Is it possible that the roads of a city do not have a single traffic light and ‘stop’ signboard and yet there are no accidents and very little pollution on those roads? This seemingly impossible thing has been possible in America’s Carmel, India. Carmel, with a population of about one million, has more than 140 spiral or circular roads. In addition, dozens of other such roads are being constructed. Here are the most winding roads in America.
Mayor Jim Barnard says the purpose of these roads is safety, with spiral roads and circles reducing road accidents and deaths compared to traditional four-lane roads. According to Mike McBride, a former city engineer, due to the absence of red traffic lights, vehicles do not have to stop, which also reduces pollution.
According to a survey according to The New York Times, it saves about 76 thousand liters of petrol in a year. Spiral roads also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 56%, according to research from the University of Mississippi. In addition, traffic lights do not require electricity. According to the American Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, there is a 50% drop in accidents in Carmel in 64 rounds. Such accidents are very rare in Dogbone. In 2020, Carmel had an average traffic death of 1.9 per 1 million people, compared to 20.8 in the rest of the city.
According to the information, Mayor Bernard first came to know about the benefits of roundabout roads while studying at Oxford University in 1980 and then started working in that direction after becoming Mayor of Carmel in 1995. During his tenure, he built 50 such roads in the first 10 years and few more in the second decade. US The Federal Highway Administration has also accepted the plan that such roads reduce pollution. Sarasota, Florida, has built a half dozen streets, learning from Carmel’s success. National Roundabout Week is being held in Carmel to celebrate its success. A book has also been published on this subject.