CARY — To most people in the Triangle, traffic circles are an oddity. But many towns are starting to experiment with them as a way to solve traffic troubles.

Traffic circles are coming to Cary. A small traffic circle will be installed at the intersection of Crabtree Crossing and High Country Drive. A larger roundabout is on the way for the intersection at Lake Pine Road and Two Creeks.

"The roundabouts can move traffic and eliminate the need for signals in some locations," said Tim Bailey, Cary's engineering director. "They definitely eliminate four-way stops, so it's kind of a growing trend, even though it's just starting to come about in the country as a whole."

Construction on Cary's traffic circles will begin in about a year.

Raleigh and Wake Forest both are using traffic circles in a few areas. Roundabouts and traffic circles are popular in the Northeast and some parts of Europe.