Left turn, after left turn, after left turn, what feels like spinning in circles endlessly; you know what I’m talking about, right? Roundabouts have become one of the central identities of Carmel, Indiana over the past five years, and to some, the central headache. Recently, the Carmel Mayor’s Youth Council (CMYC) braved the Midwest winter to interview young people visiting the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. One of the questions they asked was: If you could change one thing about the City of Carmel, what would it be? One answer was repeated over and over again: Get rid of the insane amount of roundabouts. There are too many. 

I’ve been lucky enough to live in Carmel my entire life. I may not have been around for the installation of Carmel’s first roundabout in 1996, but I’ve definitely witnessed the transformation of travel through this city as I’ve grown up. The initial feedback on these intersections—sometimes incorrectly labeled as “traffic circles” or “rotaries” in their early phases—painted a complicated image in my middle-school mind.

Elderly neighbors complained relentlessly, and visiting relatives became horribly lost. And yet, five years after the buzz began, I’ve noticed that many of my peers have also forgotten exactly why we have these things in the first place. They’ve become so instrumental in our daily routine that many of us, having learned to drive only during the era of roundabouts and knowing no different, have lost an appreciation of their value. Somewhere between the complaints and confusion, the bigger picture gets lost. So, why roundabouts?

The short answer is that the implementation of roundabouts in Carmel has reduced injury crashes by 47%, saved residents $7.2 million in gas money each year and removed the equivalent of 5,000 cars’ worth of carbon dioxide from the environment. The benefits of roundabouts do not solely revolve (Get it? Revolve?) around getting places faster, although this is a welcome benefit. Roundabouts are safer, more cost effective and environmentally friendly. Therefore, although it’s easy to become bored by the endless circles that dot our roads, let us not forget the value that they bring to making our city one of the best in the nation. 

I haven’t always been a roundabout fanatic. In fact, I still have a lot more to learn before I would venture to make such a bold statement. However, as a member of CMYC for the past three years, my appreciation for roundabouts and other Carmel specialities has skyrocketed. 

Being a member of CMYC is an incredible experience that allows high school students to interact with local government, give back to the community and fulfill our mission of empowering the future of Carmel. CMYC is all of the following: A sunny Saturday morning parking bikes for guests at the Carmel Farmer’s Market. Engaging in a lively discussion about Carmel’s environmental initiatives with Mayor Sue Finkam. Getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the Indianapolis International Airport. Battling it out on the dodgeball court as we raise money for local charities. Designing and executing a Civic Day field trip for hundreds of elementary school students. And so much more. 

If you’re interested to learn more about CMYC and how you can get involved, please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected]. Applications for the 2026-2027 term open Feb. 2 and will be released on the City of Carmel’s website. In the meantime, make sure to follow us on Instagram @cmycouncil, look out for our next event and never forget just how cool roundabouts are.

So the next time you’re stuck making left turn after left turn, remember—you’re not going in circles for nothing.

Ellen Rozmaryn is a junior at Carmel High School and the president of CMYC. The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Rozmaryn at [email protected]. 

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