Assessment of Capacity Estimation Methods for a Multi-lane Roundabout with Field Traffic Data

Project summary:

The increasing popularity of roundabouts as alternatives to signalized intersections necessitates the development of a systematic and reliable methodology for estimating the capacity of a given roundabout. As a key step towards developing such a tool, this study assesses the validity of the existing, most commonly used capacity methods with the real traffic data, which will be collected from the new roundabout in Minnesota equipped with the loop traffic detectors. The study includes an analysis of traffic flow approaching a roundabout, as well as during circulation.