Current roundabout on west SR 44
Back in February, DeLand received its first major roundabout on west State Road 44. The highway has been rated one of the most dangerous highways in the state of Florida, and the intersection at Grand Ave. has caused fatalities in recent years. The roundabout received a lot of criticism, as other residents and frequent travelers of the road said that a traffic light was necessary instead. However, now that it has been completed, motorists have become used to it.
Now, a second roundabout has undergone development in DeLand at a major DeLand thoroughfare. On South Woodland Blvd (17-92) near the intersection of Beresford Ave, a roundabout is being constructed to help the traffic flow for the new Walmart Neighborhood Market grocery store. The traffic in and out of the retail store would cause major backups on the city’s busiest road. The roundabout is expected to be the best way to remedy that since the entrance to the Walmart is so close to the stoplight at Woodland Blvd. and Beresford Avenue. The roundabout will also go around an old live oak tree that the city wants to maintain.
A roundabout is a type of circular intersection, but is quite unlike a neighborhood traffic circle or large rotary. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, roundabouts have been proven safer and more efficient than other types of circular intersections. They come in different shapes and sizes, but all of them have a few basic characteristics.
- Counterclockwise Flow. Traffic travels counterclockwise around a center island.
- Entry Yield Control. Vehicles entering the roundabout yield to traffic already circulating.
- Low Speed. Curvature that results in lower vehicle speeds, generally 15-25 MPH, throughout the roundabout.
- Yield to drivers in the roundabout.
- Stay in your lane; do not change lanes.
- Do not stop in the roundabout.
- Avoid driving next to oversize vehicles.