Who Approved This New Roundabout in Bozeman? It’s a Nightmare

Bozeman is not only one of the fast growing cities in Montana. It's also one of the fastest growing in the country. As a result, city officials are trying to come up with effective ways to manage the growth. One of the newer additions to streets around Bozeman are roundabouts. In some places they may work, but in others, not so much.

Navigating Roundabouts in Bozeman Can Be Difficult

If you drive through certain neighborhoods in Bozeman, you can still find a few uncontrolled intersections without any stop signs, where drivers are expected to navigate through using the simple "right of way" principle. Roundabouts have been growing in popularity in many cities across America as a way to mitigate traffic.

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Prioritizing the use of roundabouts is one of the main focuses of the Bozeman SAFE Plan. You can read more about the plan on the City of Bozeman website.

Every new City transportation project will prioritize roundabouts as the preferred intersection type. The safety statistics for roundabouts are proven and undeniable - they can reduce fatal crashes by 90% and have a 76% reduction in injury crashes.

Roundabouts may make sense in some places that experience a high volume of traffic, but when you put one in the middle of a neighborhood in Bozeman, it's certainly a head scratcher. On top of that, most people don't know how to use them correctly.

This Bozeman Roundabout Has Residents Asking Questions

The reason that many cities are prioritizing roundabouts is understandable, and when used correctly, they definitely have their advantages. However, there's one roundabout in Bozeman that seems out of place. It's at the intersection of W. Lamme St. and N. Grand Ave. There is a cannabis dispensary nearby, so maybe that's part of the reason.

As someone who drives through this intersection on a daily basis, here are a few of the biggest problems I've experienced. Before the roundabout was installed, the intersection was controlled using stop signs and people were required to stop. Since the roundabout was completed, I've witnessed a lot of close calls where people don't slow down at all.

What do you think? Is the roundabout out of place? Also, have you noticed any other traffic nightmares around Bozeman? Send us a message on our radio station app and let us know.