From Harford County Government:
(Bel Air, MD) – – The Harford County Department of Public Works has announced that work is underway for the construction of Harford County’s first “mini” roundabout. The roundabout is located at the intersection of MacPhail Road and Tollgate Road in Bel Air. The project should be completed prior to the Labor Day weekend.
“Mini” roundabouts function the same as the larger roundabouts in that vehicles should yield to those vehicles already in the roundabout, go around the central island in a counterclockwise direction and then exit the roundabout. The mini roundabout however, has a fully mountable center island so the rear wheels of large vehicles can navigate around the intersection.
Despite the initial outcry over the first roundabout that was installed at Marketplace Drive in 1996, roundabouts in Harford County have been highly successful. Traffic delays have disappeared at various locations such as Laurel Bush and Wheel Road; idling traffic while waiting for a red light is non-existent and most importantly, the safety benefits of roundabouts are undeniable.
According to the Department of Public Works, the 21 roundabouts throughout Harford County, many which have been installed for more than 10 years, have a combined total of 38 reported motor vehicles accidents with only three injuries. Conversely, at three of the 21 intersections which were “stop sign” controlled prior to the installation of roundabouts, there were a total of 78 accidents with 24 injuries and three fatalities from the period 1995 – 2005.
These intersections included Tollgate and Westover, Tollgate and W. Ring Factory and Abingdon Road and Box Hill South. Since 2005, coinciding with the installation of the roundabouts, those intersections have had a total of only 13 accidents resulting in two minor injuries.
The “original” or “normal” size roundabout was an idea that originated in Europe and has been encouraged for use in the United States by the Federal Highway Administration. Similarly, the “mini” roundabout was developed overseas and is highly regarded by federal officials as an effective, safety and capacity improvement for roads in this country.
As with the County’s first roundabout, the Department of Public Works will monitor the effectiveness of the new “mini” roundabout at MacPhail and Tollgate Roads. If this new concept proves to be as successful as the other roundabouts throughout the County, similar designs will be considered for future locations which may not be compatible for construction of the “normal” roundabouts.
The mini roundabout for the intersection of MacPhail and Tollgate Roads had been proposed for some time. Additionally, the roundabout is also supported by the surrounding community and will save more than $400,000 as a result of not having to relocate adjacent utilities as with a normal roundabout.
Commenting on the construction of Harford County’s first “mini” roundabout, Chief Engineer Jeff Stratmeyer of the Department of Public Works stated, “Although new to Harford County, mini roundabouts have been used successfully in other countries for many years. We ask motorist to use caution when driving through the new mini roundabout until everyone becomes more familiar with this new design.”
For additional information from the Federal Highway Administration regarding roundabouts, please visit the following websites:
FHWA Mini-Roundabout Video Link:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13562371/FHWA%20Mini-Roundabouts%20Informational%20Video%20-%20Condensed.wmv
FHWA Roundabout Information Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeVWPvRFDi4
For additional information regarding this project citizens may contact Project Engineer Carolos Smith or Chief Engineer Jeff Stratmeyer, P. E. at 410-638-3509, Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
MacPhail – Tollgate Mini Roundabout With Stamped Concrete Brick
As a resident living .1 of a mile from the construction I must say “What a POOR job of preparing for this!”. The only way to get to Bel Air is making a left at Ring Factory and Rt 24. NO provisions were made to accomodate the additional traffic and last night there was another accident there. On Friday the traffic was backed up to the 2nd roundabout on Tollgate and Ring Factory. On face value it seems no planning was preformed to accomodate the additional stress on the existing roadways to handle this. Someone is asleep at the wheel!
I understand your frustration, particularly if you live so close to it. However, there are other communities who want roundabouts and can’t get them.
And the work is only supposed to take 2 weeks. Since there are no other connecting roads to take traffic to Bel Air what would you propose? Build another road? Add lanes to the road? Change the timing of the light (which I will note is on a state road the county has little control over). All of the cost associated with any of those things just to alleviate 2 weeks of aggravation for a small population of the county? I don’t think you’d find many of your fellow citizens in support of that.
And if it really bothers you that much, take Ring Factory to Whitaker Mill to Old Joppa to Bel Air Road. Your Welcome.
Noble it is a simple solution change the light timing at Ring Factory and Rt 24 giving right away to those going East on Ring Factory and then those going West or vice a versa. No expense, and the poor family that was sent to the hospital yesterday would be home safe. Before you make another snarky remark I’m a former Traffic Engineer.
Well I can assume you know more about the timing of lights in a system of lights than I do (because nearby intersections are also impacted), but as I said, you’re still dealing with a county project making a request that requires the state to do something, which in my experience, is never simple, despite seeming to be simple.
Perhaps they did it and didn’t do it right? In your experience, what would they have done, used traffic counters beforehand to gauge the new traffic pattern and adjust the timing of the lights?
Wait – you’re a former traffic engineer but you don’t know the difference between “right of way” and “right away”?
Former? You must have designed the tollgate/ 24 intersection