NDOT aims to increase safety by decreasing traffic lanes at Incline Village roundabout

New traffic configuration to be tested beginning July 14.

RE-POSTED ON BEHALF OF THE NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (NDOT)

Media contact: Meg Ragonese, Public Information Officer, mragonese@dot.state.nv.us, 775.888.7172 or 775.443.5926

Carson City, Nevada. July 10, 2015. The Nevada Department of Transportation will reduce State Route 28 eastbound entering the Incline Village Gateway Roundabout from two lanes to one lane in an effort to further enhance traffic safety.

Currently, two travel lanes are in place on State Route 28 eastbound entering the roundabout intersection with State Route 431. Beginning July 14, temporary pavement markings will be placed to reduce the eastbound highway to one lane to help further lower speeds and smooth traffic into the roundabout. The traffic configuration will be evaluated and, if effective, could be delineated with permanent roadway striping in the future.

“Traffic roundabouts such as this can be instrumental in reducing severe crashes and helping keep traffic flowing through an intersection,” NDOT District Engineer Thor Dyson explained. “But, we continue to see signs of speeding or unsafe merging into the roundabout. Traffic safety and mobility are our top priorities. For safety, the reduced lanes will be tested as a way to slow speeds and help keep drivers in the roundabout safe and mobile.” 

NDOT, in partnership with the Tahoe Transportation District, constructed the $2.4 million Incline Village Gateway roundabout in 2012 to enhance traffic safety and mobility, as well as minimize emissions and noise pollution resulting from idling vehicles. Through the Incline Gateway Committee, local artists and community members helped establish the roundabout as a community gateway with life-size bronze wildlife sculptures and more. Because traffic enters and exits through right turns only, the occurrence of severe crashes in roundabouts is often substantially less than in many four-way intersections. Lower speeds, increased traffic capacity and decreased delays, congestion, fuel consumption and air pollution are other roundabout benefits found in many national roundabout studies. Further information on roundabouts is available at www.nevadadot.com/roundabout.

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