Setting square tiles or paving stones around a circular cover is a pain in the ass.
But it wouldn’t be the first time the US is weird, like the whole imperial measurements thing, so whatever. Or maybe you live in a state that decided square manhole covers were biblically incorrect.
Square covers like this are common globally. AFAIK also in the US:
https://manholecoversdirect.com/products/square-manhole-covers-and-frames/
Setting square tiles or paving stones around a circular cover is a pain in the ass.
But it wouldn’t be the first time the US is weird, like the whole imperial measurements thing, so whatever. Or maybe you live in a state that decided square manhole covers were biblically incorrect.