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PennDOT Study Shows that Roundabouts Reduce Fatalities by 100%! Seems Like a Better Alternative Than the U-Turn Proposed by Arcadia in Newtown.

PennDOT Study Shows that Roundabouts Reduce Fatalities by 100%! Seems Like a Better Alternative Than the U-Turn Proposed by Arcadia in Newtown. | Newtown News of Interest | Scoop.it

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that fatalities, injuries, and crashes decreased overall at 26 roundabouts at 23 locations in the time since they were built, according to department data.

 

"The modern roundabout is simply safer than the traditional intersection," said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. Department data based on police-submitted crash reports spanning the years 2000 through 2020 shows that fatalities at [these roundabouts] were reduced by 100 percent and the total number of crashes decreased by 22 percent.

 

Additionally:

 

  • Suspected serious injuries were reduced by 81 percent;
  • Suspected minor injuries were reduced by 36 percent;
  • Possible/unknown severity injuries were reduced by 76 percent; and
  • Property damage-only crashes increased by 13 percent.

 

In addition to the 26 roundabouts meeting the selection criteria, 36 other roundabouts have been built on state routes with 19 more in construction and 20 in final design.

 

The Bucks County roundabouts included in the review are at the following intersections:

 

  • Route 2043 (Trevose Road) and Somerton Road
  • Route 213 (Bridgetown Pike/Maple Avenue) and Route 2010 (Bridgetown Pike)

 

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.

 

To educate Pennsylvanians on how to navigate a roundabout, the department created a video on 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.

johnmacknewtown's insight:

Arcadia filed Highway Occupancy Permit (HOP) Application #148702 with PennDOT to construct a U-turn option at Buck Road (SR 532) and Mill Pond Road in Newtown Township, Bucks County. See the plan: https://bit.ly/ArcadiaHOP_28Sep2021 

 

The Township denied approval of the project based on the fact that this U-turn, which is currently prohibited, would be dangerous. Although several other options were considered, PennDOT refused to consider them. But a roundabout was never seriously considered. Why not?

 

At the November 23, 2021, Newtown Board of Supervisors meeting, the supervisors approved my request that the Planning Commission review the Arcadia HOP application. This will give the township and the public an additional opportunity to send comments to PennDOT regarding the plan.

 

Related Content:

 

  • “PennDOT Rejects Request by Arcadia for Direct Access to the Newtown Bypass”; http://sco.lt/5XZP0K
  • “PennDOT Rejects Request by Arcadia for Direct Access to the Newtown Bypass”; http://sco.lt/8syVSC
  • “Newtown Township Supervisors Approved a Settlement Agreement with Arcadia That Ends a 6-Year Battle That the Town Was Warned It Would Lose”; http://sco.lt/60zEkS
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Newtown News of Interest
These Scoops are excerpts from articles published in local newspapers and other sources that may be of interest to Newtown area residents. Please click on the "From" link to access the full original article. Any opinions and "insights" appended to these article summaries are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.
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