July 18, 2023

By Andrew Plowman, SR Project Manager

In just a quarter century, the number of roundabouts has increased 3,000 percent across the country. Roundabouts are growing in prevalence because of how they can effectively, efficiently, and safely move traffic. Numerous designs and geometric shapes allow roundabouts to seamlessly integrate into our transportation infrastructure.  

Below are five facts about roundabouts – an infrastructure trend that’s here to stay.

1. Roundabouts improve safety.

A major reason that roundabouts have grown in popularity is because of their safety record. The designs help prevent serious crashes and fatalities. Slower speeds and the angle at which cars enter roundabouts significantly reduce the probability of head on and T-bone accidents.  Multi-lane roundabouts may have property damage only crashes when they are first introduced, but the chances for fatal or injury crashes drop significantly.  In most cases, crashes at roundabouts are fender benders.  

Pedestrian safety is also improved at roundabouts, although this can be a difficult concept for some to understand.  Most feel that because there is not the presence of a signal telling the motorist when to stop and the pedestrian when to go, that it cannot be safe.  However, there are several reasons the pedestrian crossing experience is improved:

• Slower speeds
• Shorter crossing distance
• Fewer conflict points
• Navigating traffic from one direction and refuge islands
• The pedestrian crosswalk is pulled back from the yield line allowing drivers to make a decision at the crosswalk before entering the roundabout

What’s more, because of their safety track record, they score well with many federal programs and are often eligible for grant funding.

2. Roundabouts handle high and low volumes efficiently.

Have you ever sat at a light for what feels like forever, even when there is no other traffic around? Roundabouts solve that problem, providing self-optimizing control. Roundabouts keep traffic moving. Roundabouts handle both high and low volume traffic well.  The effect of a rolling queue creates a situation where delay seems more acceptable to the driving public.  In the early 2000’s, many roundabouts were overbuilt based on the modeling results.  Many multi-lane roundabouts have since been retrofit to simpler geometry, and still perform operationally well. 

3. Roundabouts significantly improve access management in busy corridors.

In areas where there are many driveways and businesses along a corridor, it can be difficult for exiting traffic to turn left onto busy streets.   The implementation of a roundabout corridor allows left turns to be eliminated while access is maintained and for drivers to make a U-turn.  This creates a safer and efficient corridor.

4. Roundabouts have growing buy-in from the public.

When communities begin building roundabouts, there can be a fair amount of skepticism and concern from the public. As more communities adopt roundabouts and more drivers have successfully used them, that skepticism is significantly reduced.  

In communities that are new to roundabouts, a robust public engagement strategy is executed to educate the public. Public engagement tactics often include modeling, educational materials, visualizations and myth busting presentations that dispel the myths and provide education about the roundabouts, .

5. There are times when roundabouts are the wrong design choice.

While roundabouts are a growing trend, they aren’t right for every situation. Areas with high traffic volumes in one direction, with limited left turns on or to the side street, may not be ideal for a roundabout, as appropriate gaps may not be created. If roadways are already designed for traffic signals with multiple lanes, it may be more efficient to install traffic lights as opposed to redesigning a street for a roundabout.

Roundabouts are growing in popularity for a reason and are here to stay. Efficient traffic flow, improved safety, and operational efficiency make them a smart infrastructure choice for many communities.

Roundabouts move people and communities forward. 

July 18, 2023

Travis Wieber is the Vice President of Transportation at WSB. Travis joined our firm in 2022 and leads our transportation efforts throughout the Midwest. Wieber will also play a large role in our expansion of staff and services in the Fargo, North Dakota geographic market this year. 

Q: You joined our firm just over a year ago.  What about WSB attracted you?

There were several factors that influenced my decision to join WSB.  My background has always been in consultant engineering, and I knew it would be a great opportunity to be a part of a successful and growing organization. I knew that WSB had tremendous talent and it was a team I wanted to be part of. Meeting Jon Chiglo, our COO, and Bret Weiss, our CEO, proved that this was the right place for me. I was impressed with their leadership and vision for the company and how it influences us now and in the future.

Q: What factors have contributed to the growth of WSB and our expansion into North Dakota?

Currently, there is a lot of work to be completed in the engineering industry and companies that are performing have a big opportunity in front of them. I strongly believe that WSB is that company.  Our clients understand that we will deliver successfully. It’s why we often have repeat work. Our successful delivery has significantly contributed to our growth and allows us to attract new talent and expand in new locations, like North Dakota.

Q: How has transportation been advancing in North Dakota?

The state has seen steady growth over the years. WSB is changing the way our industry delivers projects through advanced project delivery and have an opportunity to bring this approach to the North Dakota market, much like we’ve done in Minnesota and Texas.

Q: Why is the North Dakota market important to the growth of WSB?

The North Dakota market has a stable economy and is investing heavily in infrastructure. North Dakota is also a very energy dependent state with robust funding. While it may not be the size of our other markets, it provides us with an opportunity to build a strong talent pipeline with our college relationships (Go Bison!) and grow our client footprint. The market has a vast number of engineers, surveyors, and planners available who can help us deliver in any of our markets or regions. The expansion into this market will influence our workload and diversifies our business offerings.

Q: What makes WSB best suited to support infrastructure needs across the Midwest?

As a full-service design firm, we have access to every area of expertise within our company ‘walls.’ Our roots are in the Midwest which has allowed us to learn from our client base and take this knowledge with us to new markets.  We take a bold approach to the way we work, and I find that exciting. We don’t take the same approach as everyone else and that’s a big differentiator for us.

Q: What does the future of WSB look like?

We will experience growth and will expand our regional footprint. The model we built in Minnesota is applicable to other areas of the country.  We’ll use this model to bring all our services into the Fargo and Bismarck areas. Taking steps regionally and diversifying our geographies creates opportunities. We believe in building what’s next in infrastructure and our passion, drive and innovation will guide that.

Q: How will you support the growth of WSB throughout the Midwest?

One of my biggest focuses as we experience growth throughout the Midwest is to ensure that we’re collaborating with each other across geographies. Our talent extends throughout the U.S. That’s the great thing about the way we work. Project teams don’t always need to be working in the same office. We’ll focus on putting the best teams together to support our clients’ needs across our organization.

Q: What are the strategic goals for the North Dakota market?

We will grow our existing relationships with the state and city market clients. We are well-positioned to support the infrastructure needs of our partners across the state. Our expanded Fargo office really emphasizes our commitment to the community.  We’ll be building our talent through strategic hires that will be able to support the needs of our clients throughout the Midwest. 

Q: What do you wish our clients knew about WSB?

I wish more of clients knew the depth of services we offer and the approach we take to solving complex challenges. We strive to be a one-stop shop providing comprehensive solutions with great customer service.

Travis wieber

How we are leveraging technology to improve project delivery, add value to projects, and reduce risk is a focus across our firm. We have a great story to tell and I’m looking forward to sharing that with new and existing clients alike.