A conference of traffic safety specialists from around the world wrapped up Friday in Carmel. Carmel's reputation as a round-about capitol drew traffic safety experts from scores of countries around the world, including Japan, Poland, and Australia to explore the benefits of the round-abouts. The city promises to repeat the feat in the coming years.
The City’s Mayor has made installing round-abouts a sort of personal mission. There are now 68 of the intersections, more than in any other city in the country.
The transition hasn't been without growing pains, though.
"I don't think people really understand that you don't have to stop, you need to yield and people stop and wait and they're just frustrating unless you know how to use them," driver Tami Scism said.
"Drivers that are uncomfortable driving through is because they just don't know exactly what they're supposed to do," a Carmel City Engineer said. "I think that generates a little bit of dislike for the intersections."
"Round-abouts are all over Carmel and they're a little difficult to maneuver sometimes," driver Leah Downie said "It's a nice easy path, tough too, so I think they're a great thing to have."
Mayor Jim Brainard said he understands there's a learning curve with the intersections, but that the upside is overwhelming.
"We know that round-abouts save lives," he said. "Number one, it's safety. We're experiencing an 80% reduction in injury accidents and a huge reduction overall in accidents."
He said they're also cheaper for the City to build and maintain.
"It costs about $150,000 for the mechanical equipment of a stop light, then you have to pay a traffic engineer to time it every year, take care of it, paint it. It lasts for 15-20 years and you have to replace it at $150,000 plus inflation."
INDOT engineers point to the money drivers save, too.
"Travelers could expect to save 30% in the time that they would be going thru that intersection with a round-about, versus a stop controlled or traffic light intersection," said Mike Vollmer, INDOT Design Engineer.
Now, the traffic features are gaining converts worldwide. In New Zealand, where there are more than 1,000, some were removed and drivers realized they were sitting longer, wasting more fuel. According to Duncan Campbell, a traffic engineer from Auckland, the tune changed.
"All of a sudden, they're saying hold on, maybe that round-about was pretty good actually."
Carmel's mayor said he plans to add round-abouts at every intersection where they're practical.
