Traffic circles, also known as roundabouts, are a solution to keep traffic moving through popular intersections. They were first designed in the 1870s in England to keep horses and carts moving. While they can be challenging to navigate, improvements have been made to the original design. If a driver misses their exit, they must join the flow of traffic and drive around the circle again. Another type of traffic circle is used in neighborhoods to discourage speeding and unplanned traffic.
One of the drawbacks of a traffic grid system is the number of intersections it creates. Drivers can find two-way stops, four-way stops, or traffic signals at any of those intersections. A solution designed to keep large volumes of traffic moving through popular intersections is called a traffic circle or roundabout in England and Europe. A traffic circle allows drivers to merge into a constant flow of traffic around a large circular island. Street signs around the traffic circle direct drivers to the outside exit lanes.
At least, that’s how a traffic circle is designed to work. The concept of traffic circles began during the 1870s in England as a way to keep horses and carts moving through popular and heavily congested intersections. Drivers were supposed to enter the roundabout or roundabout and immediately head into the innermost lane. When the traffic cleared, the driver would quickly merge into the outermost lane and onto the appropriate street. In practice, this often turned out to be the catalyst for numerous collisions. During peak traffic periods, some drivers found themselves hopelessly trapped in the innermost circle of traffic, unable to merge with the flow of traffic.
As troublesome as traffic circles have been, several cities across the United States eventually adopted them as a reasonable alternative to clog-prone traffic networks. Several smaller towns in the New England area have a traffic circle instead of a plaza, with a county courthouse or community park on the center island. New York and Washington, DC also feature traffic circles modeled after British roundabouts.
Driving through a modern traffic circle can be challenging, but improvements to the original design have made it much easier. When approaching a roundabout, the driver must know both the street name and the official road number of their desired exit. Exit signs at a roundabout may or may not mention local street names. As the driver approaches the circle, there is usually a combination lane with a yield sign. Traffic circles generally move counterclockwise in one direction, so the driver must look to the left for an exiting driver or a gap in the traffic flow.
Once inside a traffic circle, the driver should move to the innermost circle whenever possible to avoid oncoming and leaving traffic. This rule is most important whenever the driver’s exit is on the opposite side of the circle. If the driver only needs to take the next immediate exit, then he or she can drive on the outermost ring and get out quickly. As the driver approaches his exit, he should merge into the outermost lane of traffic and signal an exit. Signage lets a driver in the upcoming merging lane know that it is safe to enter.
If a driver misses the exit completely, then he or she must join the flow of traffic and drive around the circle again. It is rarely a good idea to stop in the middle of a roundabout, and there may be drivers pulling out of parking spaces on the innermost part of the circle.
There is another traffic controller called a traffic circle, but it does not function as a roundabout. This form of traffic circle is often placed in neighborhoods plagued by speeding drivers and unplanned traffic. To discourage both practices, a large circular concrete island is placed in the center of residential intersections. Traffic can still maneuver around this barrier, but only at reduced speeds. The idea of negotiating these traffic circles every day also becomes a deterrent to drivers who use residential streets as cutoffs or alternatives to major commuter routes.
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