West Akron traffic circle is no longer unyielding; meet the 'new' Hawkins-Mull roundabout

As driving patterns go, a traffic circle that has brought Akron drivers to a halt for decades had become old hat.

But with some fresh lane striping and a flurry of new signage Tuesday, the intersection of Mull and Hawkins avenues suddenly became one of the cool kids — retrofitted to be constantly on the move where West Akron meets Wallhaven.

Meet Akron's latest roundabout, a makeover that modernizes Akron's miniature version of Tallmadge Circle.

Gone are the stop signs — and the wide, unmarked space that lent itself too easily to overcrowding and confusion for people entering and exiting the circle. Instead, yield signs dictate the pace of entry, and new markings clearly delineate movement along a single lane. The yellow-striped area near the center? Don't drive there.

The intersection is framed by St. Sebastian Parish to the southeast, Forest Lodge Park to the northeast, the under-construction Residences at Good Park (former site of Perkins Middle School) to the southwest and an older residential subdivision to the northwest. With fewer pedestrians crossing since the removal of the middle school, the need for traffic to come to a complete stop has lessened. Pedestrian crossings still mark each roundabout entry point, however, and motorists using the circle must yield to anyone crossing at those points.

"Roundabouts promote a continuous flow of traffic," Stephanie Marsh, the city of Akron's director of communications, said in an email. "Compared to stop signs, traffic signals, and earlier forms of traffic circles, modern roundabouts reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions by reducing traffic speeds and minimizing accident impacts."

"Unlike intersections with traffic signals, drivers don't have to wait for a green light at a roundabout to get through the intersection" Marsh said. "Traffic is not required to stop — only yield — so the intersection can handle more traffic in the same amount of time."

The Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS), which works to improve transportation throughout the region, released a study of local roundabouts and their effects on overall safety and traffic in May.

The organization found that crashes causing injury were reduced in 15 out of the 17 intersections studied when a roundabout was added. Crashes that did not cause injury were reduced at 9 roundabouts. The study also said roundabouts can "be used effectively as traffic calming devices."

Reporter Isabella Schreck can be contacted at ischreck@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: West Akron traffic circle is no longer unyielding; meet the 'new' Hawkins-Mull roundabout