Department of Transportation gives tips on roundabouts and zipper merging

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Midwest Access will be having a recurring segment where we talk to Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Director of Public Engagement and Communications Mike Dougherty about the rules of the road.

In the first segment with Dougherty, he explains roundabouts and who has the right of way.

Roundabouts are constructed to improve safety. Roundabouts improve traffic flow and reduce the risk of a highway-speed, right-angle crash that you’d see at an intersection with a signal or stop sign.

People don’t always stop, so the roundabout forces people to slow as they approach and enter it. Vehicles are traveling at slower speeds and if there is a collision, it will be more of a sideswipe.

Roundabouts show an 86% decrease in fatal crashes, an 83% decrease in life-altering injury crashes, and a 42% overall decrease in the injury crash rate at intersections.

Learn more about roundabouts here.

Zipper merge is used for safety and efficiency of traffic. You’ll see it on higher volume traffic roads (more vehicles) such as Hwy 52 near Zumbrota and Hwy 14 on the east side of Rochester. Both are current construction projects that use zipper merge.

Learn more about zipper merging here.

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