Is Lubbock Urgently In Need of Roundabouts?

Anyone who has driven in Lubbock knows that we don't really have any roundabouts. Sure, there are some small ones on the Texas Tech campus and the one in front of the Overton. One could also argue that Loop 289 is just one giant roundabout (though I think you'd lose that argument), but that's really it.

Should that change?

Round and Round, Texas Goes

I'm not sure if you've heard, but September 21 - 25 happens to be National Roundabouts Week, and who doesn't love improving the flow of traffic more than the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)?

Texas has a whopping 679 roundabouts that are either in production or are already built across the state, yet the City of Lubbock has like one or two? I wouldn't mind a few more here or there in town. The question is whether or not Lubbock drivers know what to do when encountering one.

Why Roundabouts?

Roundabouts, or "kreisverkehr" as our German neighbors call them, allow traffic to safely maintain their flow at intersections without the use of traffic lights or stop signs. They get their name from the counterclockwise direction of traffic circling a central island. Here's the golden rule: Cars entering the circle must yield to those already in the carousel.

The snag about roundabouts is, as easy as they are to build, they rely almost entirely on driver discipline and good judgment: two things that Lubbock drivers could really focus on.

Get this: Roundabouts aren't just there to make TxDOT's job easier, national data proves that they can reduce fatal car accidents by up to 90% when compared to traditional intersections.

So, to all those who celebrate, don't forget about National Roundabouts Week here in Texas. Oh, and what do you think? Should Lubbock join the bandwagon and install some more roundabouts at some of our more problematic intersections?

If the City does go this route, I wonder if we all need to go back to driving school for a bit to learn how these newfangled traffic circles work...