Roundabouts Should Be On Maps

[nds76]

I'd like to see roundabouts noted on highway maps. Makes sense to me and helps me avoid them! 

[InterstateNG]

Good to know.

[tvketchum]

The AAA Indianapolis map does show them.

[NE2]

I'd like to see bad drivers noted for the same reason.

[tdindy88]

The AAA Indianapolis map does show them.

Not most of them however, looking at Carmel right now on the latest AAA map, there are many intersections that I know have roundabouts that are not marked as such. The fact that some of those roads are widened in the vincinity of the roundabout to boulevard standards makes them stand out.

[vtk]

Seeger's map of Franklin County, OH (official map available from Engineer's Office, or in different colors as AAA's Columbus map) has shown roundabouts since they were first built here.  I would expect any street-level-detail map to do so.

As for online maps, OpenStreetMap certainly shows roundabouts.  So does Google, but they're drawn so small they're easy to miss. 

[Quillz]

The Thomas Guide has always shown the Long Beach Traffic Circle, but it's much larger than your traditional roundabout, so that's probably why.

[bassoon1986]

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=31.266226,-92.461281&spn=0.073805,0.1684&t=m&z=13

Alexandria, LA also has a large traffic circle. I just realized on Google Maps they have the actual circle labeled as Masonic Circle. I wonder if it is officially named that,because it's not signed. You just know that it's the super intersection for Masonic Drive and MacArthur Dr. It's not like there will ever be a business on the land inside of the circle

[vdeane]

As for online maps, OpenStreetMap certainly shows roundabouts.  So does Google, but they're drawn so small they're easy to miss. 

I see them just fine, but I tend to be zoomed in a bit when looking at stuff.  They're drawn at actual size with respect to the satellite imagery.

[vtk]

As for online maps, OpenStreetMap certainly shows roundabouts.  So does Google, but they're drawn so small they're easy to miss. 

I see them just fine, but I tend to be zoomed in a bit when looking at stuff.  They're drawn at actual size with respect to the satellite imagery.

The ones I'm thinking of are drawn smaller than they should be.  This is probably because they're new and not on the imagery yet, but the circles as drawn fit inside the intersections they replaced.

[nds76]

I'd still like these to be on states official highway maps. Anyways here is Google Maps of double roundabouts in Michigan on M-81 @ I-75/US-23.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=43.450627,-83.890319&spn=0.001314,0.00284&t=m&z=19


http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=43.450584,-83.889627&spn=0.001268,0.00284&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=43.450588,-83.890278&panoid=WCeFWmY_mYf3Q2Ynb9uPUg&cbp=12,321.38,,0,-4.88


http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=43.4506,-83.890432&spn=0.001268,0.00284&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=43.450603,-83.891203&panoid=SPCT_q_RZf17xI_oP6zJxA&cbp=12,283.32,,0,0.06

[1995hoo]

Google Maps shows the four roundabouts at Gilberts Corner in Virginia clearly enough: http://g.co/maps/9p9pw (The satellite view is out of date.)

Thing is, most paper maps are not really "zoomed-in" enough to include the level of detail that would allow for showing a roundabout unless you're buying a local map. It seems to me to be wildly impractical to ask mapmakers to develop some sort of symbol for a roundabout and then use it in every instance, especially interchanges like the one "nds76" showed where you already have a symbol denoting the interchange.

[vtk]

Thing is, most paper maps are not really "zoomed-in" enough to include the level of detail that would allow for showing a roundabout unless you're buying a local map. It seems to me to be wildly impractical to ask mapmakers to develop some sort of symbol for a roundabout and then use it in every instance, especially interchanges like the one "nds76" showed where you already have a symbol denoting the interchange.

I concur.  While a symbol for a roundabout (or for that matter, a rural traffic signal) on a state-level map might sound nice, it can't practically be used for all instances, particularly where an interchange symbol is already used.

[mightyace]

I agree as well that roundabout symbols would only be practical on inset maps of developed areas.  (Or, zoom in on Google)

[Jordanah1]

why would you want to avoid them? i love them, and once communities become used to them, they usually work well, there is no reason to avoid them. if it was up to me, roundabouts would be built in almost all reconstructer intersections were space is available, this would include mini-roundabouts in residential areas.

[Alps]

why would you want to avoid them? i love them, and once communities become used to them, they usually work well, there is no reason to avoid them. if it was up to me, roundabouts would be built in almost all reconstructer intersections were space is available, this would include mini-roundabouts in residential areas.

Please never, ever get to a position of power where you would be able to do that.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Hey, I like roundabouts too. I do the opposite of avoiding them!

[xonhulu]

The first time I read the title of the original post, I thought it said "Roundabouts Should Be On Mars."  I'm still a little disappointed it wasn't.

[realjd]

why would you want to avoid them? i love them, and once communities become used to them, they usually work well, there is no reason to avoid them. if it was up to me, roundabouts would be built in almost all reconstructer intersections were space is available, this would include mini-roundabouts in residential areas.

Please never, ever get to a position of power where you would be able to do that.

I'm curious - why? They're provably safer and more efficient under most circumstances.

[Alps]

why would you want to avoid them? i love them, and once communities become used to them, they usually work well, there is no reason to avoid them. if it was up to me, roundabouts would be built in almost all reconstructer intersections were space is available, this would include mini-roundabouts in residential areas.

Please never, ever get to a position of power where you would be able to do that.

I'm curious - why? They're provably safer and more efficient under most circumstances.

No, not most. They function for a particular class of volumes. In low-volume situations, mini-roundabouts do nothing - just use stop or even yield signs. In higher-volume situations, before you consider a 2- or even 3- lane roundabout, a signal may be safer and possibly better at traffic control. It does depend heavily on what volumes are on each approach, how many approaches you have, and what the turning/through demands are at the intersection. The higher percentage of left turns and the greater the imbalance between major and minor streets (to a point, of course), the more a roundabout would work. People who indiscriminately love them and install them everywhere hurt our trendiest suburbs greatly.

[Jordanah1]

they are clearly safer....in oshkosh, at least our top 5 most accident prone intersections were replaced by roundabouts, and in the first month accidents went up, however since, they are down-down-down...and most of the accidents are slow swipes and little fenderbenders. mini roundabouts on calm residential streets(the ones with little enough traffic kids play football and stuff in the streets) those fringe grid neighborhoods like mine, were sightlines are good, instead of 1 street through, 1 stop or yield, simply a mini roundabout, really all it needs is paint...and ya roundabouts do have problems with volumes, especially when its all by itself surrounded by traffic lights, they work best when there are several of them in a series. and lastly, i dont quite understand your last comment about trendy suberbs, were there are often UNCONTROLED intersections...why not a nice landscaped roundabout at the main intersections in suberbs?

[triplemultiplex]

I put 'em on all the street-level maps that I work on.  It's useful information.  Like showing an interchange in it's actual configuration so a driver will know what to expect.  Same thing with roundabouts.

And because I personally like them, I enjoy putting them on any map I'm doing.  It's an attention to detail that is under-appreciated on maps.  Roundabouts, accurate grade separations and smooth interchange ramps; these are three things that will immediately jump out at me on a map and let me know if it's likely to be accurate.  Because if someone took the time to get those things right, I can rest assured that they got the streets and stuff right, too.

[DaBigE]

why would you want to avoid them? i love them, and once communities become used to them, they usually work well, there is no reason to avoid them. if it was up to me, roundabouts would be built in almost all reconstructer intersections were space is available, this would include mini-roundabouts in residential areas.

I completely agree.

You should be glad you live in Wisconsin, as roundabouts are required to be investigated any time a traffic signal is proposed.  You also happen to live smack in the middle of the nation's largest number of roundabouts as part of a single project (USH 41).  Forty-four will be in-place along the corridor when the reconstruction is complete.

Out of curiosity, when you refer to mini-roundabouts, are you referring to neighborhood traffic calming circles, or true mini-roundabouts (with a painted central island), as seen in the UK?

[jwolfer]

I'd like to see roundabouts noted on highway maps. Makes sense to me and helps me avoid them! 

By the same token, would you want every traffic light shown on a map or in NJ every jughandle... Just assume there is going to be some traffic control device at an intersection

[Alps]

I'd like to see roundabouts noted on highway maps. Makes sense to me and helps me avoid them! 

By the same token, would you want every traffic light shown on a map or in NJ every jughandle... Just assume there is going to be some traffic control device at an intersection

I would indeed want every jughandle shown. Use a dot for a circle or roundabout, and use a little X for a jughandle.