American town adopts Roundabouts and saves money

We have a few great round-abouts that carry a lot of traffic with little worry. There are lots of roundabouts in back streets.

 

The question is whether it's the oldest, i.e. still in use, not the first.

 

As a 25-yr former resident, I was going to mention South (New) Jesery as king of circles. They made sense when built in low traffic volume years ago but were out-grown. Many have been replaced or modified.

 

Washington Circle is still in use.

 

The leftmost lane of the 3 lanes goes to the spiral that begins opposite that entrance. The other 2 lanes go into the two continuing spirals that are continuing from the left (and the rightmost lane can take the first exit). Driven, it's more obvious than the picture.

That's what the design tries to avoid. Of course, some people still make a mistake and do a lane change but it's pretty unusual.

Since people don't have to make lane changes it also gives you more confidence when entering and somebody's in the inside lane.

That's a great use. Add a little green and keep the flow going.

 

Large ones often have lights. They help deal with dominant flow and excessive traffic at rush hour. Not to mention they can be necessary for pedestrians to cross.

 

I go through a small one everyday. Except for the people who don't understand the right of way, it's ok. Sometimes traffic backs up worse than with the previous light.

However, the township did not take trailers or large trucks into account. The round about is tight, and they commonly roll up onto the concrete apron around the center garden. That itself wouldn't be a problem with this roundabout not being a common route for such vehicles. But someone felt the concrete wasn't pretty enough looking like a sidewalk. They covered it with a thin layer of motar etched with a brick pattern. Between the winters, and occasional heavy truck, they've had to repair it several times

 

i just came back from cape cod. there used to be a rotary at each of the two bridges. the main one got so congested they built a 40 million dollar 'flyover'. it's a raised road with entrance and exit ramps to relace those of the rotary. the other one works pretty well still but the biggest problem is the two lane wide rotary with no striping. i don't think anyone really knows who has the right of way once inside the rotary.

 

The apron is there to allow space for large vehicles to turn while keeping smaller vehicles away from the curb.

It's a serious FAIL to make the apron out of a surface that can't take trucks' weight.

 

When first introduced here, the space in the middle made a tempting garden for locals to adopt. Which was good, except that it created unsafe conditions when everything grew in and drivers couldn't see each other. So, now it's small flowers only, and large trees that are kept well trimmed, with no low branches. On rare occasion, a tree is temporarily removed for a house-moving event. It's a strange sight to see a tree parked by the side of the road and a house going down the street, but it happens.

 

If they have lights they are not roundabouts, but are considered traffic circles. There is a technical difference.

Tom

 

Oh OK.

I once got issued a ticket for California-rolling through a three-way stop in my neighborhood (I wasn't turning into traffic, just going straight) That hypermiling morning exercise cost me a cool $190.

It actually was a trap. The cops were there for weeks catching all kinds of drivers rolling through that small intersection. A roundabout there would have been a much better solution all around.

 

I love roundabouts, I've driven in Spain and Bermuda. I completely get them. Not only is there energy savings in electricity but gas savings by not idling waiting for the light to change. The best example of a U.S. roundabout I've driven is actually near me: Jones Beach, Long Island New York. It circles the water tower the way a European roundabout would circle a fountain, no lights-beautiful.
[ame="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=40.596505,-73.507783&spn=0.00246,0.005659&t=h&z=18"]Google Maps[/ame]

 

In UK law the right of way is not changed by traffic lights. Even if you have a green you must still yield to somebody on the roundabout running a red across you.

All UK roundabouts are roundabouts whether they're light-controlled or not.

 

As you point out, from Wikipedia:

Tom

 

naa spend a couple weeks in '03; rural french and parisan drivers are much nicer then NYC, LA, Atlanta.. or Wash DC. At least they don't slam the brakes and drop speed from 80mph to 40 after they came around you or try to ran you into concrete wall, YMMV

 

I never really thought of Columbus Circle as a roundabout. Correct me if I am wrong but I don't think the circle has traffic from FOUR directions. It is really just a thruway for Broadway and a nice corner piece for the SW corner of Central Park. I have not been in NYC for years tho..........

 

Columbus Circle has at least seven points of entrance/exit.

Tom

 

Right of way varies in Europe on roundabouts, if you are with it you immediately become aware of who has right of way. :rockon: