Traffic circles may improve the flow of traffic, but they can confuse drivers and create challenges for cyclists. To help you understand what’s next for road design in the future, our highly experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You'll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we will publish many (but not all) of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…
The U.S. continues to warm up to traffic circles, a road design long embraced globally. Until the 1990s, circular intersections were rare, but in the past 25 years, an estimated 10,000 have been built in cities and towns across the U.S., with plenty more planned. This lags behind countries like the U.K., which has almost three times as many, despite being 40 times smaller in land mass.
New York City’s Columbus Circle is one of the first traffic circles. Designed in the 19th century by William Phelps Eno during the making of Central Park, the circle now serves traffic on Central Park South, Broadway, and Eighth Avenue-Central Park West.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Proponents say traffic circles, which are often called roundabouts, are much safer than traditional intersections and improve traffic flow because drivers don’t have to stop and wait for red lights. When compared to traditional intersections, traffic circles reduce collisions by 37% and fatal collisions by 90%, according to studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Critics say they may not handle heavy traffic well and, depending on the design, can be dangerous for bicyclists. Another worry: Driver confusion.
Florida has the most traffic circles in the U.S., with about 600 through 2022. Washington, Indiana, Wisconsin and North Carolina round out the top five. The top city? Carmel, Indiana.
This forecast first appeared in The Kiplinger Letter, which has been running since 1923 and is a collection of concise weekly forecasts on business and economic trends, as well as what to expect from Washington, to help you understand what’s coming up to make the most of your investments and your money. Subscribe to The Kiplinger Letter.
Related Content
-
The 'Vinyl Rule' of Retirement: Plan for Two Sides in Your Next ActBecause “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
-
Five Destinations for Active and Chill Travelers AlikeWhether you reach for a paddleboard or a lounge chair, find your groove in a location that offers something for both kinds of travelers.
-
AI Start-ups Are Rolling in CashThe Kiplinger Letter Investors are plowing record sums of money into artificial intelligence start-ups. Even as sales grow swiftly, losses are piling up for AI firms.
-
What is AI Worth to the Economy?The Letter Spending on AI is already boosting GDP, but will the massive outlays being poured into the technology deliver faster economic growth in the long run?
-
Kiplinger Special Report: Business Costs for 2026Economic Forecasts Fresh forecasts for 2026, to help you plan ahead and prepare a budget on a range of business costs, from Kiplinger's Letters team.
-
Trump-Era Regulations Will Broaden Access to CryptoThe Kiplinger Letter The president wants to make the U.S. the leader in digital assets.
-
How to Adopt AI and Keep Employees Happy
The Kiplinger Letter As business adoption of AI picks up, employee morale could take a hit. But there are ways to avoid an AI backlash.
-
The Rise of AI: A Kiplinger Special ReportThe Kiplinger Letter Our special report looks at the opportunities and challenges of generative AI and how its rapid move into the mainstream is impacting every aspect of our lives.
-
Big Changes Are Ahead for Higher EdThe Kiplinger Letter A major reform of higher ed is underway. Colleges are bracing for abrupt change, financial headwinds and uncertainty.
-
AI-Powered Smart Glasses Set to Make a Bigger SplashThe Kiplinger Letter Meta leads the way with its sleek, fashionable smart glasses, but Apple reportedly plans to join the fray by late 2026. Improved AI will lure more customers.
