# Intersections in tunnels

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intersections-in-tunnels/927599>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 8, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intersections-in-tunnels/927599 "2020-12-08T21:49:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intersections-in-tunnels/927599/61 "2020-12-17T10:31:53Z")

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> [@dtilque](#):
>
> Actually, these are mostly rotaries, which are a different animal than roundabouts.

Is that universally agreed-upon terminology? I thought rotaries and roundabouts were synonymous, perhaps with different regional preferences for one over the other.

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**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intersections-in-tunnels/927599/62 "2020-12-17T10:52:20Z")

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> [@Schnitte](#):
>
> Is that universally agreed-upon terminology? I thought rotaries and roundabouts were synonymous, perhaps with different regional preferences for one over the other

It’s how traffic engineers use the terms. Non-traffic engineers don’t always make the distinction. People in New England will often refer to both as rotaries, for example. Which is unfortunate because rotaries have a deserved bad reputation.

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intersections-in-tunnels/927599/63 "2020-12-17T14:32:51Z")

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> [@dtilque](#):
>
> People in New England will often refer to both as rotaries, for example. Which is unfortunate because rotaries have a deserved bad reputation.

If nothing else, I’ve learned this from this thread.

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intersections-in-tunnels/927599/64 "2020-12-17T14:38:45Z")

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Now I think we’re just going 'round in circles.

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