- Roundabouts have lower crash rates than conventional intersections, but they can see more bicycle crashes than four-legged intersections. Applying one or more of the following countermeasures will enhance bicyclist safety at roundabouts.
- Do not continue a bike lane on the approaching roadway through the roundabout. End bike lanes at least 100 ft upstream of a roundabout’s entrance line and provide space for bicyclists to merge into traffic.
- Use design features that encourage bicyclists to ride in the center of the circulating lane. Sharrows can be used to guide bicyclists and alert drivers that bicyclists may be present.
- A bike lane taper should resume on roundabout exits downstream of crosswalks. Use a dotted line along the taper until the bike lane achieves full width. Use a solid line to separate the full-width bike lane from adjacent travel lanes.
- If vehicle and/or bicycle volumes or vehicle travel speeds are high, provide a separate shared use path (buffered if possible) or designated bike facility outside the circulating road. When designing a shared use path, make sure that pedestrians with visual impairments will not confuse bicycle ramps with pedestrian ramps or crossings.
CONTACT:
Chris VanDyke
Research Scientist | Program Manager
chrisvandyke@uky.edu
