BEECH GROVE — Roundabouts have gone from a niche curiosity to an in-demand way to curb deadly intersections.
While Carmel and Hamilton County have become synonymous with the road style, new roundabouts are springing up all across Indiana.
"We've actually done the first roundabouts in 12 communities across Indiana," said Trent Newport, president of traffic engineering firm CrossRoad Engineers. "Ten years ago, we were in a difficult time where we going into new communities and fighting a battle. Now, I don't see that as much."
He said roundabouts are being embraced because of how safe they are.
"They take away the opportunity for a T-bone," Newport said. "Those are the accidents that you really want to avoid."
Newport's firm is based in Beech Grove and their next project is in their backyard: the junction of Churchman, Southern, and 25th Avenues in Beech Grove.
"It's an odd intersection with an odd angle," Newport said. "Sometimes you're looking over your shoulder. It will take an elongated roundabout to solve it."
Neighbors by that intersection say they are hoping for a roundabout soon because of a long history of crashes there.
"My wife and I have gone out there a handful of times to pull people out of their cars," Dave Roberts said. "One way requires a stop and the other way does not. "I feel like a roundabout in that general area would make a huge difference."
The Beech Grove roundabout should be complete by the end of the year. Newport said you should expect even more roundabouts across Indiana going forward.
"There was a lot of negativity to it in the beginning, but it has been accepted over time," Newport said. "When we're creating those spaces, we know what they can bring to a community. There's a lot of naysayers until they do it."
