What a roundabout way to manage city traffic
I have been a resident of the Lake Jeanette area for over 11 years and drive to and from Lake Jeanette on Elm Street a number of times daily. Every day for the past several months, I have been forced to navigate my way through the dozens of construction workers installing the "roundabout" at the corner of Elm Street and Old Lake Jeanette Road. Every day, I ask myself who thought up this extravagant and unnecessary project, especially at a time when the City Council is increasing taxes.
I have never perceived this intersection to create any problems that a stoplight wouldn't cure. However, I fear that the roundabout will cause some fender benders. We are not sufficiently European to know how to use a roundabout, as is already obvious to those of us who have tried it. And the thought of trucks and school buses attempting to navigate their way through it is downright scary.
I saw a school bus try it one day, and it was actually swaying. I'm sure it is too late to reverse this mistake, but I hope the City Council will carefully deliberate the necessity of any future roundabouts before authorizing more money to construct them.
Doris Bray
Greensboro
Comments (7)
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Hang up the phone and drive.
Posted on July 2, 2006 8:03 AM
Doris,
Take some good advice from Hugh, and get with the program.
Posted on July 2, 2006 10:12 AM
Deac and me agree, what's next, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria?
Posted on July 2, 2006 2:24 PM
I keep asking and no one seems to have an answer: Does anyone know how the cost of a roundabout compares to the construction and maintenance of a normal intersection?
Posted on July 3, 2006 9:46 AM
Bunny's comment cuts to the heart of the issue. Are there economic and saftey savings associated with the proper placement of roundabouts? Check out this page from the Federal Highway Administration's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center: http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/00068.htm.
Posted on July 3, 2006 2:43 PM
Barbati:
Good reference but I couldn't get the link to work as it is. I went to the website and found some information on roundabouts but nothing pertaining to cost figures instead of time saved. While time saved translates into gas savings which translates into money saved for the INDIVIDUAL, I'd like to know if the powers that be in the city can provide any figures on saving of TAX money with the construction and implimentation of roundabouts vs standard intersection. To date, I've not seen any breakdown.
Posted on July 3, 2006 3:21 PM
New England has used "Rotaries" very well for years. There is one biga_s one going over to Cape Cod from the mainland. Most are used to keep all traffic moving rather than having lanes back up in four directions. Most noted one nearby is the one down in Southern Pines/Pinehurst area. It's been there for years and works just fine. I'm for anything that keeps me moving----stoplights are made for thoroughfares, not three or four roads converging.
Posted on July 3, 2006 6:27 PM