House Study Bill 715


PAG LIN




  1  1                HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. ___
  1  2     BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, REGULATION
  1  3      AND LABOR RESOLUTION BY CHAIRPERSON JENKINS)
  1  4 A Resolution supporting the use of traffic roundabouts
  1  5    on Iowa's streets and highways.
  1  6    WHEREAS, intersections at grade are the most
  1  7 critical and complicated elements in highway design;
  1  8 and
  1  9    WHEREAS, traffic control signals at intersections
  1 10 can control the capacity of motor vehicles traveling
  1 11 through such intersections; and
  1 12    WHEREAS, the main objective of intersection design
  1 13 is public safety for motor vehicles, buses, trucks,
  1 14 bicycles, and pedestrians while facilitating the
  1 15 convenience, ease, and comfort of the public
  1 16 traversing the intersection; and
  1 17    WHEREAS, approximately one=third of fatal crashes
  1 18 and over one=half of injury crashes in Iowa occur at
  1 19 intersections; and
  1 20    WHEREAS, modern roundabouts reduce the number of
  1 21 motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents; and
  1 22    WHEREAS, numerous studies show that in locations
  1 23 where modern roundabouts are used, the overall number
  1 24 of fatal and injury crashes is reduced by thirty=five
  1 25 to forty percent, with a greater reduction in the
  1 26 number of injury crashes; and
  1 27    WHEREAS, modern roundabouts can reduce traffic
  1 28 delays, congestion, emissions, fuel consumption, and
  1 29 the annual traffic control signal maintenance cost;
  1 30 NOW THEREFORE,
  2  1    BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
  2  2 That the House of Representatives urges the state
  2  3 department of transportation, cities, and counties to
  2  4 do the following:
  2  5    1.  Carefully examine existing research documenting
  2  6 the use and experience of modern roundabout
  2  7 construction in the United States; and
  2  8    2.  Give serious consideration to the construction
  2  9 of modern roundabouts at locations where motor vehicle
  2 10 capacity=related improvements are planned and, based
  2 11 upon engineering analysis, a modern roundabout is
  2 12 feasible; and
  2 13    3.  Once a modern roundabout is to be built,
  2 14 educate the public on the benefits and proper use of a
  2 15 modern roundabout.
  2 16 LSB 5759HC 81
  2 17 eg:nh/gg/14