From Chaos to Clarity: How Roundabouts Make Main Street Safer and Smarter

KENT, Ohio- Big changes are coming to the city of Kent as the East Main Street Construction project continues after kicking off in July. Several modifications and renovations are being made to the three-quarter-mile stretch, including the installation of two roundabouts. The roundabouts will be located at the intersection of Main St., Overlook Dr., and Horning Rd. in front of the Center of Performing Arts, and the five-way intersection of Main St., Willow St., and Haymaker Parkway on the east end of campus. According to Jeff Bittenbender, the Project Manager, the installation of roundabouts is an effort to slow traffic down, lower crash rates, and create a safer environment for pedestrians.

Planning for the Main Street project began all the way back in 2017, during the construction of the Summit Street roundabout project.

“There has been a lot of cross-referencing between the two projects as we figured out the best traffic plan for Main Street.” Jon Giaquinto, the Senior Engineer for the city of Kent, said. 

Giaquinto said the reasoning behind the installation of the roundabouts is that those intersections are two of the worst crash corridors, according to the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, numerous studies have proven the effectiveness of a roundabout’s ability to slow down drivers and prevent crashes.

“A traditional four-way intersection has 32 points of conflict. These are pathways that cars could meet and crash at any given point when going through an intersection. With roundabouts, there are only 8 conflict points.” Matt Bruning, the Press Secretary for ODOT, said. 

According to Bruning, the most common collision in an intersection is an angle crash, most commonly known as a T-Bone. These are also the most dangerous crashes because they are directly into the doors where potential passengers are sitting.  Bruning also said that roundabouts reduce crash rates by 40% and fatal and deadly crashes drop by 80%-90%.

Traffic safety is a priority for Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. Ohio’s motor fuel tax increased in July of 2019, and Governor DeWine pushed for that tax to be used specifically for traffic safety initiatives. According to ODOT, in July of 2025, Governor DeWine announced that $137 million would be used for 55 traffic safety projects across the state, including 25 roundabouts. 

Although the Kent project is not being directly funded by DeWine’s initiative, his influence has helped create safe roadways across the state. The City of Kent’s website lists the partners involved in funding the project, and includes the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC), Kent State University, PARTA, AMATS, and ODOT. Together, over $25 million is being spent to complete the Main Street project. 

Giaquinto said the CAC was formed in 2018 to receive feedback from the citizens and business owners of Kent who are most affected by the construction. There have been 16 total meetings over the past seven years, all of which have been open to the public. 

Bruning said that he often hears complaints and concerns from citizens about how roundabouts won’t be effective or how they’ll just cause more crashes because people do not know how to navigate them properly. Bruning acknowledges these concerns but says there is enough data to show the safety and effectiveness of roundabouts. To help with the adjustment, ODOT has created an entire page on its website with information and an educational video on how to properly and safely navigate roundabouts.

As for Kent, the city has tracked the crash rate on Summit Street for the last six years since the completion of the roundabouts and will track crashes on Main Street as well to compare data and evaluate the overall effectiveness of the roundabouts.

On top of the roundabouts, a median is being placed down the center of Main Street with several crosswalks, trees, pedestrian crossing signs, and changes in asphalt to create a more visually immersive area to create a sense of caution and awareness in drivers. 

“Roundabouts are not the final answer. They are a tool we use to create safer environments and help the flow of traffic.” Bruning said.