Make wishtv.com your home page

Carmel roundabout to be on international calendar

CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) – Carmel has more than 90 roundabouts including one on Main Street that is receiving international attention.

A British organization called the U.K. Roundabout Appreciation Society said that it finds the Hoosier roundabout charming with its fragrant flower arrangement and ornate water feature.

Kevin Beresford, the president of the society, sent a letter to Carmel declaring that the intersection is one of its international favorites.

“Carmel has been on our radar for the past few years. We are 100 percent aware for your love of these fine round pieces of architecture,” said Beresford.

It is precisely that reason that Carmel has been placed on the society’s 2016 calendar, under the month of August to be exact.

Beresford acknowledges what Carmel’s Mayor Jim Brainard has said for years that roundabouts are safer than traditional intersections and they are more energy efficient.

“At UKRAS, we see a roundabout as an oasis on a sea of asphalt,” Beresford wrote. “They lift our sagging spirits on long tiresome journeys. They give any local town council brimming with a little civil pride the perfect opportunity to place a beautiful garden in the middle of a road junction.”

A statement from the mayor’s office noted:

Roundabouts have been a part of British society for many years and the artistic displays seen there and in cities across the globe are often beautiful, inspiring and functional.  Here in Carmel, we have made a concerted effort to use landscaping elements such as fountains, flowers and architecture in a similar way; and it is nice to be recognized by this internationally known group.

Click here to see all of the cities on the calendar.