California city to open $15M 'turbo roundabout' at deadly intersection

A Californian city is preparing to unveil a $15 million 'turbo roundabout' to help fix issues at a deadly intersection, despite concerns by planners the European road feature could leave motorists confused. The three-lane road feature - dubbed turbo for its shape rather than its speed - is only the second of its kind in the U.S. and is being introduced at the busy crossing of highways 25 and 156 near the city of Gilroy, San Benito County.

The site has double the road traffic accidents of similar intersections across the state. In 2022, there were 45 collisions, including one fatality. But while city planners hope the giant roundabout will offer a solution to the dangerous crossing when it fully opens in the spring, they acknowledge that the design - originally devised in the Netherlands - could prove complicated for drivers.

The California Department of Transportation, CalTrans, partnered with San Benito County Governments to release a video with step-by-step instructions on how to use the roundabout. It explains how the structure will feature three lanes separated by three-inch high dividers which guide drivers through the roundabout.

The purpose of the dividers is to discourage lane changing once a vehicle has entered the roundabout. Instead, motorists will have to choose their lane prior to entry using the overhead signs and stick with it until they reach their desired exit. The left lane is designed for drivers turning left or proceeding straight out of the roundabout. The middle lane is for vehicles continuing straight on, while the right lane is for motorists exiting right.

Drivers must yield to traffic already on the roundabout prior to joining and should remain inside their lane until they reach their exit. This differs from a typical multi-lane roundabout in which drivers can freely shift between lanes. While the name 'turbo' may suggest high speed, this refers to the spiral shape of the structure and motorists are encouraged to slow down prior to approach.

'Wherever we have installed a roundabout, the number of collisions drastically decreases,' Caltrans spokesperson Jim Shivers told SF Gate. 'And this is pretty much true for roundabouts around the country.' The only other turbo roundabout in the U.S. is located in Jacksonville, Florida and opened in February 2022. Turbo roundabouts first emerged in the Netherlands in the 1990s designed by Professor L.G.H. Fortuijn as a means of improving safety. They became so popular the Dutch government introduced their own guidelines for them and today there are around 300 in the country.

Construction on the San Benito County roundabout began in December 2022 and it has already opened to some traffic with no collisions reported as yet. 

Prior to the turbo roundabout, Caltrans said it had implemented numerous other solutions to improve safety including adjusting the signal timing, installing 'signal ahead' signs, installing flashing beacons, and upgrading the size of the signal heads but to little effect. It said an interchange was not being considered due to funding issues and the need to quickly address safety concerns in the area.

Despite being a common feature in many European countries, traditional roundabouts in the U.S. are scarce. Across the country there are around 13,000, equivalent to one per every 25,531 people.

By comparison there are 25,000 in the UK, equal to around 383 per person and more than 30,000 in France which works at around 664 per capita. Read the full story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12922929/California-city-turbo-roundabout-deadly-intersection.html?ito=msngallery

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