The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) began a pilot program to examine a new modular approach to construct mini roundabouts that use prefabricated materials, like raised islands made from engineered plastic developed from recycled plastic bottles, which allowed for ease of installation at a lower cost.

MTJ Roundabout Engineering provided the traffic planning and roundabout design for this application in conjunction with ZKxKZ, LLC of Lexington, MA, which was responsible for the manufacturing of the materials for the mini-roundabout.

The roundabout layout/design and color specifications provided by MTJ were instrumental in creating a safer environment for all modes while preserving the intersection's capacity.

The previous intersection was dangerous for traffic entering from side streets, for making left turns, and particularly hazardous for pedestrians.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) reported that this project required no new pavement, utility relocations, drainage, or other work, keeping costs significantly lower than other alternatives.

Wei Zhang of FHWA commented: “If the materials and design are successful, we may be able to consider similar modular roundabouts as an option where safety and congestion improvements are needed quickly.”