Johns Creek Roundabout Planned to Relieve Traffic Congestion

By Grant Law Office on May 10, 2011

The city of Johns Creek and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) have planned construction of a modern roundabout at the intersection of Bell Road and Boles Road to begin in spring 2013. According to the Johns Creek Patch, traffic congestion has worsened in recent years, increasing motorist frustration over long wait times as well as increasing Georgia traffic accidents. An informational meeting about the project was met with support from many of its attendees.

The roundabout will be the first for the city but not for Georgia. GDOT has been encouraging the implementation of roundabouts in appropriate intersections as they have been shown to relieve congestion, improve safety, increase traffic capacity, decrease auto accidents, and improve aesthetics.

A modern roundabout is a circular intersection where motorists travel counterclockwise around a center island. Drivers yield to traffic when entering the roundabout, and continue with the flow of traffic until choosing to exit. All movements, entering and exiting, is done to the right. Because the modern roundabout does not use stop signs or traffic signals, drivers enter and exit the roundabout at a more consistent pace, keeping the traffic moving and thus allowing more traffic to pass through without becoming congested. The greatest benefit of the modern roundabout is that it will help decrease the number and severity of Georgia intersection accidents.

A 2009 GDOT study of 55 intersections found that the implementation of roundabouts resulted in a 35 percent overall decrease in accidents, a 76 percent decrease in injury accidents, a 71 percent decrease in fatal or incapacitating rural accidents, and an 81 percent decrease in fatal or incapacitating urban accidents. The widespread use of roundabouts has dramatically decreased serious Georgia crashes in those intersections. Every traffic signal or stop sign intersection cannot be converted into a modern roundabout however.

Despite the implementation of roundabouts, Georgia injury auto accidents still occur due to reckless or negligent drivers. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash caused by another’s negligence, the skilled Atlanta auto accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., can provide you with the legal recourse you need to attain the compensation you deserve. Call us today to learn more about your legal rights at 404-995-3955.