Mini Roundabout Expected to Have Big Impact at Busy Intersection

From the Town of Vienna:

VIENNA, VA - The Town of Vienna is set to begin construction August 1 on what is believed to be the first mini roundabout in Northern Virginia. The intersection of Park and Locust streets is expected to be closed for approximately four weeks through August as the bulk of the mini roundabout construction project is undertaken. Detours will be posted.

Less than two dozen mini roundabouts, counterclockwise-circulating traffic devices that fit within the existing parameters of an intersection, currently are in use throughout the country. Funded largely (80%) by grants obtained through the Federal Highway Administration, Vienna’s single-lane mini roundabout, says Engineer John Jay Sergent, will provide for “a constant circulation of vehicles, which will greatly improve the back up along Locust Street.” In addition, the roundabout will eliminate sight distance/visibility issues for drivers turning onto Park from Locust and move pedestrian crossings away from the intersection, making the area safer and easier to maneuver for those on foot.

The roundabout center island is “fully mountable,” meaning that the tires on 18-wheelers and other long vehicles can go over the center island, allowing such vehicles to maneuver through the roundabout.

The Town of Vienna has contracted with M&F Concrete of Manassas to construct the roundabout. The approved budget for the project is $350,460. Mini roundabouts are less expensive than their full-sized counterparts, Sergent notes, not only because they’re physically smaller but also because there is minimal impact on adjacent properties and no need for local jurisdictions to acquire additional rights-of- way.

The project includes the center island, concrete medians along Park and Locust, markings, signage, accessible curb ramps, and new pedestrian crossings. While the entire project is expected to require about eight weeks, depending on weather conditions, the intersection will need to be closed for approximately four weeks. The Town’s goal is to substantially complete the project before school starts in September.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, studies indicate that in the United States replacement of traffic signals or stop signs with a roundabout reduces injury crashes by up to 80% and all crashes by up to 47%. Crashes, and especially injury crashes, are reduced because vehicles are all traveling in the same direction and at low speeds.

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