They range from large traffic circles that reduce congestion to small neighborhood roundabouts designed to slow local traffic.
Long Beach, California is becoming a leader in traffic circles, a traffic calming tool that is starting to gain popularity in the United States. “Generally roundabouts increase car traffic throughput (by eliminating a stop sign or a signal), while somewhat slowing driving speeds. They decrease some of the most deadly left-turn ‘T-bone’ crashes.”
According to an article by Joe Linton in Streetsblog LA, “The city has nearly a hundred traffic circles, ranging from a few large-scale roundabouts to scores of small-scale mini raised planters that improve neighborhood intersection safety.”
Linton notes that the city is a pioneer in other sustainable transportation efforts; it was the first in Los Angeles County to install protected bike lanes, outdoor dining parklets, bike boxes, and a ‘bicycle boulevard,’ among other projects.
The Long Beach traffic circles have some hiccups: “Some of the circles include stop signs; some direct people entering to yield to others already in the circle.” Some are too small to slow passing traffic.
Streetsblog staff counted 92 traffic circles in Long Beach, with 79 of them on public streets. While many are the result of the city’s recent safety push, some date back to the 1930s.
FULL STORY: Long Beach Leads in Traffic Circles
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research