What Goes Around, Comes Around

Everything’s cyclical – even roadway designs. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is proposing building a roundabout at the Route 2 and 102 intersection, west of Route 4, and including the driveway to Oatley's Restaurant.

If this plan sounds familiar, it should: North Kingstown was home to two roundabouts on Ten Road Road (Route 102) in 1980s. According to Town Councilor Chuck Brennan (a former North Kingstown police officer), the roundabouts were taken out about 25 years ago once Route 4 was built. 

More than two decades later, the DOT is proposing a roundabout once again in an effort to curb car accidents at the intersection. According to a report presented to the North Kingstown Town Council on Monday night, there have been 46 crashes at that intersection between July 2009 and July 2012. With 18 injuries and one fatality were reported.

According to GM2 Associates (who compiled the report), a roundabout would “significantly reduce the number of accidents” at that location. A report by the Federal Highway Administration claims that roundabouts have produced a 90 percent reduction in fatalities, 76 percent reduction in injuries and 35 percent reduction in all crashes. FHA’s report indicates that roundabouts “virtually eliminate” head-on and high-speed right angle collisions due to their geometry and design.

Many eyes are already on the Route 2 and 102 intersection, with a controversial development (The Preserve at Rolling Greens) on the planning commission’s agenda and the formation of a stakeholder group to create a “vision” for the area. In its proposal, GM2 including plans and research that factored in the possible construction of the Rolling Greens development.

Though all five members of the council supported the proposed roundabout, they all were concerned about one thing: will motorists know how to use a roundabout? Councilor Carol Hueston cited the problem several motorists have had navigating through the roundabout in Quonset.

“They work when people know how to navigate them,” said Brennan. “The problems we had at the rotaries were people didn’t know how to use them. They didn’t know they had to yield on the way in and had the right of way on the way out. I think public education is key.”

If the proposal goes forward, DOT officials are hoping to begin construction on the project in 2014.