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"path": "/transportation/2026/02/13/roundabouts-traffic-circles-what-you-told-us",
"publishedAt": "2026-02-13T17:00:00.000Z",
"site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
"textContent": "<p>We asked readers whether Chicago should be like the suburbs and <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/2026/02/06/roundabouts-traffic-chicago-suburbs-illinois-department-transportation\" >install roundabouts</a> or <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.wbez.org/curious-city/2025/07/16/why-chicago-goes-round-and-round-with-traffic-circles\" >more traffic circles</a>. Here's what you told us, lightly edited for clarity:</p><p>\"Sadly, Chicago drivers are unable to navigate the traffic circles we have now, so adding more would make traffic more dangerous, if that's even possible.\"<br><i>— Tom Covell</i></p><p>\"They'd never do it simply since it will eat into their red light cam money.\"<br><i>— Graham Stegall </i></p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-750000\" name=\"image-750000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/533c554/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3400x1908+0+178/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F95%2F0b%2Fe3fceaf44f51b98ce2cade213a9c%2Froundabout-260208-4.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/59cfd93/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3400x1908+0+178/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F95%2F0b%2Fe3fceaf44f51b98ce2cade213a9c%2Froundabout-260208-4.jpg 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e608893/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3400x1908+0+178/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F95%2F0b%2Fe3fceaf44f51b98ce2cade213a9c%2Froundabout-260208-4.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"A traffic roundabout built in recent years in Kane County.\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e608893/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3400x1908+0+178/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F95%2F0b%2Fe3fceaf44f51b98ce2cade213a9c%2Froundabout-260208-4.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/399bea2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3400x1908+0+178/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F95%2F0b%2Fe3fceaf44f51b98ce2cade213a9c%2Froundabout-260208-4.jpg 2x\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e608893/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3400x1908+0+178/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F95%2F0b%2Fe3fceaf44f51b98ce2cade213a9c%2Froundabout-260208-4.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>A traffic roundabout built in recent years in Kane County.</p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>Mark Black / For the Sun-Times</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>\"I think Chicago would benefit greatly if it implemented more traffic circles near school districts, especially in residential streets. ... They can easily be implemented ... creating a safer environment for city residents!\"<br><i>— Jaime Duque</i></p><p>\"The learning curve is too big, and people will be flattened.\"<br><i>— Christine Bock</i></p><p>\"I live alongside a roundabout in Lake County. ... Before the roundabout, traffic would back up for a quarter to half a mile while waiting to traverse the intersection during rush hours. Now, traffic of three to four cars may accumulate for seconds during the same time spans.\"<br><i>— Mike Lyne</i></p><p>\"Drive the back streets of Rogers Park and get back to us. I'd focus on the streets between Pratt [Boulevard] and Devon [Avenue]. Oof. Oof. Oof.\"<br><i>— Suzanne Till</i></p><p>\"[Roundabouts are] 80% safer while improving traffic flow and lowering emissions.\"<br><i>— Michael O'Leary</i></p><p>\"Roundabouts could help with some of the multiway intersections like where Broadway meets Bryn Mawr and Ridge [avenues].\"<br><i>— Michael Ross</i></p><p>\"They're not really a solution that works with a lot of pedestrians or dense urban areas. They're for cars and work well where cars are all you expect to use an intersection.\"<br><i>— Chris Gray</i></p><p>\"They are confusing. Without stop signs, you don't know where the driver is heading.\"<br><i>— Carol Kraines</i></p><p>\"The Northwest Side already has some on neighborhood streets. No one uses them correctly, some driving completely straight over them. And they are too tight on the narrow streets.\"<br><i>— Brian Kuenstler</i></p><p>\"Maybe at the six corners intersections. I don't know if there's enough room at other intersections.\"<br><i>— Ron Dobis</i></p><p>\"It’s a grid for a reason.\"<br><i>— Kevan Davis</i></p><div class=\"RelatedList Enhancement\" data-module data-align-center> <div class=\"RelatedList-title\">Related</div> <ul class=\"RelatedList-items\"> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/2026/02/06/roundabouts-traffic-chicago-suburbs-illinois-department-transportation\" >Roundabouts are increasingly popping up in Chicago’s suburbs, seen as an answer to traffic problems</a> </li> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/curious-city/2025/07/16/why-chicago-goes-round-and-round-with-traffic-circles\" >Why Chicago goes round and round with traffic circles</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p></p>",
"title": "Should Chicago install roundabouts or more traffic circles? Here's what you told us",
"updatedAt": "2026-02-13T17:00:09.962Z"
}