Skepticism was quite strong last spring when the Dutch-style roundabout of the emblematic Clermont Place des Carmes was put into service. A first assessment has just been published, it is positive.
Last spring, as part of the implementation of Clermont's new traffic plan, a new type of crossroads appeared, Place des Carmes, a so-called “Dutch-style” roundabout, a surname linked to the presence mass of this type of equipment in Holland where there is a lot of cycling.
This roundabout includes three distinct zones separated by ground markings, with a space dedicated to cyclists, another for pedestrians and a third, in the middle, for cars. This organization increases the safety of cyclists but imposes a radically different approach for motorists who cross the intersection through the center.
A first positive assessment for the Dutch-style roundabout
As with every big news in terms of automobile traffic, criticisms have been rife and the most skeptical have announced a considerable increase in accidents. What is it really? 6 months after its commissioning, Ingérop, the independent French group, player in engineering and sustainable mobility consulting which supervised the development, has just published an initial assessment which turns out to be very positive. In fact, since the official “delivery” of the roundabout in May, no accident has been reported. This confirms the statistics presented in countries where this type of roundabout has been widespread. However, it will be necessary to monitor the accounts in the coming months when user habits have become established. The surprise and novelty effect will gradually fade with possibly a drop in vigilance both on the part of motorists but also cyclists, who knowing their vulnerability, are still very attentive today when they travel on this road. Dutch-style roundabout.
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