http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/ The Latest in Retail, Entertainment, and Development in Raleigh Mon, 24 Aug 2015 02:32:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3

http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/comment-page-1/#comment-66677 Carnell Brame Jr. Fri, 03 Aug 2012 04:46:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/#comment-66677 I think the demise of this roundabout is unfortunate. Roundabouts are an effective yet underutilized traffic management tool. It's a shame that other implementations in Raleigh and elsewhere might not happen because of this surrender. Driver error is more believable to me.

I think the demise of this roundabout is unfortunate. Roundabouts are an effective yet underutilized traffic management tool. It’s a shame that other implementations in Raleigh and elsewhere might not happen because of this surrender. Driver error is more believable to me.

http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/comment-page-1/#comment-66675 Anonymous Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:34:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/#comment-66675 I don't see the same confusion at signal intersections where one road has a left turn pocket and the other doesn't. All the signing and striping used in modern roundabouts is the same as that used everywhere else. The likely problem is the motorists entering from the southwest at too high a speed to stop in time for both lanes heading south. Most of the crashes involve motorist not stopping for the second southbound lane. Raised crosswalks at all the entries might have slowed motorists down enough to increase the time to react. I agree that a common mistake is making the central island inside the truck apron just as flat. Conspicuity of the central island does a lot to slow motorist down.

I don’t see the same confusion at signal intersections where one road has a left turn pocket and the other doesn’t. All the signing and striping used in modern roundabouts is the same as that used everywhere else. The likely problem is the motorists entering from the southwest at too high a speed to stop in time for both lanes heading south. Most of the crashes involve motorist not stopping for the second southbound lane.
Raised crosswalks at all the entries might have slowed motorists down enough to increase the time to react. I agree that a common mistake is making the central island inside the truck apron just as flat. Conspicuity of the central island does a lot to slow motorist down.

http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/comment-page-1/#comment-66674 Anonymous Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:16:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/#comment-66674 The first photo is not a modern roundabout. It is a UK roundabout, what we might refer to as a rotary, but specifically what they call a ring junction using mini-roundabouts. There are several in the UK, but the most famous is in Swindon, called the Swindon Magic Roundabout. Many people confuse older styles of circular intersections with modern roundabouts. East coast rotaries are not modern roundabouts. Large multi-lane traffic circles (Arc D’Triumph) are not modern roundabouts. European Vacation was not a modern roundabout. New Jersey/Europe are not removing modern roundabouts. Visit www.k-state.edu to see the differences. www.fhwa.dot.gov has a video about modern roundabouts that is mostly accurate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhHzly_6lWM ).

The first photo is not a modern roundabout. It is a UK roundabout, what we might refer to as a rotary, but specifically what they call a ring junction using mini-roundabouts. There are several in the UK, but the most famous is in Swindon, called the Swindon Magic Roundabout.
Many people confuse older styles of circular intersections with modern roundabouts. East coast rotaries are not modern roundabouts. Large multi-lane traffic circles (Arc D’Triumph) are not modern roundabouts. European Vacation was not a modern roundabout. New Jersey/Europe are not removing modern roundabouts. Visit http://www.k-state.edu to see the differences. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov has a video about modern roundabouts that is mostly accurate ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhHzly_6lWM ).

http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/comment-page-1/#comment-66673 mike Wed, 01 Aug 2012 17:21:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/#comment-66673 I don't know how much clearer the roundabout can be. They have diagrams painted on the road in every single lane approaching the intersection. Each diagram has an arrow indicating the possible routes that lane can travel. Very simple, just get in the lane that matches the direction you want to go and yield to anyone in the circle. Also, your suggestion of adding stop signs to a roundabout... really? That idea can go in the bin with the Windows Media Center. The vegetation in the middle of the roundabout is a worthwhile suggestion. However, they probably never got around to it because they had to deal with complaining people who need tons of flashing lights to tell them how to follow road instructions. An even cheaper solution to the roundabout is for drivers to pay attention to the road and hang up the cell phone.

I don’t know how much clearer the roundabout can be. They have diagrams painted on the road in every single lane approaching the intersection. Each diagram has an arrow indicating the possible routes that lane can travel. Very simple, just get in the lane that matches the direction you want to go and yield to anyone in the circle.

Also, your suggestion of adding stop signs to a roundabout… really? That idea can go in the bin with the Windows Media Center.

The vegetation in the middle of the roundabout is a worthwhile suggestion. However, they probably never got around to it because they had to deal with complaining people who need tons of flashing lights to tell them how to follow road instructions. An even cheaper solution to the roundabout is for drivers to pay attention to the road and hang up the cell phone.

http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/comment-page-1/#comment-66669 JeffS Sat, 28 Jul 2012 23:33:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/#comment-66669 Clearly you started with an agenda and made up the facts in an attempt to support it. But hey, good luck with your defense of motorist entitlement and incompetence. That you feel challenged by a low-speed drive down Hillsborough says a lot.

Clearly you started with an agenda and made up the facts in an attempt to support it.

But hey, good luck with your defense of motorist entitlement and incompetence. That you feel challenged by a low-speed drive down Hillsborough says a lot.

http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/comment-page-1/#comment-66668 Dwight Otwell Sat, 28 Jul 2012 19:21:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/28/raleigh-fails-to-implement-roundabout/#comment-66668 You cite the decline of cars on Hillsborough st as evidence that the strip is dying - from what I can tell, business has picked up since the redesign. There's thick foot traffic, and many of the vacant fronts appear to have been occupied. Is there evidence that retail has suffered in that area more than in any other area? Homeless don't show up there because it's a quiet place to sleep - they go where people are walking around with spare change. Agree that pedestrian safety needs to be addressed in a big way on Western. Pedestrians will act as they act everywhere - design in the problem, not behavior. Cars and people are pitted against each other between Dan Allen and Avent Ferry. Agree that the design of the roundabout was bad. Roundabouts will continue to be filled with the ignorant until and if they become numerous enough to be familiar.

You cite the decline of cars on Hillsborough st as evidence that the strip is dying – from what I can tell, business has picked up since the redesign. There’s thick foot traffic, and many of the vacant fronts appear to have been occupied. Is there evidence that retail has suffered in that area more than in any other area? Homeless don’t show up there because it’s a quiet place to sleep – they go where people are walking around with spare change.

Agree that pedestrian safety needs to be addressed in a big way on Western. Pedestrians will act as they act everywhere – design in the problem, not behavior. Cars and people are pitted against each other between Dan Allen and Avent Ferry.

Agree that the design of the roundabout was bad. Roundabouts will continue to be filled with the ignorant until and if they become numerous enough to be familiar.