Roundabouts On Urban Complete Street Corridors Promote Safety and Economic Development

Abstract: This presentation will examine the conversion of an urban corridor to a vibrant, multi-modal, complete street, roundabout corridor and the challenges, solutions, and benefits of this roundabout corridor through the urban environment. This central Indiana corridor traversed the urban core of Noblesville, IN in order to enhance safety, provide active transportation alternatives, improve community quality of life, and stimulate commerce in the busy downtown core.

This project case study corridors includes 6 roundabouts, as well as multi-use paths and other pedestrian enhancements. Reducing travel time, providing trail connectivity, improving mobility for all modes, enhancing pedestrian and cyclist safety, and stimulating private sector investment interests in the corridors were identified as primary goals for these projects.

This presentation will also describe how a strategic public outreach campaign was developed and implemented in order to generate stakeholder support for the project prior to and during construction in order to ensure that the critical project outcomes were accomplished. Addressing long-standing public concerns that have persisted for decades, promoting innovative urban planning and design, and achieving a projected 20% reduction in congestion in the project area, were all messages central to the outreach campaign.

Additional stakeholder considerations such as oversized vehicle accommodation, public safety access and response time, traffic-based construction phasing priority, and detour route traffic and safety improvements were including in the planning and design of the project. By addressing all these concerns gathered from stakeholder input, the project's public information strategy effectively countered misinformation and generated community support.

This talk will illustrate how this complete street, urban roundabout corridor project contributes to the future of urban mobility in its community, serving as a model for similar initiatives for cities that wish to explore roundabout solutions in challenging urban environments.