LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Lincoln is home to over 75 roundabouts. CNBC released a special highlighting Nebraska’s capital as having the most traffic circles, right after Carmel, Ind., which has 145.
Dan Carpenter is the manager of traffic engineering at Lincoln Transportation and Utilities.
Carpenter said the safety of Lincoln residents is the driving force behind the implementation.
“It demonstrates a significant investment into both our city streets as well as the safety and citizens around Lincoln,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter said the roundabout at 56th and Yankee Hill Road is the most successful project. He said before the construction, from 2016 to 2020, there were 20 car wrecks on that road, eight of which resulted in injury.
Since the roundabout opened in 2021, there have been two crashes reported, none of them serious.
“We’ve seen pretty instant benefits from this intersection alone at 56th and Yankee Hill,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter said the roundabout also cost the city less money. A standard four-way intersection can cost up to $1.4 million, however, roundabouts can cost between $750-$950,000.
