I was driving in a new part of town the other week when I came across a roundabout in the road. Considering where I was, I thought it a bit unusual given the traffic flow I saw in the area but it was no matter to me as I drove through it and continued on.

A few years ago, my reaction would have been more of a surprise but in the past few years, Winston-Salem has been adding quite a few in various locations. Even where I live just off Old Salisbury Rd, there is a roundabout near a cluster of apartments.

I, for one, really like roundabouts having seen quite a few of them in Europe when I lived there. Roundabouts make navigating tricky intersections much easier and you do not have to continually wait on a light to proceed through the intersection. However, there quite a few locals that still do not have the hang of it and like Chevy Chase’s character in European Vacation, tend to loop around the roundabouts few times before realising that they can simply pull off into their destined lane. I know the Five Points intersection in Winston could really use it. Five separate roads with heavy traffic and a somewhat confusing signaling system makes it all a bit tricky. If built right will definitely fit into the character of that neighbourhood.

Facts about Traffic Circles vs Roundabouts

Modern Roundabouts are different than traffic circles in the following ways:

• Traffic circles can involve stop signs or stop signals
• Traffic circles can be very large or very small
• Traffic circles can operate at higher speeds and often require motorists to move from one lane to another

Modern Roundabouts are not Traffic Cirles:

• Modern roundabouts follow a yield at entry rule, which requires approaching vehicles to wait for a gap in the circulating traffic before entering the roundabout
• Modern roundabouts involve low speeds for traffic entering and driving through the roundabout
• Modern roundabouts use deflection to slow entering traffic and enhance safety
• Vehicles in the modern roundabout have the right of way

The distinguishing differences between traffic circles and modern roundabouts are:

• Modern roundabouts have a smaller diameter than most traffic circles, resulting in safer conditions and lower speeds.
• Vehicles can enter modern roundabouts much easier than traffic circles due to flared approaches, entry angles, slower speeds on the circulating roadway and the fact that vehicles entering roundabouts always yield to circulating traffic
• Properly planned modern roundabouts are designed using rigorous standards based on specific turning volumes. Traffic circles are typically sized based on land availability and or road distance needed for accomplishing high speed weave movements.

Traffic circles are large in diameter, have high circulating speeds and can require some merging and weaving between lanes to exit. Traffic circles exhibit poor operations and high crash rates. Driving through traffic circles can be unnerving to the uninitiated driver.

People unfamiliar with the modern roundabout often assume they cause similar problems since they are circular too however they have different features that make them safer than traffic circles

(Source: Traffic Circle vs Modern Roundabout)