Popular in Europe and on the East Coast, traffic circles have been a slow sell for westerners committed to the all-American stop light. Now Utah is catching up. Provo changed a city ordinance two years ago to require developers to build roundabouts at any intersection that would have had a four-way stop. This week Park City won an award from the Governor's office for a roundabout at a three-way intersection on state Route 224 in Old Town. Roundabouts reduce the number and severity of accidents, dilute road rage, cost less to maintain and, most importantly, they look pretty, said Bill Baranowski, transportation engineer for Sear- Brown, an engineering and architecture firm that designs roundabouts.
City planners agree the traffic circles are in fashion.
Some rural areas feel they can sneak in urbanization while retaining a small-town feel by avoiding traffic lights. City officials like the idea of not using electricity or replacing light bulbs. Provo currently has seven roundabouts, with five more planned for the future. One intersection controlled by a stop sign near downtown Provo had 17 accidents in 1999. Since converting it to a roundabout almost a year ago there have been no accidents, Serr said.