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I proposed my first roundabout in 1993 while working with another designer as we tried to determine which leg of a large wye intersection should tee into the other legs.  Suddenly, it was obvious: a roundabout!  A roundabout would be the perfect solution to the intersection’s many problems.  No one would have to tee or stop, the high-speed merges would be gone, the high down-hill speed could be slowed, and the danger of stopping in icy conditions on the uphill leg would be eliminated. 

It was perfect.

The other designer, however, didn’t know what I was talking about and thought I was crazy.  My immediate supervisor laughed at first, as did our director of transportation.  “Not a bad idea, but you’ll never convince the client,” he said.  We took the roundabout sketch to our client and they laughed, listened, changed their minds but said it was too radical for their rural community. 

Ten years later, this same rural community has two roundabouts in their jurisdiction. These days, you don’t have to travel to another state to drive a roundabout.