APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The new Appleton roundabout at OO and 47 has seen a steep increase in crashes over when the intersection had traditional stoplights.
City and state authorities decided to install the roundabout to make the intersection safer.
Justin Krueger of Combined Locks regularly travels through the intersection.
“That’s very surprising that there’s more accidents in the roundabout. I haven’t seen any, but I have seen quite a few back when the stoplights were in.”
Appleton Police Sergeant Dave Lund tells FOX 11….
“I have to admit that I was a little bit shocked when I started to look at the number of crashes.”
Lund says there were 25 crash reports between August 31st through October 10th this year. That’s compared to seven crashes during the same time in 2016 and two crashes in 2015.
“We’ve cited over ten people for failure to yield.”
But he does say there’s a silver lining.
“None of the incidents were anybody reporting injuries and, in a number of, even, the reportable crashed, what we were seeing is that vehicles were still driveable.”
Lund adds a roundabout does not guarantee there won’t be any crashes, but should ensure crashes that do happen are less serious.
“Fewer occurrences of severe injury, or less property damage.”
He says the culprit behind the uptick in crashes is likely a lack of familiarity with this, specific roundabout. People either pull in front of cars already in the roundabout too closely, or change lanes in the roundabout.
“If you pay attention to the signage above the street that will tell you exactly which lane you need to be in.”
Krueger says for some, there is definitely a learning curve.
“I think it’ll take awhile before they figure out how to use the roundabout.”
The roundabout opened on September first.
