Tag Archives: roundabout

An American downtown with multiple traffic circles

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On a recent visit to Sarasota, Florida, I discovered multiple traffic circles on a major roadway (US-41):

I was not there at the busiest time of the day but it seemed that all the traffic was flowing fine through the roundabout. The biggest issue I could imagine for drivers is getting into the correct lane for where the driver wants to exit the traffic circle. For example, in the image above, to go straight, the driver could be in either lane but to go left or right, one has to pick the correct lane and then exit appropriately.

These were not the only traffic circles spotted in western Florida. I saw several under construction, both on existing roadways and along new roadways. The more constructed, the more familiar drivers will be with them.

One big advantage of these is that traffic can often keep moving rather than the stopping required by stop signs or traffic lights. If the driver has yielded, there is no need to stop if the coast is clear.

I do not know which American communities have more traffic circles than others but this could be an interesting way for places to distinguish themselves from others.

Strong suburban reaction to a roundabout turns to praise

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I was struck by a reaction of a few Lake County residents to a roundabout built several years ago:

When the first roundabout was proposed in Lake County, the response was extreme.

“People were so skeptical, I would seriously get phone calls from people saying there would be deaths at that corner and it would be on my conscience,” recalled Lake County Board Member Ann Maine, of Lincolnshire, who is also president of the Lake County Forest Preserve District.

More than two years after the roundabout opened at Everett Road and Riverwoods Road as an alternative to a traditional intersection, Maine said she hasn’t been stuck in a backup at the intersection and gets occasional notes from people who say they love the change.

That is quite a reaction to a roundabout and the favorable comments afterward are notable. There are studies about such things but I’m guessing those who had such a strong reaction to the roundabout either didn’t read such studies or wouldn’t believe their findings anyway. But, it is just a different way of configuring an intersection that most people get used to fairly quickly and can actually be more efficient.