Roundabouts: Contentious Intersections Inspire Rage, Relief

from We Are Mode Shift:




If you've ever found yourself cruising around a giant paved donut while driving, you're no doubt familiar with roundabouts.

For those who aren’t, a roundabout is a circular intersection where vehicles travel in one direction around a central traffic island. Anyone who’s traveled one where motorists aren’t following the rules understands it’s a subject that can get folks’ blood boiling.

Created as an improvement over early traffic circles, modern roundabouts first emerged in England in the 1960s. They're now fairly commonplace in Europe, but have been slower to catch on in the United States. The circular intersections didn’t really start appearing in force on U.S. roads until the 1990s; about 3,700 now exist here.

As road elements go, the vehicular merry-go-rounds are quite contentious. People tend to praise or revile them. Anna Kohn, director of Detroit's downtown synagogue, tells Mode Shift she isn’t a fan. .................(more)

http://wearemodeshift.org/roundabouts-contentious-intersections-inspire-rage-relief