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Politics & Government

City Hopes Roundabout Will Relieve Traffic Congestion

Project at Bell and Boles roads to commence in 2013.

In an attempt to relieve traffic congestion, the city of Johns Creek and the Georgia Department of Transportation will build a roundabout at the intersection of Bell and Boles roads.

In recent years, traffic congestion has worsened in the northeastern corner of the city, creating frustration due to long wait times for motorists, as well as increased traffic accidents.

The roundabout, which is a circular intersection where drivers travel counterclockwise around a center island, should improve traffic safety and is an alternative to stop lights and stop signs, besides giving the area a modern look.

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The roundabout would be a first for Johns Creek, and the city would join a few other cities across the United States and the world in utilizing this as a viable method of relieving congestion and reducing serious accidents. Though fairly popular in other cities, roundabouts are relatively new to Georgia. 

Johns Creek held a Public Information Open House on April 28 to help residents gain a better understanding of the concepts and why the city opted to build one instead of a more traditional intersection.

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Consultants, city transportation planners and the GDOT attended the informational meeting to answer questions on the project. About 40 people were in attendance and the reception was favorable. Some attendees voiced great interest in having sidewalks extending at the roundabout, and the city is talking to the GDOT about including that in the project.

Doug Nurse, communications manager for Johns Creek, said many attendees had also experienced using roundabouts in other parts of the country and appreciated the fact that it will expedite traffic and promote safety.

For the past few decades, the modern roundabout has been successfully implemented in other areas of the world, such as Europe and Australia. There are relatively few in the United States and they have been slow to gain popularity.

There are no traffic signals or stop signs on the modern roundabout. Drivers yield at entry to traffic and then enter and exit the roundabout at desired points. Those roundabouts currently in the United Stated have been performing favorably when compared to the conventional intersections with stop signs or signals.

The benefits are too important to ignore – improved safety, shorter delays, increased capacity and improved aesthetics. The greatest benefits of having a roundabout in place are that it will reduce the number and severity of accidents. Studies have shown a 51 percent drop at intersections where roundabouts are built. Motorists tend to slow down as they approach the roundabout and pay more attention, Nurse said.

The benefits of a roundabout at the intersection of Bell and Boles road far outweigh any risks. It will significantly reduce the wait time, which can be up to 10 minutes long.

Additionally, traffic circles keep motorists moving and engineers have calculated the waiting time will fall to about 20 seconds. Studies by the Federal Highway Administration have found that roundabouts can increase traffic capacity by 30 percent to 50 percent compared to traditional intersections.

The Bell-Boles roads intersection will remain open as the traffic circle is being built. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2013 and be completed in about 12 months. 

The city will accept public comments until May 12 that can be directed to Ken Hildebrandt, director of Public Works, at Ken.Hildebrandt@johnscreekga.gov.

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