To the editor:

I’ve lived in Lawrence since 1993, but have also lived overseas for several years, currently in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. In many places I’ve lived, roundabouts/traffic circles have been common. In all of those places, traffic circles are being removed. On March 27, our local paper announced a $57 million project to remove all roundabouts (by my estimate over 100 of them) in this city of 500,000 over the next four years.

I know that traffic patterns and driving habits differ considerably between here and Lawrence, but when I saw roundabouts being installed in Lawrence, I groaned. They are too small, and the curves are too sharp. And thinking of allowing people to judge for themselves when they can drive the wrong way in a roundabout is a recipe for disaster.

People in many other countries have long experience with roundabouts. I recommend that the city traffic engineer look outside the U.S. to see why other cities are removing them. My fear is that, in a few years, Lawrence will follow suit, removing them at an expense greater than what they cost to build in the first place.

Mark Algren,

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates