I have had the pleasure, as have many town residents, of using the new roundabout in downtown Fountain Hills. I must say, I have been very pleasantly surprised.

I confess I had been a doubter, after realizing that roundabouts are for moving vehicle traffic efficiently, with apparently no consideration for pedestrians and bicyclists. The latter false assumption was probably based on experiences at a very busy, fast-paced, two-lane roundabout in Scottsdale.

Not the case with our roundabout! It is simple, one-lane, slow-paced, and with yields well marked. This allows safe passage for both pedestrians and bicyclists, whom I have encountered simultaneously and quite safely at the roundabout.

The new roundabout is a world better than the previous awkward, clunky, not-so-intuitive intersection that took up an immense, unattractive, square expanse of black asphalt. Now we have a nice-looking, functional structure with a big expanse of colorful desert landscaping as a centerpiece! Unfortunately, there was an expensive change order to the project due to an apparent design oversight. We always strive to avoid such bungles, but things happen. The final product is a thing of function and beauty.

“Well done” to Mayor Ginny Dickey, the Town Council and the traffic and pedestrian safety ad-hoc committee who brought the concept to the forefront. Thanks for your vision, foresight, research and follow-through.