ODOT: roundabouts are working

VW independent staff/submitted information

This is National Roundabouts Week and according to the Ohio Department of Transportation, it’s a time to celebrate a simple engineering design that has dramatically improved the safety of intersections throughout the country.

ODOT officials said they’re pleased with the results where roundabouts have been constructed and how the overall public has adapted to them. One of those roundabouts is at the intersection of U.S. 127/Marsh Road/U.S. 224 in Van Wert.

“The acceptance of roundabouts can lag in areas where roadways rarely change,” said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director. “You introduce a vastly different concept like a roundabout where stop signs and traffic signals rule, and it’s understandable why some motorists are hesitant. The goal is always to reduce the number of injury and fatal crashes.”

While not always popular with those behind the wheel, ODOT officials said the safety improvement a roundabout brings is hard to argue against.

“No intersection improvement will eliminate all crashes, but nothing equals the effectiveness of a roundabout in lessening the severity of crashes,” said Pat McColley, ODOT District 2 deputy director.

In 2019, Governor Mike DeWine directed ODOT to target safety improvements at 150 intersections statewide in rural, suburban, and urban areas. This represents an investment of $425 million over several years.

According to figures supplied by ODOT, 3.3 crashes occurred per year at the U.S. 127/Marsh Road/U.S. 224 intersection before the roundabout was constructed. Since it was opened to traffic in August, 2022, 2.0 crashes have occurred per year there, which represents a 40 percent crash reduction and a 50 percent reduction in injury crashes.

Construction of Van Wert County’s second roundabout is scheduled to begin in 2027 at the intersection of Lincoln Highway and U.S. 224.