According to officials from the Butler County Engineer’s Office (BCEO), roundabouts in the county have resulted in a 60 percent reduction in overall crashes, 80 percent fewer injury crashes and a 100 percent reduction in serious and fatal crashes compared to the traditional, four-way stop intersections they replaced.
This most recent local data compares with a national average of roundabouts contributing to a 40 percent less overall crashes, 75 percent fewer injury crashes and a 90 percent reduction in serious and fatal crashes.
Butler County Engineer Greg Wilkens has noted that “we’ve indeed found the modern roundabout to be a safer, more efficient alternative to traditional intersections at certain locations. The number and severity of accidents have been substantially reduced where our roundabouts have been installed, so they are doing their job.”
There are now 22 roundabouts in the county with six more planned between 2019 and 2022 in addition to the in the next two years, including an upcoming Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) project at the Jacksonburg and SR 73 location, said local ODOT officials.
According to BCEO officials, traffic roundabouts made their first appearances on major Butler County roads in 2008.
Roundabouts at that time were built at the Hamilton Mason Road / Liberty Fairfield Road / Vinnedge Road intersection as well as at the Lakota Drive West and Eagle Ridge Drive intersection.
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