The city of Frisco will soon be launching an informational campaign about multilane roundabouts to prepare residents for the incoming multilane roundabouts scheduled to be complete by next spring or summer.

The new multilane roundabouts will be located at Rockhill and Teel parkways as well as at Gaylord and John Hickman parkways. Both roundabouts will have two circulating lanes. The roundabouts at Rockhill and Teel and Gaylord and John Hickman will be the first on major roadways.

The Gaylord and John Hickman roundabout will open near The Ford Center at The Star­—The Dallas Cowboys’ world headquarters and multiuse events center—just in time for its opening next summer. A large amount of traffic is expected at the roundabout, said Brian Moen, Frisco’s assistant director of transportation.

Although roundabouts have now been implemented in many parts of the U.S., few have been built in Texas, Moen said. However, the number of roundabouts in North Texas is increasing, especially in Frisco, he said.

Through the informational campaign the city is launching in January the city wants to make sure residents are aware of how to drive through a roundabout and what pedestrians or cyclists need to do to safely travel in a roundabout, Moen said.

A roundabout is a one-way traffic circle at which vehicles travel counter-clockwise around a center island. Rather than using traffic signals or stop signs, a roundabout uses yield signs for vehicles approaching the intersection.

Moen said roundabouts are used to help control traffic and increase safety, especially at intersections.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, roundabouts help reduce the number and severity of crashes. Roundabouts can also save on commute times, reduce air pollution and increase fuel savings.

He also said the roundabout will be safer for pedestrians to use.

Because roundabouts by design require motorists to slow down to drive through the intersection, they cut the time a pedestrian or a cyclist would have to wait to cross the street, Moen said.

The roundabout at Rockhill and Teel parkways will be near a residential area just north of Stafford Middle School.  Most roundabouts in Frisco are located in residential areas. There are 22 existing roundabouts that mostly consist of a single lane and are located in residential neighborhoods. There are 11 roundabouts under construction and seven that are being designed.