remove fatal flaws and refine the design for safe, efficient traffic operations. We showed how to establish a balance between competing objectives and avoid common pitfalls that rob capacity and contribute to collisions. Students gained a good understanding of roundabout design principles and can now apply this new understanding to their specific design projects.
