Fuel Consumption at a Modern Roundabout vs. a Signalized Intersection: A case study comparing two similar intersections in Bangor, Maine

摘要

The purpose of this study is to use field measurements to compare the fuel consumption ofvehicles going through a typical roundabout in the United States to that of a nearby signalizedintersection. Fuel consumption was measured with a fuel-gauge equipped vehicle passingthrough the intersections multiple times. Each measurement started and ended with the vehiclebeing driven at the speed limit, 25 mph, and using a ‘normal’ non-aggressive driving style. Theexperiments lasted for 0.2 miles; 0.1 miles on either side of the midpoint of the intersections.According to these observations, a driver going straight through a roundabout would, on average,use 30.9 mL of gasoline as opposed to 45.4 mL of gasoline going straight through the signal, asavings of 14.5 mL. The savings for left turns would be even greater, or 15.6 mL; whereas right13turning drivers would save only 5.2 mL. A driver who goes straight through ten roundabouts ofthis type on a daily basis would use 29.8 gallons of fuel per year (over the 0.2 miles studied). Ifthey instead went through ten signalized intersections, of the type studied here, they wouldconsume 43.8 gallons a year. The savings of going through roundabouts rather than signalswould amount to 14 gallons per person per year, a savings of 32% compared to the signal. Ifevery licensed driver in the US were faced with this situation, though sometimes turning, thesavings would amount to around 2.7 billion gallons per year or 1.5% of current U.S. fuelconsumption.