Aesthetics

Roundabouts offer the opportunity to provide attractive entries or centerpieces to communities. However, hard objects in the central island directly facing the entries are a safety hazard. The portions of the central island and, to a lesser degree, the splitter islands that are not subject to sight-distance requirements offer opportunities for aesthetic landscaping. Pavement textures can be varied on the aprons as well. Exhibit 2-5 presents examples of the aesthetic treatments that have been applied to roundabouts. They can also be used in tourist or shopping areas to facilitate safe U-turns and to demarcate commercial uses from residential areas. They have been justified as a spur to economic development, conveying to developers that the area is favorable for investment in redevelopment. Some are exhibited as a “signature” feature on community postcards, advertisements, and travelogues.