Spring 2005 - Technological Leadership Institute - University of ...

ISE
Three graduates advocate using roundabouts in Minnesota
THE
BENEFITS
OF
Going
in
Circles
In March, a trio of recent
graduates of the master
of science in Infrastructure
Systems Engineering (ISE)
program appeared before
the Mahtomedi planning
commission to share
information about a common
passion—the advantages of
roundabouts as an alternative
to traditional traffic
intersections.
Their presentation is only one way
that the former students are applying
the results of their ISE capstone project.
Based on their research for the project
and their own experiences, the three
self-proclaimed advocates for roundabouts
are working to encourage their
use throughout Minnesota.
Since graduating from the program
in 2004, they have made impressive
headway in increasing awareness about
roundabouts in the transportation
community and in paving the way for
construction of roundabouts (see
related story).
A round what?
A roundabout works on a simple
concept: Instead of an intersection with
signal lights, drivers from all intersecting
streets yield to traffic in the roundabout,
entering the circle only when
traffic allows. Traffic in the roundabout
moves freely without interruption,
counterclockwise around a center
island. No parking is allowed in the
roundabout, nor are pedestrians
allowed to cross to the center island.
Popular in Europe, roundabouts
come in different sizes, depending on
traffic volumes. Minnesota has only a
few roundabouts. The state’s first
roundabout was constructed in