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Driving is a core part of American culture. Along with this, large road networks with sprawling highway systems and stoplights are seen across the country. One traffic feature – roundabouts – are more of a rare occurrence in the US due to its reliance on large, multi-lane roads with stoplights. One city in Indiana – Carmel – is bucking this trend. This suburb of Indianapolis has been replacing its “standard intersections” with roundabouts since the 1990s.
For other maps on roads, see posts on the Tibbett to Contowoyto Winter Road and the Senegambia Bridge!
See the interactive Google Map at the bottom of the post!
Three key facts about this map
Carmel has the most roundabouts in the US/Canada
Since the 1990s, the city of Carmel Indiana has been replacing its intersections and how boasts more than 140 roundabouts. Apparently, this move was prompted by the former mayor who learned about the benefits of this traffic feature in school and moved to replace all traffic lights in the city with roundabouts.
Carmel leads the way across the US & Canada for the number of roundabouts it claims to have, especially given the population:
| # | City | # Roundabouts | Population (approx.) | Approx. per capita (per 100,000 people) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carmel, Indiana | 142 | 100,777 | 140.9 |
| 2 | Colorado Springs, Colorado | 61 | 483,956 | 12.6 |
| 3 | Calgary, Alberta (Canada) | 55 | 1,336,000 | 4.1 |
| 4 | Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) | 51 | 994,837 | 5.1 |
| 5 | Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada) | 47 | 749,534 | 6.3 |
| 6 | Loveland, Colorado | 47 | 77,194 | 60.9 |
| 7 | Frisco, Texas | 45 | 210,719 | 21.4 |
| 8 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 44 | 879,709 | 5.0 |
| 9 | Lincoln, Nebraska | 43 | 292,657 | 14.7 |
| 10 | Bend, Oregon | 42 | 102,059 | 41.2 |
While this may be the most roundabouts in North America, this is far from the most in the world. Many European cities boast massive numbers of roundabouts, especially in France. The City of Nantes has an estimated 1,100 – or one roundabout for every 298 citizens. Apparently, France has an estimated total of more than 65,000 roundabouts (though no official statistics exist on the topic).
Roundabouts in Carmel have significantly reduced injuries from vehicle crashes
While there are many detractors of roundabouts, this traffic feature has been noted to have significant driving in Carmel. In fact, vehicular crashes were 47% lower than before roundabout conversions. The figures for off-highway “double-teardrop” roundabouts reached 84% decrease in crashes.
The map featured in this article is noted to have been very biased – while there might have been slight increases in minor accidents, Carmel roundabouts saw significant decreases in the number of major incidents since installation. The IndyStar received major pushback for publishing this map that seems to imply that roundabouts in Carmel have made the city more unsafe for drivers.
In 2016, one of Carmel, Indiana roundabouts won an international award
Carmel roundabouts have been the talk of the industry for a while, and the city has leveraged the space in the middle very creatively. In 2016, the city won the international title of “International Roundabout of the Year” by the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society. The particular roundabout that won this award is on Horseferry Road called Jackson Circle (see interactive Google Map below).
Additional links and sources
- Official city government website on roundabouts in the city (link)
- Article about roundabouts improving traffic safety (link, published in 2022)
- NY Times article about roundabouts, including those in Carmel, reducing carbon emissions (link, published in 2021)
- List of cities in the US and Canada with the most roundabouts (link, published/updated in 2022)
- Stats on France’s roundabouts (link, published in 2022)
Have you ever been seen the Carmel, Indiana roundabouts?
See other places around the world Globe Charting has featured!
