Thanks largely to one alderperson’s efforts, the city has made mini-roundabouts a key piece of its road safety strategy.
Although not all residents may understand their role, Chicago’s neighborhood roundabouts are an effective traffic calming measure.
Championed by Alderperson Mary Ann Smith in the 1990s, roundabouts are an effective way to slow traffic on neighborhood streets without forcing cars to come to a complete stop, explains Shawn Allee in an article for WBEZ Chicago.
“Most of Chicago’s traffic circles have been built by alderpeople who requested one via the aldermanic menu program, a discretionary budget reserved for infrastructure projects such as alley resurfacing, speed humps and various traffic calming devices.” According to Ald. Andre Vasquez, this process leads to a piecemeal approach that could leave out streets with the highest needs, and wants to see City Hall take a more active role in the installation of traffic circles.
FULL STORY: Why Chicago goes round and round with traffic circles
‘Modular Roundabouts’ Offer Quick-Build Traffic Safety Solution
The prefabricated roundabouts can be installed more quickly and at a much lower cost than traditional concrete traffic circles.
Long Beach Has Installed Nearly 100 Traffic Circles
They range from large traffic circles that reduce congestion to small neighborhood roundabouts designed to slow local traffic.
Denver Could Put Pause on New Traffic Circles
The city’s fire department has asked for a moratorium on new traffic circles, installed as a traffic calming mechanism.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Mexico City Anti-Gentrification Plan Aims to Half Housing Deficit
The plan comes in response to protests that targeted ‘digital nomads’ who locals blame for driving up housing costs.
Chicago Has Quietly Built Hundreds of Neighborhood Traffic Circles
Thanks largely to one alderperson’s efforts, the city has made mini-roundabouts a key piece of its road safety strategy.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Fort Worth
planning NEXT
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie