First Posted: 1/28/2015
LIMA — “Do you like change? And I don’t mean the kind you find under your couch cushions.”
That is how Allen County Chief Deputy Engineer Brion Rhodes began his presentation on the Shawnee Roundabout project during the Allen County Public Officials Dialogue held Wednesday at the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce. Rhodes spoke about the project as a springboard to further discussion on traffic, noting the pressing need for addressing the intersection of Shawnee and Fort Amanda roads.
“It’s the largest project we’ve ever done not only because of the 14,000 cars per day that go through that intersection, but also because of all the businesses and residents there,” he said. “Something needed to be done. The bridge had to be replaced and you can’t replace the bridge without addressing the intersection. That intersection was the No. 1 crash location in Allen County for several years.”
Rhodes offered statistics showing that the roundabout intersection design is one of the safest designs in existence, practically eliminating the dangers posed by left turns and significantly reducing the risks of head-on collisions.
“They are geometrically designed to reduce vehicle speed,” he said. “They use roadway curvature to slow down your approach, and they use splitter islands to channel and deflect the traffic into the roundabout. Once inside, the circle is designed to maintain speeds of 15 to 20 miles per hour.”
According to Rhodes, the overall risk of collisions in a roundabout is reduced by 37 percent. Despite these benefits, however, Rhodes understands that such a significant change can be met with resistance.
“Most people resist change, and that’s too bad, because change is inevitable,” he said. “And it can be a good thing.”
However, Rhodes pointed out that statistically, once a roundabout is in place, public opinion tends to swing significantly in the traffic pattern’s favor once motorists become accustomed to it.
“While roundabouts may be newer to the area, they are safer,” he said. “It will be able to handle traffic today as well as 20 years from now.”
According to Rhodes, the construction project is on target for its Aug. 1 completion date, with the possibility of extension due to weather.
