PennDOT Data Shows Pennsylvania Roundabouts Reducing Crashes, Injuries and Fatalities
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that according to department data, crashes, injuries, and fatalities decreased at 11 roundabouts after they were installed.
“Our data shows that modern-day roundabouts reduce crash severity and injuries while improving traffic flow,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. “This underscores why roundabouts are becoming more commonplace in Pennsylvania and beyond.”
PennDOT recently reviewed data for 11 roundabouts on state routes at intersections that were previously stop or signal controlled. These roundabouts were reviewed based on having at least three years of data available before and after the roundabout’s installation. These 11 are all the roundabouts on state routes that met the review parameters. Department data based on police-submitted crash reports spanning the years 2000 through 2017 shows:
•Fatalities were reduced by 100 percent (from two to zero);
•Serious injuries were reduced by 100 percent (from seven to zero);
•Minor injuries were reduced by 95 percent (from 19 to one);
•Possible/unknown severity injuries were reduced by 92 percent (from 49 to four);
•Crashes causing only property damage decreased by 2 percent (from 49 to 48); and
•The total number of crashes dropped 47 percent (from 101 to 54).
In addition to the 11 roundabouts meeting the review criteria, 32 other roundabouts have been installed on state routes and 26 are in design. The roundabouts included in the review were:
•The intersection of Route 3070 (Ewing and Resurrection Roads) with Business Loop 376 eastbound on and off-ramps in Moon Township, Allegheny County, installed in 2011;
•The intersection of Route 68 (Adams Street), Route 1034 (Brighton Avenue), and Route 18 (Rhode Island Avenue) in Rochester Borough, Beaver County, installed in 2011;
•The intersection of Route 2043, Trevose Road and Somerton Road, Bucks County, installed in 2012;
•The intersection of Route 0082, Doe Run Road and Unionville Road, Chester County, installed in 2005;
•The intersection of Route 0034 (Spring Road) and Route 1007 (Sunnyside Drive) and Mountain Road at Sterretts Gap, Middlesex Township and Carroll Township, Cumberland and Perry counties, installed in 2014;
•The intersection of Route 0039 (Linglestown Road) and Route 3019 (Mountain Road), in Linglestown, Dauphin County, installed in 2011;
•The intersection of Routes 1023/46 Newton Street Road and St. Davids Road, Delaware County, installed in 2008;
•The intersection of Routes 0019/97 and High Street, Erie County, installed in 2014;
•The intersection Routes 0029/73, Gravel Pike and Big Road, Montgomery County, installed in 2009;
•The intersection of Route 0016 (Main Street), Route 3072 (Hanover Street), and Route 3059 (Roths Church Road), in Spring Grove, York County, installed in 2007; and
•The intersection of Route 0074 (Delta Road), Route 0851 (Bryansville Road) and Route 2015 (Broad Street), in Delta, York County, installed in 2008.
Roundabouts are frequently installed to address intersections with safety issues, but may also be installed to improve traffic flow as well as other reasons such as traffic calming, and to facilitate pedestrian mobility.
Although roundabouts are safer and typically more efficient than traditional signalized intersections, in many cases they may not be the best option due to topography or other reasons, such as property impacts, capacity issues and proximity to other intersections.
To educate Pennsylvanians on how to navigate a roundabout, the department created a video that shows viewers how to use both single and multi-lane roundabouts whether in a vehicle, on a bicycle or on foot. The video can be accessed by visiting the roundabout page on www.penndot.gov or by visiting the department’s YouTube channel.
