Challenge
The US 20/Barclay Drive Alternatives Analysis was initiated to address safety issues at this gateway intersection in Sisters, OR. After a roundabout was selected as the preferred alternative, the project was the first to implement the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) new approach for roundabout conceptual approval and for seeking freight industry concurrence. The challenge was to improve safety while still accommodating overdimensional loads on the highway.
Solution
Kittelson coordinated with ODOT to capture lessons learned from national research regarding accessibility and freight at roundabouts. A key approach to obtaining concurrence from the freight industry was conducting a full-scale field test of the roundabout design. The field test provided the design team with feedback on the details of the design and allowed future users of the roundabout to become comfortable with the design.
barclay drive roundabout
barclay drive roundabout
The Outcome
Roundabout Rodeo Puts Big Rigs Through Their Paces
The project successfully served as a pilot project under ODOT’s new process for approving roundabouts on the state highway system. The project was constructed under a compressed construction schedule to accommodate the tourism-based economy of Sisters. The roundabout opened to traffic in June 2017. Feedback from the community has been positive, particularly from local residents who had previously avoided crossing the highway at this location.
