To the editor:

I am wondering what the reasoning is for many of the roundabouts and traffic circles being installed around town. It seems like many of them are being installed in residential areas where they have become more of a nuisance than a blessing. I am among many who speculate that this is, in part, a way to spend up city tax money before the end of the fiscal year.

At any rate, I witnessed a prime example of just what a nuisance these circles have become in some areas. At 2 a.m., a semi-truck become stuck trying to go around one of these traffic circles at 17th and New Hampshire. I live nearby and heard a truck outside for about five minutes when I looked out the window. The truck seemed to be wedged almost between the roundabout and the curb trying to turn. Semis come down New Hampshire a lot because of the Dillons store nearby. The truck took about 15-20 minutes to get unstuck, backing up and going forward repeatedly. Perhaps the city should do a little more research before they build more traffic circles with fatal design flaws.

Crispian Paul,

Lawrence