Compared to a typical signalized intersection, roundabouts are much simpler to use because they only have two rules: 1) Yield to vehicles already in the roundabout and 2) Always turn right – entering or exiting.
Roundabouts are becoming more widely used across the country and are no longer an unfamiliar feature. For example, The Villages (a large and growing retirement community west of Leesburg in Sumter County), has several roundabouts within its internal network of streets which are successfully traversed every day. The modern roundabout will also have clear signage and pavement markings to guide drivers through it.
The Department will continue to provide education throughout the design and construction to raise awareness within the community.
Roundabouts are designed to accommodate all the turning movements of the largest vehicle that is expected to traverse the intersection (design vehicle). For S.R. A1A, the design vehicle is a tractor trailer, 73.5 feet in length. To accommodate the sweep of the trailer wheels of a tractor trailer as it makes its way through the roundabout, a truck apron is constructed around the inside of the circulating roadway. The truck apron has an approximately 3- to 4-inch curb where it meets the circulating roadway to deter smaller vehicles from cutting across it. Additionally, the apron is constructed of a different material (concrete) and colored differently than the circulating roadway, to distinguish it and to make it clear that the truck apron is not something to be driven over by smaller vehicles.
the trailer wheels of a tractor trailer as it makes its way through the roundabout, a truck apron is constructed around the inside of the circulating roadway. The truck apron has an approximately 3- to 4-inch curb where it meets the circulating roadway to deter smaller vehicles from cutting across it. Additionally, the apron is constructed of a different material (concrete) and colored differently than the circulating roadway, to distinguish it and to make it clear that the truck apron is not something to be driven over by smaller vehicles.
Both the design vehicle and a passenger car must fit side by side per the Florida Intersection Design Guide, Section 7.4.1. The proposed roundabout design accommodates the design vehicles in the entries, circulating roadway, and exits for all movements, as well as side-by-side travel for a passenger car adjacent to the design vehicle for the multilane through movements along S.R. A1A.
There will not be a bike lane within the roundabout. E-bikes can be ridden anywhere a bicycle can be ridden, including sidewalks, streets, bike lanes, and shared-use paths. Therefore, an e-bike user could choose to occupy the travel lane of the roundabout or the sidewalk around the roundabout.
Pedestrians should not be crossing the roundabout itself. There will not be a pedestrian crossing within the roundabout. Pedestrian crossings will be placed across each connecting roadway, a short distance outside of the roundabout.
By state law, vehicles are required to stop for any pedestrian within a marked crosswalk. Therefore, vehicles will be required to yield to pedestrians crossing at the marked crosswalks just outside of the roundabout. The design is evaluating the addition of pedestrian activated lights to increase visibility at the crosswalks.
No, those crosswalks will not be raised.