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Road design safety

In many ways safer road design can make transportation safer for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. Aesthetic, scenic, historic, and cultural resources and the physical characteristics of an area are also important factors in designing a road because they help give a community it identity and sense of place, and are a source of local pride.  

Two road design options that help traffic move safely include:

• Traffic calming
• Roundabouts

Federal and state transportation guidelines stress the importance of good design that is both safe for road users and sensitive to the surrounding environment.

The challenge for today's highway designers is to find design solutions, as well as mobility options, that result in a full consideration of these sometimes-conflicting objectives.

Photo on this page courtesy of AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Questions about the content of this page:
Patrick Fleming, patrick.fleming@dot.state.wi.us
Last modified: September 21, 2005