Roundabouts!

Kevin at Lakeshore Laments laments the growing popularity of roundabouts.

He lists off a litany of reasons most more humourous than serious.

1. They are often a waste of real estate.
Hmmmm lots of things can be considered a waste of real estate.


2. Better attentive drivers would lead to a reduction of them. Since that isn't likely to happen; they are nothing but an extension of the nanny state.
Huh?


3. They're big in Europe and Madison - nuff said.
If a Madison or European leftist ran away from a cliff I would then not run over it.


4. Ineffective means of using eminent domain.
Ineffective? I think Kevin wants to say it is not worth the bother of employing eminent domain.


5. Often times, they are a waste of tax dollars because of their size. More materials, manpower, etc. are needed to finish them than say, a regular 4-way stop.
Admittedly there is a higher cost but I bet the speed up in traffic flow will help offset that cost (business traffic is going to speed up).


6. 3-words: Gaudy Public Art. Always a fun centerpiece.
Hmmmm, Kevin here has a point. The last thing we need is a blue shirt in the middle of our intersections or some other similar expensive boondoggle.


7. Passive Eugenics. Call me evil, but if you can't navigate a simple stop sign, you do not deserve to live. Your absence from the collective gene pool will be most appreciated.
IMO, it is not about navigating the intersection it is about improving traffic flow. There are twenty cars in back of you, there is no traffic coming from the other three ways, why must every car stop? A roundabout would quickly get everyone through the intersection and even if the traffic is evenly distributed (from all the roads entering the roundabouts I have been in roundabouts with as many as 8 roads coming and going) roundabouts are remarkably self-regulating.

There should be more roundabouts in the area not less. Now, that said not every intersection is right for a roundabout. But intersections with light to moderate traffic should be considered for roundabouts.