By Charles Pekow — Roundabouts can be challenging and sometimes hazardous for cyclists. To improve safety, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has proposed measures aimed at encouraging motorists to yield at both entrances and exits.
Drivers usually yield when entering a roundabout but are far less likely to do so when exiting—possibly because of limited space for vehicles behind them. However, motorists were more likely to slow or stop when cyclists and pedestrians approached from a median island.
MnDOT recommends exploring traffic-calming strategies such as raised crosswalks, narrower lanes, and adjusted road striping. Where traffic volumes allow, reducing multiple lanes to a single lane at crossings may also help. In certain cases, rapid-flashing beacons at exits, as well as added yield or speed limit signs, can improve safety.
The full findings and recommendations are available in Improving Safety for People Walking and Biking at Roundabouts: https://mdl.mndot.gov/items/202527
