Which Michigan County Leads with Most Roundabouts?
Roundabouts in Michigan evoke mixed feelings among residents. Some appreciate their benefits regarding safety and traffic flow, while others find them confusing and frustrating. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), roundabouts are safer alternatives to traffic signals and stop signs.
Oakland County has the most roundabouts in the state
In collaboration with White Lake Township, the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) announced the opening of the Elizabeth Lake Road/Oxbow Lake Road roundabout. This marks the 40th roundabout to be introduced on RCOC-managed roads, establishing Oakland County as the county with the most roundabouts in Michigan.
The Elizabeth Lake/Oxbow Lake intersection, used by approximately 15,500 vehicles daily, was temporarily closed for construction of this single-lane roundabout, a $2.4 million project funded by RCOC and White Lake Township. Additionally, the project involved converting the Elizabeth Lake Road/Teggerdine Road intersection into a single-lane roundabout. Both roundabouts are now fully accessible to traffic.
This is the second new roundabout to be added in the county within the past week, with the recent opening of the Greenfield and Normandy roundabout on the Royal Oak and Beverly Hills border.
Sinas Dramis Law Firm has reported that the first roundabout in Michigan was built by the Oakland County Road Commission in 1999. They also pointed out that more than 100 roundabouts are now on Michigan’s roads. The introduction of roundabouts in Michigan aimed to improve safety, and statistics show that they have contributed to reducing severe accidents at previously dangerous intersections controlled by a two-way stop by up to 82%. Likewise, intersections that previously had traffic signals saw a reduction in severe accidents by as much as 78%.
More to come
There are future plans to add more roundabouts here in the Mitten. With 36 currently in the RCOC system. Michiganders can’t help but voice their opinions on these circular intersections. “Here in Brighton, Michigan we call roundabouts..wait for it…Circles of Death!,” someone expressed on the X platform. Another person even proposed a new state slogan: “Michigan home of potholes, roundabouts, construction, and road kill. Enjoy your stay,” they wrote.
Top 5 Reasons Detroit Shouldn’t Be On The Ugliest Cities List
There are some cities across the U.S. that look stunning, while there are others that make you want to look the other way. A travel site has compiled a list of the ugliest cities in each state. When making them list they considered lack of maintenance and poor design choices.
In Michigan, one can find several beautiful places such as those with lakes, scenic views, waterfalls, and more. According to Alot Travel, a travel site, Detroit is considered one of the ugliest cities.
Why did they list Detroit as one of the “ugliest” cities?
Though Detroit is on the up and up, the travel site said that “It’s got a reputation for being a bad place to live, and it’s also a pretty ugly place to live too.” They even pulled a comment about the city from a Reddit user that said, “I mean, just look at a satellite map of Detroit. Once you leave the i94, m10, i75, i375 rectangle (the path that Woodward takes), it gets real ugly real fast.”
Many Detroit outsiders think of the city and instantly picture post-apocalyptic images of abandoned vehicles and crumbling homes, churches, and streets. While others may see Detroit as an ugly city, we know where to find beauty beyond what outsiders may believe.
Despite what their list says, what makes Detroit a beautiful city? The city’s culture, sense of community, low cost of living, options for entertainment, its outdoor scene, make it beautiful. Not only is it located in the Great Lakes state, but there are also stunning places to check out within Motor City.
See the full list of the ugliest cities from all 50 states here.
Here are 5 reasons why Detroit is not the ugliest city in Michigan.
Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it.
She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel.
A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community.
She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.
