VAN WERT, Ohio (WOWO) — According to a joint press release from Ohio Department of Transportation Director, Jack Marchbanks and Governor Mike DeWine, a roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of Ohio 118 and Wren Landeck Road in Liberty Township.
The construction is scheduled for the fiscal year 2029 and is expected to cost $3.67 million.
The Van Wert Independent says the intersection is one of the most dangerous in Van Wert.
298 people were killed in crashes at intersections throughout Ohio, as of October of this year.
Studies show a 48 percent reduction in crashes and a nearly 80 percent drop in serious injury and deadly crashes when roundabouts replace a traffic signal.
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People using the road make mistakes (like speeding, running stop signs and red lights, turning left in front of oncoming traffic), always have and always will. Crashes will always be with us, but they need not result in fatalities or serious injury.
Modern roundabouts are the safest form of intersection in the world – the intersection type with the lowest risk of fatal or serious injury crashes – (much more so than comparable signals). Modern roundabouts require a change in speed and alter the geometry of one of the most dangerous parts of the system – intersections. The reduction in speed to about 20 mph and sideswipe geometry mean that, when a crash does happen at a modern roundabout, you might need a tow truck, but rarely an ambulance. Visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or FHWA for modern roundabout FAQs and safety facts.
The FHWA has been saying for over 20 years that signal intersections have TEN TIMES the fatality risk of modern roundabouts.