By Gant Wegner / ADOT Communications

With the summer travel season underway, more of us will be driving around Arizona to enjoy the state’s beauty and recreational opportunities. That means potentially driving on unfamiliar roads and encountering a different style of traffic intersection called a roundabout.

A modern roundabout is a circular intersection without traffic signals. It is designed to reduce crashes and improve the flow of traffic.

You will find roundabouts in many places around Arizona, including the Interstate 17/Happy Valley Road interchange in north Phoenix, the connection between Interstate 17 and State Route 89A south of Flagstaff, in the popular tourist corridor of Oak Creek and Sedona, on US 89 in Page and US 95 in San Luis, and on the north side of Payson along State Route 260.

Roundabouts work best when motorists follow a few rules and drive with care. For example, you should slow down to the posted speed limit, and signal your turn when entering and exiting a roundabout so other drivers know your next move.

You can learn about why we build them, and if you’re still looking for more, you can visit the roundabout page on our website.

And check out the video below for tips on using roundabouts.

We have good news for drivers up north – work on the new roundabout at US 89 and Haul Road in Page is complete!

This project not only included construction of the roundabout, but it added a new raised median, too. Crews also installed a new right-turn bay in the southeast section of the intersection, new sidewalks, ramps, signs and lighting. Roadway drainage improvements were also part of the work, which started in early summer.

About that roundabout
If you drive the new roundabout, one thing you might notice is its size – it measures about 200 feet in diameter.

The large roundabout design was chosen for the intersection to help accommodate a variety of vehicles that frequently travel in the area, including oversized houseboats.

A traditional signalized intersection was investigated as a possible option; however traditional traffic signals would hang too low, limiting the size and height of the vehicles that could travel through the intersection.

By building a roundabout, a variety of vehicles can be accommodated.

More on roundabouts
Modern roundabouts are designed to reduce crashes and improve traffic flow. You can learn more about why we build them in this blog post from last month.

And, if you need a refresher on how to drive a roundabout, check out this video on maneuvering modern roundabouts.

If you’re still looking for more, you can visit the roundabout page on our website for all the details, including information on yielding to pedestrians, choosing the proper lane and what to do if you encounter an emergency vehicle in a roundabout.

It’s been a while since we last checked in up north on the I-17/JW Powell traffic interchange improvement project.

You remember this one, right? It was designed to improve traffic patterns and flow in the area near Fort Tuthill County Park by realigning SR 89A/Beulah Boulevard and constructing two roundabouts to provide a safer transition for traffic through the intersections.

Construction began in June 2014, but crews were actually at the site a year before that to thin out the trees in the project areas.

Before the project started, drivers were faced with one intersection (SR 89A/JW Powell Boulevard – also the south entrance to the Fort Tuthill County Park) that was very close to another intersection (JW Powell/I-17, which leads to the I-17 southbound ramps).

Now, for an update…

It’s done! Work is wrapping up and crews are in the process of pulling down construction signs. As you can see from the photo above, the area looks different than it did when construction was underway.

OK, so that update was short, but we also want to thank drivers for their patience during construction.

If you’d like to learn more about this project, please revisit our previous post and check out this informative video that gives a great overview of why the improvements were needed.

By now, most of you have probably encountered a roundabout.

They’re being built more and more frequently because of the benefits they provide, which are highlighted in the video above. Hopefully we’re not spoiling the ending by telling you that roundabouts offer engineers an efficient and safer option for building intersections…

“The traffic specialists throughout the country and engineers are looking for a better mousetrap in terms of intersections,” says ADOT Senior Deputy State Engineer Steve Boschen above. “Modern roundabouts are really one of the great tools we have to reduce serious injuries and fatalities at intersections.”

After you view today’s video on why we build them, you can check out some additional roundabout resources, including this video on how drivers can safely maneuver a modern roundabout. We also hope you’ll visit our roundabouts page for even more information and the answers to some frequently asked questions.

By Dustin Krugel
ADOT Office of Public Information

As the second-busiest border crossing in Arizona, the San Luis Port of Entry has experienced growing traffic congestion and it’s why the Arizona Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Yuma County and the city of San Luis partnered on a project to provide several improvements in the downtown San Luis area to improve traffic circulation, enhance pedestrian safety and improve access to downtown businesses.

Following eight months of construction, ADOT completed the $11 million project on budget and on time after crews applied the final lane striping on US 95 (Main Street) last week and lifted all traffic restrictions.

The project, which started last fall, included rerouting San Luis Port of Entry traffic away from the busy business district, which has significant pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and moved port of entry traffic to two local roads that were converted to one-way streets in an effort to relieve some of the traffic congestion and enhance safety.

Now northbound traffic from the San Luis Port of Entry is diverted to First Street and southbound port of entry traffic uses Archibald Street.

“More than six million people travel annually through the San Luis Port of Entry,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “With continuing growth across the international border in San Luis, Sonora, Mexico, it’s become a priority to ensure the safety of the thousands of pedestrians and bicyclists who access the downtown business district in San Luis every day.”

By rerouting vehicle traffic from the San Luis Port of Entry away from Main Street, access to businesses located along Main Street was improved to better accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists. In addition, it allowed for additional parking and benches, and new pavement, pavement striping and landscaping, which was partially funded through a Transportation Enhancement grant the city of San Luis received in 2009.

Two roundabouts were also built to facilitate traffic, including one at the intersection of US 95 (Main Street) and D Street, and a second, smaller one at Urtuzuastegui Street and US 95 (Main Street).

ADOT also installed the first pedestrian-activated signalized crosswalk in Yuma County, located at the intersection of US 95 (Main Street) and Urtuzuastegui Street. This special type of traffic light, known as the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon, is a system of indicator lights and signs that controls vehicle traffic to assist pedestrians in safely crossing a major street or highway at a marked crosswalk that does not have a standard traffic signal.

ADOT also worked with the Yuma County Flood Control District to install a new stormwater drainage system within the downtown area, at the same time the street enhancements were under construction.

In addition, the city of San Luis plans to remove and replace the pavement on B and C Streets between Main Street and Archibald Street at a later date to complement the recently completed improvements.

“The San Luis City Council would like to thank the community for their on-going support during the Main Street Improvement Project,” said city of San Luis Mayor Gerardo Sanchez. “We would also like to thank ADOT, Federal Highway Administration and Yuma County for working with the City of San Luis with this project. We are pleased with the improvements and beautification throughout the city’s downtown area.”

Driving a modern roundabout doesn’t have to be confusing…

In fact, if you understand how a roundabout works for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians, your travel through these intersections will be easier and safer. Watch our newest video to learn some of the basics and then head over to our roundabout page for even more information, including answers to a variety of FAQs.

Be sure to stay tuned. We have another video coming soon that will explain why ADOT uses modern roundabouts, along with the safety benefits these intersections can offer.