Roundabouts are good for the planet. Why don’t we see more in America?

Рет қаралды 2,727

11 ай бұрын

Traffic roundabouts are common in Europe, Australia, and much of the developed world, but less so in the United States.
That’s not good enough for Kevin Beresford, chair of the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society, who says they are safe, cheap to maintain, and can even help save the planet.
And the science backs him up.
Researchers have found that replacing traffic light intersections with roundabouts can reduce polluting emissions by up to 45%.
A few years ago, the U.S. city of Carmel, Indiana, was awarded ‘International Roundabout of the Year’ by Beresford’s group. City officials say they’ve turned nearly all their grey intersections green, and reduced the city’s carbon footprint in the process.
We visited the UK’s oldest roundabout to find out more.
Subscribe: www.bit.ly/3L0j2Ro
Watch more videos: www.bit.ly/3FPmblU
Visit our site: www.context.news/
-
We make short documentaries, explainers and original series for people who care about the world’s biggest challenges. Context is anchored around three of the most significant and interdependent issues of our time: climate change, the impact of technology on society and inclusive economies. We contextualize how critical issues and events affect ordinary people, society and the environment.
Context is a media platform brought to you by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information services company. Through journalism, media development, free legal assistance, and convening initiatives, we combine our unique services to drive systemic change.

Пікірлер: 13

@traffic.engineer 6 ай бұрын

America has very strict guidelines and criteria for installing roundabout. Traffic volumes and peak hour flow disqualifies many locations for roundabouts, along with right-of-way amd construction costs. They fail in heavily urbanized environments but are tremendously beneficial in rural and suburban locations.

@miles5600 3 ай бұрын

roundabouts aren't good to be installed at every intersection or to replace all traffic signals. look at The Netherlands where they instead raised intersection and made them much safer.

@BenStroud 11 ай бұрын

Love this video

@Context_news 11 ай бұрын

Hi, this is Fintan, the producer of this video. Have you had any intersections in your town change from traffic lights to roundabouts? What difference did it make to you? Let us know in the comments, and thanks for watching.

@MnemonicKariboo 11 ай бұрын

The only real argument against roundabouts I have heard is that they tend to make oversized transports (like i. e. a wind turbine blade) a lot more difficult. Many roundabouts are not level with the street around them and/or have statues and the like on them. That makes it hellish to navigate through without damaging either the roundabout itself or the piece of equipment you are transporting. What are your views on that?

@Context_news 11 ай бұрын

Hi there, Fintan here. Good question! I learned that some roundabouts in less urban areas could alter their designs to suit transport vehicles better - like making them more level with the road, for example. Here's a study from the US Federal Highway Administration you might find interesting: safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/roundabouts/fhwasa14013.pdf

@DoubtingThomas333 Ай бұрын

Take it slow, and expect other road users to use their brains and give these transport vehicles plenty of time and space to get through them. Simple.

@Matijab. 10 ай бұрын

The only problem on those tiny roundabouts is - how did buses and trucks are going through without scratching the roundabout apron? If you know how to figure it out tell me

@dillon17 9 ай бұрын

I mean, I dont know what you mean to be fully honest... I have lived in Spain my entire life, and we have roundabouts everywhere, and buses and trucks, circulate round them with 0 issues at all, they never scrape or scratch the apron here in Spain, so for me that's never been a issue at all... If I am honest, ive been around roundabouts my entire life, and they work flawlessly with any vehicle, so to my brain I just am Not sure how they would scrape at all.....

@Matijab. 9 ай бұрын

@@dillon17 yeah but this tiny... Or It's bcs I'm from wrong country. Here in Montenegro we're raising It number but they're huge so big vehicles can move

@traffic.engineer 6 ай бұрын

Mini-roundabouts are for residential streets only. Not for arterial roads. Big trucks need properly sized roundabouts, which work greatly in farmland areas.