The purpose of these guidelines is to assist designers in providing the most appropriate pavement markings for existing and proposed multi-lane roundabouts in New Zealand. With the introduction of the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 and Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004 there is a need for more consistency in the placement of pavement markings at multi-lane roundabouts. Road controlling authorities must now provide for exit lane pavement markings within multi-lane roundabouts. Exit lane pavement markings guide motorists leaving the roundabout so they should not be required to conflict with other circulating or leaving traffic. Sub-clause 10.4(5) of the Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004 states: “If a section of the roadway around a roundabout, or an exit from that section of roadway, has more than one lane for motor vehicles, a road controlling authority must, by 30 June 2006, mark lanes to direct the flow of traffic.” The rule also requires symbolic roundabout give-way signs with ‘Give Way’ supplementary plates to be installed on all approaches to roundabouts by 30 June 2006 and provides for a single white limit line and the marking of a ‘Give Way’ triangle pavement marking symbol on all approaches to all roundabouts. These guidelines are modelled on best practice both in New Zealand and in Australia. Multi-lane roundabouts in both urban and rural areas were examined. This included seven 4-leg, two 5-leg and two 3-leg multi-lane roundabouts, each with varying entry/exit lane configurations providing a range of ‘Alberta’ treatments. These treatments were (where appropriate) compared with Australian best practice using references in research carried out by Grant Thomas of the University of Canterbury whose project report, ‘Rural Roundabouts and their Application in New Zealand’, was presented at the 2003 Traffic Management Workshop and Technical Conference in Christchurch. (Author/publisher)
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