Why Does This Western Illinois City Keep Putting In Roundabouts?

Driving in Illinois is about to get even more interesting.

Roundabouts seem to be increasingly popular nationwide. The idea is that they'll slow traffic down and move traffic "safely and efficiently", according to the Federal Highway Administration. DOT data says that roundabouts can reduce crashes that cause injury or death by 80% as compared to stoplights or 2-way stop intersections.

Sounds great in theory until you remember that people do not know how to drive these things. Like any kind of driver's ed goes out the window when they come upon a roundabout.

Lately, Moline has really been jumping on the roundabout trend. Shortly, the new roundabout at 7th Avenue and 15th Street will open. And that's not the only one that's coming up.

Erin Bruner, the resident construction inspector for the city of Moline, told WHBF that:

On 18th Street, we’re going to put in another roundabout. We’re going to get a bunch of practice down here (15th Street) and have another roundabout pop up down the street.

So as with any roundabout, Moline drivers will have to remember to yield to the left, keep to the right, and know that any car already in the circle has the right-of-way.

Rock Island has also had roundabouts pop up within the last year or so, as part of the Rebuild Rock Island campaign. Despite the new roundabouts though, Iowa still has more roundabouts than Illinois, according to recent statistics.

It's not just Illinois cities adding more roundabouts. Many cities, especially in the Midwest, are bringing them in. Carmel, Indiana has the most roundabouts in the U.S., with 150 of them.