The roundabout on Raleigh's Hillsborough Street at the Pullen Road intersection at the N.C. State University campus was a good idea to relieve traffic congestion. And it's sort of cool, part of a $9.9 million Hillsborough Street makeover. But the two-lane, or "twin ring" roundabout has proved confusing and hazardous. There have been 100 crashes in 20 months.

So here's to the state Department of Transportation for not hesitating to get out the drawing board. The likely outcome of a re-examination of the roundabout is going to be to take it down to one lane for simplicity's sake.

The current traffic pattern has been confusing for motorists who have never dealt with these types of lane changes. Also, there are too many motorists who haven't bothered to learn how to use the roundabout properly.

Computer simulations will help. But in the end, an imaginative idea may give way to simplicity and practicality. And folks, please: Learn how to use it.