Delays Down, Crashes Up at 14th & Superior Roundabout

By: Kim Eiten - Email

Updated: Tue 4:45 AM, Oct 16, 2012

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The delays are down, but crashes are up. It's a problem at one of the city's newer roundabouts.

The wrecks are racking up at Lincoln's biggest roundabout, but the experts say it's actually safer intersection than before.

There have been twenty six accidents at that one intersection in just a couple of months.

"You have a lot of decisions to make as you approach the roundabout, which lane to be in as you go which direction," City Engineer Devin Biesecker said.

That quick decision making has some drivers caught up at the 14th and Superior roundabout.

"There's been a couple of times when people are trying to turn left and will have either a head on or just a small fender bumper from going too quickly or just turning the wrong way," Lincoln resident and driver Brice Densler said.

Densler drives the roundabout multiple times a week. He's seen drivers merge right into other drivers on more than one occasion.

"When people are in a hurry, it's a lot harder to get where you're going," Densler said.

But, Biesecker said with the learning curve those crashes aren't out of the ordinary.

"You typically have accidents to start off with, just as people get used to driving the roundabout," he said.

The added obstacle in this situation is extra lanes.

The 14th and Superior roundabout is three lanes, making it the biggest in the city.

"The learning curve on this roundabout is probably a little bit bigger than on a single lane roundabout," Biesecker said.

For now, that means shorter wait times and rising crash numbers.

But, the city said it's still safer than a stop light.

"Even though we've had a lot of accidents at 14th and Superior after we opened it up, it's still safer than a traffic signal," Biesecker said. "Until people get used to what lane to be in, how to drive around a roundabout, I think we'll see accidents."