Welcoming Traffic Circles To Town

"Montgomery County drivers, all too familiar with the back-and-forth and ins-and-outs of area traffic, might soon have to perfect another direction: round and round.

Traffic circles and roundabouts (a well-known fixture of British roadways) are becoming increasingly common in parts of Montgomery. Traffic planners say the trend is likely to continue.

"They're becoming much more popular for reasons of safety and efficiency," said Dan Burden, a Florida-based urban planner who has worked on several road projects in the region. Burden's company has suggested two roundabouts, among others, for proposed development along Glenallan Avenue, next to the Glenmont Metro station. "It's really coming. I've been predicting that within a reasonable number of years, there will one of these for every 1,000 residents.""

"The Maryland State Highway Administration has been advocating for additional traffic circles in recent years, particularly in less densely built areas, said Holger Serrano of the county's Department of Public Works."