Roundabouts are becoming more widely recognized for their capacity and safety advantages over traffic signals for moderate to high traffic flows. Accordingly, the city of Hamilton considered the feasibility of establishing a roundabout at the intersection of Wilson Street, Meadowbrook Drive and Hamilton Drive in the Town of Ancaster. Wilson Street, a former Provincial secondary highway, connects the village of Ancaster to the City of Brantford. SRM Associates, also branded as Roundabouts Canada, performed a preliminary analysis of the potential operational performance of a modern roundabout for this intersection. The evaluation criteria determining whether a roundabout is feasible at any one intersection required the comparison of traffic capacity performance between a roundabout and a traffic signal and cost benefit comparison of a signalised intersection versus a roundabout including lifecycle cost analysis. An initial study into the feasibility of a roundabout at this intersection included public consultation to establish a roundabout as the preferred intersection control in consideration of alternatives such as traffic signals, all-way stop control and two-way stop control. The study recommended a single lane roundabout with single lane entries and exits.
Abstract