MINI ROUNDABOUTS

Federal Highway Administration

“Mr. Ritchie has developed innovative design techniques to substantially improve modern roundabout operations and field safety. Scott is one of our national Peer Reviewers… and focuses on roundabout corridor sustainability with enhanced multi-modal facilities.” – FHWA

Arizona Dept. of Transportation

“Scott Ritchie [RTE] is simply the best roundabout designer in the business.” – ADOT

California Dept. of Transportation

“This is a roundabout design solution that quite frankly is in a class by itself. In a simple, yet paradoxically profound way, Scott Ritchie managed to take this problematic corridor on a journey that begins with sound design principles and ends with an operational work of art.” – Caltrans

Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation

“Mr. Ritchie’s inherent knowledge of working traffic operations, extensive field research, innovative transportation solutions, contributions with publications and agency guides, and demonstrated ability to understand and design complex projects from a holistic approach has made him an unsurpassed leader in his field.” – WisDOT

Institute of Transportation Engineers

“Scott Ritchie has devoted his entire career to pioneering the roundabout revolution in North America.” – ITE

Transportation Research Board

“Scott Ritchie is the nation’s leading roundabout design specialist recognized as a modernizer of the transportation industry, a qualified roundabout design expert and instructor, public educational speaker, and established publisher of roundabout design guidelines in the U.S.” – TRB

Mini but Mighty

A good roundabout design is not just utilizing sound design principles, but knowing how it feels when driving through it.

This mini roundabout in Shakopee, MN is the first mini roundabout in the U.S. with high speed approach treatments and cuvilinear alignments to slow traffic prior to reaching the entry radii. The design is a direct correlation to the concepts RTE produced for the FHWA Mini Roundabout Guidelines. The constructed project results in a gradually slowing approach roadway coupled with smooth entry radii for harmonious entry speeds on all four legs. Scott County / City of Shakopee found this alternative superior to a signal or stop control for improved safety and capacity during peak traffic demands. The mini roundabout also improves sidewalk / trail connections and avoids impacts to adjacent private property.

▶ CITY MINI ROUNDABOUT VIDEO

urban Mini rOUndaBOUts

You can’t rely on people coming to downtown… you must create a “sense of place”… a lively, pedestrian friendly, “village” style community people want to be!

The purpose of this project was to restore life into the Historic Downtown Business District of Oroville, CA. It entailed replacing its urban one-way street couplet back to its original bi-directional flow with improved intersection capacity using mini roundabouts developed by RTE. The plan provided streetscape improvements that enhance pedestrian safety, create a more vibrant mulit-modal experience, and provide design elements that bring continuity to the downtown area.

The project included nine mini roundabouts, a five-leg gateway roundabout, share-the-lane bike paths, transit stops, multiple styles of on-street parking, and access management for the Historic Downtown area. The plan also included new civic centers, encouragement of diversity in commerical uses, zero building setbacks, increased sidewalk widths for outdoor seating, dining, and landscaping.

SEE PROJECT PLAN

SEE STREETSCAPE

Future of the mini

The key to any roundabout, especially the mini, is to ensure there is adequate speed control (deflection). Without it, the intersection is unsafe!

This mini roundabout was installed to resolve the relatively high volume of traffic between Historic Route 66 and adjacent collector roadways serving several regional school systems, local businesses, recreation centers, and mixed use residential areas in Flagstaff, AZ. The project exemplifies the flexibility of use of the mini roundabout being applied in mixed use areas, commercial and residential zones, as well as public schools and community centers.

The future of the mini roundabout is highly anticipated as a limitless resource to confidently resolve local congestion, improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, reduce vehicular accidents, and improve town character.

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