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A roundabout is a circular intersection or junction of two or more streets or highways. By design, roundabouts are intended to move traffic smoothly and consistently with fewer and less severe collisions than other types of intersections. All roundabouts are characterized by special approaches, instructional signage, and a center circle island that often is landscaped. Many roundabouts have “splitter” islands at exits to separate exiting and entering vehicles, pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes.

Roundabout traffic moves in a counterclockwise fashion around a center island. You’ll exit at the adjoining street or highway of your choosing. Unlike traditional intersections that control traffic flow with lighted signals or stop signs, roundabouts are yield-only. This means that unless there are vehicles in the roundabout, you do not have to stop when approaching the roundabout. In a common four-leg roundabout, a driver making a right turn takes the first exit; the second exit to continue going straight; and the third exit to turn left.

Yes, in many ways, they are. Research shows roundabouts move 30-50 percent more traffic, have far fewer “accident points” (16 compared to 56 for traditional intersections), reduce fatal crashes by 90 percent, save $5,000 per year on average in electricity and maintenance costs, cut vehicle emissions and fuel use, and last 15 years longer than intersections with traffic signals.

According to traffic research studies, it won’t. The National Cooperative Highway Research Program reports that there are 76 percent fewer crashes with injuries on roundabouts compared to traditional intersections. The crashes that do take place on roundabouts usually are sideswipes, not the more severe right-angle “T-bone” crashes.

Occasionally, they do. But almost all collisions that occur in roundabouts are slower-speed sideswipes, not high-speed right-angle “T-bone” crashes more common with traditional intersections. As such, the rare collisions in roundabouts usually result in less severe injuries and property damage compared to traditional intersections.

Once you know how to use a roundabout, it should become second nature. Here are step-by-step instructions for the single-lane roundabout that will go in at the Indiana 64/162 intersection: 1. Slow down to the posted speed when pulling up to the roundabout entry point. 2. Take note of the instructional signs indicating the Indiana 64 and 162 exit points within the roundabout. 3. Look left. If a vehicle is coming around toward the highway you are on, yield to that vehicle. 4. If a vehicle in the roundabout has exited before reaching your entry point or passed you and there are no other vehicles close behind, or if there are no vehicles in the roundabout, turn right onto the roundabout. 5. Travel counterclockwise in the roundabout and turn on your right turn signal after you pass the Indiana 64 or 162 exit prior to the one you plan to take. 6. Exit to the right onto the Indiana 64 or 162 roadway you’ve chosen.

During prime travel times, there may be a few vehicles lined up to enter the roundabout, but even then it isn’t likely to cause the types of backups seen with traffic lights and four-way stops. Studies by the federal National Cooperative Highway Research Program show that traffic moves smoother, and at 30-50 percent higher capacity, than at traditional intersections.

It is doubtful. The reason a roundabout is replacing the existing intersection is that previous two-way and four-way stops, while reducing vehicle crashes, led to traffic backups. When those methods were replaced by a traffic light, fewer backups took place, but crashes increased. Adding more police patrols at the intersection would only take officers away from other important law enforcement duties. Roundabouts have been proven to improve traffic flow and reduce the number and severity of vehicle crashes.

The project is still in the design phase, but the single-lane, four-leg roundabout will allow vehicles access to both east-west travel on Indiana 64 and north-south travel on Indiana 162, as the intersection is now. Because the roundabout is in a rural area heavily traveled by trucks, farm machinery, and other large vehicles, the dimensions likely will be larger with other features to allow for easier navigation.