An eastern Iowa city is planning to become the first in the state to use circular interchanges — or roundabouts — to smooth and speed traffic flow. While popular in Europe, no Iowa cities have built roundabouts, but Bettendorf senior planner Mark Brockway says they’re a great solution to many typical traffic troubles. Roundabouts are safer and make for a steady flow of cars. They’re also cheaper to build since stoplights aren’t needed. He says it can cost 150-thousand dollars to put up signals for an intersection like this. Brockway says people tend to resist change — that’s why no one else in Iowa has made the leap toward roundabouts. He says they work well elsewhere in the nation.Brockway expects Quad City drivers to accept the new traffic circles, which won’t be complete until 2002.
