We need more roundabouts in metro Detroit. We see a lot of congestion on busy roads resulting from the Michigan Left backups on large busy streets, while allowing for smoother flow of traffic on the smaller streets.
For those of you who don't know what a roundabout is, its basically a traffic circle where you drive up to it, you yield to circle traffic and you merge on in, then you get off at the road you want. This makes U-turns and left turns easy and right turns are not harmed. The only downside is that you have to slow down to go around to the other side, but if you factor in the fact that you would stop periodically anyway, it does not matter. Also, traffic circles are safer because on average they have less accidents and the accidents are less dangerous because impacts occur at angles rather than head on as well as at lower speeds.
The Ann Arbor, Ypsi area has used them in a limited capacity for awhile, and I love them. Many people don't like them because they are not used to them, but studies show that approval of the system rises as people get used to the system.
What are your thoughts?
Byron Siwelnor
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