The Town of Olds received its first roundabout on Hwy 2a and 68 St. south of the Olds Cemetery. The roundabout was built to provide secondary access and underground utilities into the Southeast Industrial Park, and to allow for smoother traffic flow into town.
Roundabout Basics
Since this is the first roundabout in Olds, below is a video courtesy of the City of Red Deer outlining the basics for drivers who are unfamiliar with them.
What is the difference between a roundabout and a traffic circle?
Roundabouts are generally smaller in diameter (60-65 meters in diameter) and have more curves leading up to the roundabout forcing traffic to operate at lower speeds. Roundabouts are also capable of accommodating larger trucks and it is normal for the back end of trucks to drag over the apron portion of the roundabout.
Traffic Circles are much larger in diameter (100 meters or larger) and typically do not have the additional curves leading up to the circle.