Are roundabouts, also known as rotaries or traffic circles, a safe and efficient way of getting vehicles through intersections or a dastardly plot to force people to stop driving by so increasing congestion that other modes will seem more attractive? The answer could go either way depending on the specific roundabout. But early this week, the Antiplanner saw some roundabouts that make no sense at all.
Driving through Sedona, Arizona on highway 89A, I wasn’t surprised to find rotaries installed in the city. Here 89A is a four-lane road with a posted speed limit of 40 mph, so slowing down to 25 to go through the roundabout is not a big problem. Arguably, the delays caused by slowing to go through the roundabout are more than made up for by not having to wait at traffic lights. Continue reading
