Research & Innovation

Improving Safety for People Walking and Biking at Roundabouts

Summary:

Compared to other types of intersections, roundabouts have been shown to significantly decrease severe crashes, including those involving pedestrians and bicyclists. But some pedestrians still have safety concerns. MnDOT and local transportation agencies sought to better understand driver behavior toward pedestrians and bicyclists to enhance safety for all road users at roundabouts. Researchers analyzed driver yielding behavior in nearly 3,000 interactions with pedestrians or bicyclists at 16 roundabouts in Minnesota. In both urban and suburban settings, the roundabouts varied in number of lanes, speed limits and traffic volumes. Researchers identified the factors corresponding to higher yielding rates, such as roundabout size, number of lanes and location of crosswalks. The project’s insights will guide local agency and MnDOT efforts to optimize pedestrian and bicyclist safety in designing and managing roundabouts.

Final Deliverables:

• Improving Safety for People Walking and Biking at Roundabouts (Report #2025-27)
• Enhancing Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists at Roundabouts (Research Summary)

Related Materials:

• Enhancing Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists at Roundabouts  (Blog Post)

Related Research:

Project Personnel:

Principal Investigator:  Peter Savolainen
Co-Principal Investigator:  Tim Gates
Technical Liaison:  Mark Wagner
Project Coordinator:  Chad Kooistra
Panel Members: 
    Caroline Ketcham - Transit and Active Transportation
    Derek Leuer - Traffic Engineering
    Ethan Fawley - City of Minneapolis
    Jodi Teich - Otter Tail County Highway Department
    Joe Gustafson - Washington County Public Works - Engineer
    Kristi Sebastian - FHWA - Minnesota Division Office
    Kristin Asher - City of Richfield
    Kyle Hoff - WSB
    Michael Samuelson - Transportation System Management
    Mitchell Kiecker - Transit and Active Transportation
    Morris Luke - District 1
    Tim Plath - City of Eagan - Engineer
    Victor Lund - St. Louis County Public Works - Engineer