Apr 6, 2017 2 min read

I was dismayed to read in March 22-28 issue that Upper St. Clair will be changing the intersection of McLaughlin Run, Lesnett and McMillan roads to a roundabout.

While studies suggest, generally, that roundabouts are safer than traditional intersections and can contribute to better traffic flow and fuel efficiency, these things are all predicated on the idea that drivers will use them correctly.

My wife is originally from the United Kingdom, the nation with the most roundabouts per miles of roadway in the world, and we visit there on a regular basis. In recent years, there has been a trend in the UK to add traffic lights to roundabouts (defeating the purpose of having a roundabout in the first place) or to remove roundabouts altogether.

There are increased safety concerns at roundabouts for cyclists, and there are issues with not being able to control traffic flow in various directions at different times of day, such as rush hour. And from my own experience circling the traffic ring, there is the issue of people who refuse to yield or are ignorant of how roundabouts are supposed to work.

In the Pittsburgh area where few are familiar with roundabouts and many struggle with how to yield at a three-way stop, I fear in future years the roundabout along McLaughlin Run will be looked upon as a mistake rather than an innovation.

Neil Bucher

Bethel Park

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