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Question ~ What is the difference between a roundabout and a rotary?
Answer ~ Roundabouts are located where a number of streets converge and are designed to increase safety and traffic flow. Traffic enters these circular intersections and travels in a counter-clockwise direction. Entering vehicles must yield to on-coming traffic and travel around a sharp curve, forcing the driver to reduce travel speeds. Truck aprons, generally designed in a different material such as brick, are located adjacent to the center island and are intended only for use by trucks when extra turning radius is required.
Traffic circles and rotaries are large circular intersections often located at the confluence of numerous high speed roadways. They allow traffic to enter and travel at faster speeds around a large center median. Some traffic circles give the right of way to entering traffic, forcing the traffic in the circle to yield or stop.
Question ~ Is there a way to estimate the anticipated number of cars that a new house or business will generate?
Answer ~ Yes. Trip generation is the number vehicle trips that result from a specific site development. The Institute for Traffic Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual provides an industry standard of the anticipated number of trips for a wide range of specific land uses. Planners and traffic engineers can use this information to model the travel demand on local and regional roads that will result from the type of development at a specific location.
Page updated 3/18/08
