3 participants stand at a crosswalk and check their notes -- one of them is holding a cane and wearing a blindfold which has been lifted so she can see the notes. They are standing at a crosswalk, and to their left we can see a roundabout.

Ideas for Crossing Roundabouts and Channelized Right-Turning Lanes
Compiled by Dona Sauerburger

These ideas were generated by participants during workshops that I did on roundabouts and channelized right-turning lanes for Orientation and Mobility Specialists and Guide Dog Mobility Instructors at SOMA/COMA in Richmond September 29, 2012 and CAOMS in San Diego November 16, 2012.
The workshops included experience with blindfolds at roundabouts and channelized right-turning lanes, and the ideas were generated in the brainstorming afterwards. In the photo to the right, SOMA/COMA workshop participants (L to R) Felisa Massey, Nielah Braylock, and Lauren Madison study their notes at one of the roundabouts.

Understanding features of roundabouts and channelized right-turning lanes

Features of Roundabouts (including terms such as "splitter islands")
Channelized Right-Turning Lanes (including terms such as "downstream," "upstream," and "acceleration lanes")

Knowing when to start crossing

in order to be confident about whether or not it is clear to cross, the warning times of approaching traffic should be at least as long as your crossing time.
there are "Situations of Confidence for gap judgment" where the warning time of all approaching vehicles is sufficient,
and "Situations of Uncertainty" where the warning times are not sufficient, so that you never know whether it's clear to cross.
crossings can be Situations of Confidence sometimes, and Situations of Uncertainty at other times.
you need to be able to recognize Situations of Uncertainty, and Situations of Confidence.
at Situations of Uncertainty, they need to analyze the risk of crossing, and use alternatives when the risk is not acceptable.
One alternative where there is only one lane to cross and you are in a Situation of Uncertainty with an unacceptable risk is to get the drivers to yield.

Self-Study Guide: Preparing Visually Impaired Students for Uncontrolled Crossings

assuming you can determine when to cross

Sound signatures

channelized right-Turning Lanes:

Approaching from the upstream street (street on left)

When you reach the curb where it starts to turn the corner, traffic passes you and waits in what seems to be the perpendicular street.
You may hear cars turning right, but there are vehicles waiting on the parallel street beyond them.
Right-turning vehicles slow down or stop after they pass you.

Approaching from downstream (street on right)

You're likely to turn around the "corner"
The perpendicular traffic sounds far, especially when it's waiting - they seem to wait out in the intersection!
If you can hear the parallel waiting to your right it seems too far ahead of you.

Roundabouts

Traffic approaching the roundabouts sounded like it was turning right but then it straightened out.
The traffic traveled in a Y shape (as if separated by something). That is, traffic approached the roundabout and then veered to the right but the opposite traffic didn't come from the right, it came from the left and then joined the other traffic.

Finding the Crosswalk (assuming there is one!)

At roundabout:

Not predictable!
Shoreline on curb side (either along your approach or go to the circle and turn around and look).
Listen to people (they are likely to be at the crosswalk)
Curb cuts are likely to be in crosswalk especially at roundabouts.
The cut-through of the splitter island may not be detectable, so how can you determine when you've reached the splitter island?
- Use time/distance.
- Pattern the dog to find the curb.
- Purposely aim to the curb of the island.

At channelized right-turning lane:

Shoreline along street to find curb
Crosswalk is often between upstream and downstream but sometimes along the downstream street
Crossing at downstream (with no acceleration lane)
- Advantages
  - Drivers are already slowing down or stopping to yield to traffic
  - recovery from veer may be easier
- DISadvantages
  - drivers are looking toward the traffic, away from you, and are not expecting you!!!
  - if that is not where the crosswalk is, you don't have the right of way

photo shows a channelized right-turning lane with a man standing at the crosswalk. The crosswalk is parallel to and along the edge of the downstream street, the curbramp is facing into the downstream street.

Aligning

At roundabout:

Cut-through for splitter island may not be aligned straight
Maybe align with perpendicular traffic (but be aware it may already be turning)
Use individual features that you know are straight at that intersection

At channelized right-turning lane

Trust/hope/pray that the curb ramp faces correctly toward the island (we saw an example in Richmond, shown to the right, with the ramp facing into the downstream street!).
Listen to where the cars from the upstream street are waiting for the signal (on the other side of the island), and align to walk toward the front of them (if the stopbar is at the corner)

Maintaining Alignment

At roundabout:

Use veer-reduction strategies such as crossing quickly
Use sound of perpendicular traffic in the far lane
Use any permanent sound features that may exist to walk toward or along
Use tactual clues in crosswalk if they exist
Use slope of ground in the street while crossing.

At channelized right-turning lane:

If an Accessible Pedestrian Signal is on the island, use sound of the locator tone to find the island.
Listen to where the upstream cars are waiting and walk toward the front of them.

Correcting a Veer

At roundabout:

Not usually a problem because you are walking toward a long curb or splitter island (you're unlikely to miss it!)

At channelized right-turning lane:

click here

Practice so that when you hear vehicles pass in front of you, you can walk forward until you know you've reached the lane where they were.

turn around 180 degrees and go back toward the curb where you started
OR
if you feel the street sloping, follow the slope down because it goes toward a gutter and curb.

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