Project Description: The intersection of Mount Comfort Road (CR 600 W) and CR 300 N is the culmination point for traffic from several industrial and commercial property developments heading south to I-70. A traffic simulation model was generated utilizing existing traffic counts as well as traffic studies for several industrial and commercial developments. Based on the results of the model, it was determined that dual left turns would be required for the westbound to southbound movement and a right lane by-pass would be added for the northbound to eastbound movement.
A key principle, when driving through a roundabout, is the idea that a driver never has to change lanes. This was achieved on the CR 600 W and CR 300 N roundabout through the use of a spiral. A spiral, moves traffic from the inside lane to the outside lane without the need for the driver to change lanes.
Finally, the most challenging part of any multi-lane roundabout design is controlling the fast path speeds. The easiest way to control the entering speed is to provide deflection. The entering speed has to be balanced with the circulating speed especially when heavy truck volumes are anticipated, which is the case for this intersection. To help provide deflection and ultimately reduce the fast path speeds, without significantly reducing the entrance radii, horizontal curves were introduced into the alignments approximately 300 feet prior to the roundabout in all directions.
Approximate Project Cost: $2,700,000
Breadth of Services Provided: Design Services, Right-of-Way Engineering, Construction Inspection