Roundabouts

Hilversum, Joost den Draaijer roundabout. In the summer of 2007 the first semi-turbo roundabout in the Netherlands (at least as far as we know) with right of way for cyclists was opened in Hilversum. In 2008 results of the evaluation are to be published. According to local authorities the first results are positive.

Drachten, Laweiplein, shared-space roundabout. Laweiplein is one of the best-known examples of shared space at a busy intersection. By regulating as little as possible, traffic participants would be encouraged to assume more responsibility for their own behaviour. Laweiplein has drawn national and international attention from traffic engineers and others.

Enschede, Knalhutteweg, roundabout with bike paths. In the 1980s the roundabout was reinvented. Traffic on the roundabout received the right of way and speeds were limited by the use of tight curves. Initially cyclists on these new roundabouts did not receive the right of way. The only exception was when cyclists used bicycle lanes on the actual roundabout itself. Local authorities in Enschede felt the need for a more bicycle-friendly arrangement and developed an alternative with bike paths and bicycles with right of way.

Roosendaal, Freijterslaan-Kade, turbo roundabout. On three legs of this November 2007 roundabout cyclists may cross in both directions. Here they have priority over motor vehicles. Special features are extra traffic islands between the lanes and cautionary lights. Currently opinions are favourable. Both circulation and interaction between cyclists and motorists have improved.

Dronten, N23, tunnel under roundabout outside town. The new N23 will be connected to the existing N307 near Dronten by way of a roundabout. In order to create a safe route to the schools a bicycle tunnel will be constructed underneath the roundabout and part of the tunnel will be cut away at the same time.

Lelystad, Museumweg, bicycle roundabout. Local authorities in Lelystad have constructed a ‘bicycle roundabout’ at Bataviastad in October of 2006. The word bicycle roundabout obviously seems to refer to a roundabout for cyclists. But this is not the case. In this particular instance it refers to a roundabout where the red-asphalt lane for cyclists is not located on the outside, but in the middle of the road. This is a pilot project whose final results are still to be evaluated.

Maastricht, Tongerseplein, multi-lane roundabout. Tongerseplein is a busy multi-lane roundabout near the Maastricht town centre. It had a reputation as the most dangerous location in the entire province of Limburg. A large number of measures by local authorities have improved cyclists' safety. Among these: spiral markings, a bypass and reducing the number of lanes on an exit.

Kampen, Europa-Allee, square roundabout. Local authorities in Kampen have decided in favour of a deviating lay-out for the bike paths on the roundabouts. Instead of the usual circle, the bike paths are constructed in the shape of a square, hence the name square roundabout. This was decided in order to improve the visibility of cyclists and decrease bicycle speeds.

Harderwijk, Hoofdweg/Verkeersweg, two-lane roundabout. On this two-lane roundabout with a two-way bicycle crossing too many accidents occurred. Local authorities have increased safety by a three-pronged approach: 1) construction of a raised crossing, 2) increasing the distance between crossing and roundabout and 3) adapting the arrow markers for motorists.