Roundabouts Replacing Some Intersections in N.Y. State

New York state transportation planners are turning more right-angle intersections into roundabouts, which are derided by many but proven in a national study to be safer than some intersections with stop signs or traffic signals, the Associated Press reported.

Traffic circles have long been part of New York roadways, but modern roundabouts are different, as roundabouts are much smaller than older traffic circles — about 100 to 200 feet in diameter compared with 400 to 600 feet — and are designed with narrow lanes that force drivers to slow down, AP reported.

Transportation planners say the newer design — which originated in Europe and found its way to the United States around 1990 — results in improved traffic flow and fewer accidents, AP said.