OHIO — The Ohio Department of Transportation is recognizing an engineering design that most Ohioans know very well: roundabouts.

Sept. 16-20 is National Roundabout Week. ODOT officials said they are pleased with the building of roundabouts, how the public has adapted to them and the safety they provide.

What You Need To Know

  • Sept. 16-20 is National Roundabout Week

  • ODOT officials said they are pleased with the building of roundabouts, how the public has adapted to them and the safety they provide

  • ODOT said in a news release that roundabouts bring a major safety improvement to roadways

  • In 2019, Gov. Mike DeWine directed the department to address safety improvements statewide in rural, urban and suburban communities, an investment of $425 million over several years

“The acceptance of roundabouts can lag in areas where roadways rarely change," said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director, in a news release. "You introduce a vastly different concept like a roundabout where stop signs and traffic signals rule, and it’s understandable why some motorists are hesitant."

ODOT said in a news release that roundabouts bring a major safety improvement to roadways.

In 2019, Gov. Mike DeWine directed the department to address safety improvements statewide in rural, urban and suburban communities, an investment of $425 million over several years. 

"No intersection improvement will eliminate all crashes, but nothing equals the effectiveness of a roundabout in lessening the severity of crashes," said Pat McColley, ODOT District 2 deputy director in a news release.

Hughes said the goal is to continue to reduce injuries and crashes, the table below was created to show crash statistics across northwest Ohio before and after the construction of a roundabout. 

(Courtesy Ohio Department of Transportation)

For more information on roundabouts, click here.