Why do Germany have few roundabouts? (best, cost, safer, pay)
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Location: Segovia, central Spain, 1230 m asl, Csb Mediterranean with strong continental influence, 40º43 N
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I were just taking a virtual tour through Germany and there are few of them, in opposite to other European countries such as United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium or The Netherlands, which have lots of them everywhere.
I have travelled around most of Germany, and I would agree that roundabouts are not as common as in some other countries in Western Europe.
The best known traffic circle in Germany is probably at the Großer Stern (Great Star) on Straße des 17 Juni in Berlin. Map search @ 52.514514,13.350164. In the middle of the Großer Stern is the Siegessäule (Victory Column) which was built in early 1870s after a war between Prussia and Denmark. Ironically the WW2 Victory Memorial constructed by the Soviet Red Army in mid 1945 is just a few hundred meters down the same street, half way between the Siegessäule and Brandenburg Gate.
I live close to the German border and now that I think of it, Germany has few roundabouts indeed, although there are some. The only reason I can think of why is the chronic lack of investment in the German road system. Over here at the Dutch side, roads are much better quality but we pay much higher taxes on our cars and fuel and much higher road taxes. The Dutch build many roundabouts because there are supposed to be safer and increase traffic flow. I suppose the Germans just lack funding.
On the other hand, I know this roundabout, which is fairly close to where I live, will be replaced by a cloverleave interchange because of traffic jams. Roundabouts only work up until a certain traffic density/volume.
For decades, Germany has strictly adhered to the traffic light system.
Since the first operational traffic light appeared in Germany in 1924, city planners have apparently come up with nothing better, but the long wait at the many unnecessary traffic lights in Germany may soon be over. Some 30-50% of all traffic lights will be replaced (currently there are about 100,000 intersections controlled by traffic lights).
The plan is to replace the traffic lights with roundabouts and zebra stripes. It will save them lots of money on energy, and maintenance costs. Roundabouts are not only safer, but more efficient than traffic lights, and quite often roundabouts enhance the beauty of intersections.
Probably same reason why they barely exist in North America. Roundabouts makes me dizzy, headache and almost throw up. Thank God they are rare in America.
Amen to that. I hate roundabouts, I'm glad Germany doesn't have many.
Another reason to like Germany.
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