Rapid Response Techniques for Disasters Near Roadway Work Zones: Temporary Roundabouts

Work zone traffic management requires consideration of both normal conditions and potential
emergencies. The combination of a construction closure and an adverse event such as a severe storm,
earthquake, or forest fire can have major impacts on traffic safety and mobility. Adverse events often
result in traffic signal outages due to the loss of electrical power or damage to the signals themselves.
At major intersections especially, the resulting queues, delays, and crashes can interfere with incident
response, evacuation, or the rerouting of traffic to bypass the affected area. A promising expedient solution that emerged from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Florence in 2018 is the temporary roundabout. This brochure provides an overview of the geometric design and signage for temporary roundabouts that can meet the challenge.