Roundabout causes road rage, redirects traffic
- posted: 27 Nov. 2007
- scrollnews@byui.edu
Everybody has a pet peeve. For some, it may be loud cell-phone users in public places. For others, it could be dirty dishes left in the sink. But for some Rexburg residents, it’s the roundabout at the intersection of Viking Drive and South Second West.
“I hate the roundabout. Its setup is illogical and unsafe because the double-lane is unnecessary and confusing. We have single-lane roundabouts in Massachusetts, and they work correctly,” said Malyssa Everhart, a freshman studying computer information technology.
Despite complaints like these, studies show that roundabouts are actually safer than four-way stops.
“A roundabout is a one-way, circular intersection without traffic signal equipment in which traffic flows around a center island,” according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. It has a variety of uses, including slowing traffic, decreasing the severity of collisions and creating a more aesthetic landscape.
Some residents think that the roundabout really has improved traffic flow in the area. Kreed Bowman, a Rexburg resident, said that he loves the roundabout because it is clear who has the right of way.
“Traffic is better, and it is less confusing for people than a four-way stop,” Bowman said.
In a roundabout, approaching vehicles slow down and yield to vehicles already in the circle. Unfortunately, some drivers see a roundabout as only a stop-free zone and fail to slow down or yield, causing accidents or at least near-misses.
When used correctly, roundabouts reduce injury-related crashes by 76 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
City of Rexburg Public Works Director John Millar said the city decided to replace the four-way stop because of heavy traffic flow on Viking Drive and South Second West.
“There is a limit to how much traffic a four-way stop can handle. Busy four-way stops have a lot of downtime where people have to wait their turn,” Millar said.
Millar said that after the roundabout was installed, it took residents awhile to get used to it.
“The first six months after we put in the roundabout, we had about one accident per month. Since that [time], we’ve only had about three or four a year. When we do have an accident, it’s generally a minor one, as opposed to T-bone or something more serious,” Millar said. 
