are roundabouts - teach america corporation · are roundabouts good for business? ... project costs...

Are Roundabouts Good for Business?

TRB National Roundabout ConferenceMay 23 - 25, 2005

Alex J. Ariniello, Dan Hartman

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Now it looks like this

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BackgroundCity of Golden• 17,000 people• Colorado School of

Mines• Coors Brewery

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South Golden RoadSuburban Highway• Four Travel Lanes• Center Turn Lane • Wide Parking/Shoulders• 84 feet in Width• Driveways allowed

indiscriminately

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Strip Retail AreaBusinesses, including• Several Fast Food Restaurants• Small Shopping Center

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Safety Concerns

• Unrestricted Access

• Center Turn Lane • Width of roadway

encouraged speeding

• Was difficult to cross

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Impetus To Project Start

• Development proposal for a shopping center

• Need for a traffic signal at Utah Street

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City Objectives for South Golden Road

• Reduce vehicular conflicts and increase safety

• Create a more aesthetically pleasing area

• Create a more pedestrian-friendly environment

• Reduce delays for entering traffic at Utah Street

• Reduce queue delays to reduce travel time

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Initial Concept for South Golden Road

• Narrow the roadway• Provide medians and

wide detached sidewalks

• Construct two roundabouts at Utah Street and Ulysses Street

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City Reaction• Receptive to roundabout

concept– Traffic calming aspects– Obvious operational

qualities of roundabout concept

– Ease of U-Turns at the roundabouts

– Requested addition of a third roundabout

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Selling the Roundabout• Biggest opponent was

King Soopers, the major tenant of the new shopping center

• City offered to tear roundabout out if sales revenues didn’t meet expectations

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Selling The Roundabout

• Meeting with local merchants

• Fourth roundabout

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Implementation• Ulysses roundabout constructed on fast track schedule• Opened in November, 1998• King Soopers exceeded its sales projections• The other three roundabouts were completed in 1999

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Roundabout DimensionsS. Golden Road

RoundaboutsInside

DiameterOutside

DiameterUlysses Street (single-lane)

Utah StreetLunnanhaus Drive

Johnson Road

905050100

145105105155

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Project CostsThe 3/4mile long project cost

1.3 million. This included:• Four Roundabouts• Roadway Reconstruction• Medians, Detached

Sidewalks, Utility Relocations

• Design and Landscaping

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Accident History

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Year

Num

ber o

f Acc

iden

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AccidentsInjury Accidents

Pre-Roundabout

Post-Roundabout

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Accident Rate History

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Miles x 1,000,000Accidents per 1,000,000 mi.

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Slower Speeds But Faster Travel Times

Prior to roundabouts:• 2 traffic signals• Average travel time

of 78 seconds• With 3rd signal

Predicted travel time of 103 seconds

After The Roundabouts:• Travel time reduced

to 68 seconds

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Business Access

Seconds of Delay

Before After

Average Delay at Access Points

28 13

Maximum Delay at Access Points

118 40

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Other Examples• Roundabouts

Gaining Acceptance by Business Community

Superior MarketplaceSuperior, Colorado

750,000 SFShopping Center

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Promontory, Greeley, CO

Mixed Use Development670 acres5,000 employees1,500 Dwelling Units300 SF Retail

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Loveland, CO

Factory Outlet Shopping Center

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Douglas County, CO

Super TargetFuture LightRail Station

School Rec. Center

Transit-Oriented Development1,200 Acres2,000 Dwelling Units5 million SF Office/RetailMajor HospitalLight Rail Station

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Longmont, CO

Harvest Junction

Longmont, CO

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Sales Tax Revenues

• 60% increase in sales tax revenues

• Only area in Golden to experience continued sales tax growth

FIGURE 3Yearly Sales Tax Revenue

$0

$200,000

$400,000

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

$1,200,000

$1,400,000

$1,600,000

$1,800,000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Year

Tax

Rev

enue

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Summary and Conclusions

• Roundabouts in a Strip Commercial Area

• Slower Speeds, Faster Travel

• Reduced Delay at Access Points

• 88% Reduction in Accident Rates

• 60% Increase in Sales Tax Revenues

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Are Roundabouts Good for Business?

Golden’s Answer is

Yes !

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are roundabouts - teach america corporation · are roundabouts good for business? ... project costs...

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