By Cheri Sicard
America’s roads are getting redesigned, not just repaved. The changes are already showing up in small towns, suburbs, and big metro corridors.
In the video at the end of this post, Jason Epperson from RV Miles walks through what’s new in the past five years and why drivers keep running into unfamiliar layouts. Here’s a clear guide to the upgrades, where they appear, and how they improve safety and flow.
Roundabouts are booming
There are now more than 11,000 roundabouts in the U.S., up from about 8,800 a few years ago. Engineers choose them for safety, smoother flow, and lower lifetime cost. Studies show injury crashes drop 72 to 80 percent, total crashes fall 35 to 47 percent, and fatal crashes are rare at well-built roundabouts.
Roundabouts can feel odd at first. There are no red lights, just yield on entry and one-way circulation. Larger vehicles and those towing trailers may struggle with tight diameters, two-lane designs, and curb overhang. Some small town roundabouts include mountable center islands so trucks can ride up them if needed.
Driving tips:
- Slow down before entering.
- Choose the correct lane early.
- Yield, pick your gap, and keep moving unless you must stop.
Diverging diamond interchanges
Diverging diamonds swap the two directions of traffic for a short distance near freeway ramps. That lets drivers make left turns onto or off the interstate without crossing opposing traffic. About 200 exist nationwide, often on tight budgets since many fit existing bridges. Conflict points drop sharply, signals get simpler, and delays shrink. Missouri’s first site saw left turn crashes drop to zero in year one, and total crashes nearly cut in half. If the road shifts you to the other side, follow the signs. It is by design.
Here’s more from Gail Marsh about navigating diverging diamond interchanges in your RV.
Road diets calm fast corridors
A road diet converts a four-lane undivided road into three lanes, one in each direction with a center left turn lane, plus space for bike lanes, buffers, sidewalks, or parking. Crash reductions average about 29 percent. Many drivers fear longer trips, but studies show throughput stays nearly the same once people adapt. Fewer rear end collisions behind left turners and fewer crash delays keep traffic steady.
Lane markings get bigger and brighter
Many states are upgrading from 4-inch to 6-inch lane lines for better visibility and to help driver assist cameras. Rural roads see standout benefits, with very high cost-effectiveness and fewer run-off-road crashes at night. On concrete or faded asphalt, agencies now add contrast striping with a black shadow behind white lines. Pairing different materials and reflectivity improves night and rain performance for both humans and sensors.
Smarter signals and safer crossings
Signal heads now often feature reflective yellow borders that frame the light against busy backgrounds. That simple upgrade has been linked to a 15 percent drop in total crashes. Flashing yellow arrows for permissive left turns are replacing the yield on green. Audits show a 24 percent drop in left turn crashes where they appear. Cities are also adding adaptive signal timing, pedestrian hybrid beacons, raised crosswalks, and other tools tied to Vision Zero and Safe Streets goals.
Other upgrades on the rise
- RCUTs or J turns on rural divided highways: Side traffic turns right, then makes a U-turn. Serious crashes often fall by about 50 percent. More on those J turns here.
- High-friction surface treatments at ramps and sharp curves for better wet grip.
- V2X pilots: Roadside units share live data with vehicles for smarter corridors.
- All electronic tolling and pay-by-plate systems remove booth slowdowns and crash zones.
All these changes aim for safer, smoother, more predictable trips. Some designs feel odd the first time through, yet the data behind them is strong. Expect more of them on your regular routes.
RELATED
- Right turn on red: Common mistakes and risks
- Navigating diverging diamond interchanges in your RV
- RVs and roundabouts – Get safely through the traffic circle
- What to know about driving a large vehicle through a roundabout
RVDT2756
Traffic circles are great — for low traffic situations. Once the traffic from any “thru” route increases, the traffic backs up excessively on the other roads entering the traffic circle. Also, Washington DC has had traffic circles for over 50 years, and there are still accidents in the traffic circle almost weekly.
Traffic circles cause drivers to think… that’s why there are accidents. @@
The biggest problem with roundabouts is that more and more people are not yielding to traffic in the circle. Or in the case of multiple lane circles, they immediately to get into the center lane, cutting off cars already in that lane.
Then you have the ones that speed into the circles instead of following the pace of the traffic.
We had this happen today while puling our trailer. The incoming car pulled right in front of us and then proceeded into the center lane that was already occupied by another car. He could not see the car because out trailer was blocking his view.
I hate roundabouts, don’t believe the data they are safer. They have one roundabout by my house they had to paint planes on the road so people could get to the airport. Some are too small.