Roundabout Sanity to Seattle!

[mtnfreak]

I think there are numerous intersections in Seattle ready to become true roundabouts – not just the wimpy little traffic circles in the neighborhoods. I’ve been lucky enough to spend considerable time in Europe and New Zealand, and after getting over my initial fright (“what should I do! what are they DOING??!!) and remembering how to yield and merge, I got to like it. For the driver, it just feels smoother – no more starting and stopping and starting again.

I’m sure some city planner type knows a better, more scientific study of the effectiveness of roundabouts, but I’m a blue collar myself, and this clip from an episode of Mythbusters does an awesome job examining which is more effecient – the four-way stop or the roundabout? http://www.wimp.com/testroundabout/

Of course, our streets would need a major re-work in order to include roundabout at every intersection they’d be ideal for. But there are heaps of four-ways stops that are already big enough to have a roundabout island simply added (think of any four-way stop that includes a turn lane). My favorite West Seattle candidate is 63rd and Alki, where I have seen numerous drivers actually flip U-turns in the intersection. In fact, because there is room to work with almost any of the intersections along the waterfront from Alki beach to Luna Park, especially at California and Harbor, could be improved.

What do you think?

Share This

[datamuse]

I like roundabouts. They’re all over the place in Ireland and some of them are huge, six or seven points of entry and exit. They seem to work well, and we didn’t have much trouble with them even though we were getting used to driving on the left at the same time.

I haven’t seen the Mythbusters ep, but Tom Vanderbilt compares roundabouts to intersections in his book Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us). (Spoiler: what it says about us is that most of us aren’t very good drivers.) The whole book is worth reading but Vanderbilt also outlines his case for roundabouts in this Slate article.

Share This

[nativegurl]

When new or enlarged schools are built in our neighborhoods, adding roundabouts are the only solution for traffic and pedestrian safety in West Seattle. It is my understanding from the blockwatch program that more officers are going to have a presence on 35th Ave SW. Which means more speeders on the streets either side of 35th while this speed watch is happening.

Share This

[CMP]

Excellent book Datamuse…I own a copy and justify merging at the end of a lane because of it. Bad (illogical) drivers always disagree with my choice but you gotta zipper. Anyway, roundabouts would be fabulous too. I traveled in Morocco earlier this year for a week and pretty much every major intersection seemed to have a roundabout, some with lights and others without. Everyone knew how to navigate and traffic seemed to at least flow more smoothly. I’m all for them in the US, but then that might make too much sense, LOL!

Share This

[trickycoolj]

Lacey, Olympia and now Thurston County are obsessed. The early versions in Lacey had 2 lanes and were a little more confusing for drivers than the single lane roundabouts. But the last time I was down there they seem to have gone to the single lane version. They are very helpful at intersections with multiple crossings or where the streets meet at sharp angles. I would say that the Delridge/Spokane/West Marginal nightmare might benefit.

Share This

[JanS]

CMP…a question…what about merging to get into the lane from the eastbound Spokane St. viaduct to the I-5 N. exit? Do you merge at the end or do you get in line like everyone else? It’s just a question, not an accusation :) Numerous times a month I have a need to go up to and over Beacon Hill, and often get stuck, stopped behind (or slowed down behind) someone who decided to wait and merge so they could beat the long line of morning back-up. So, whaddya say, get in line like the rest of people, or wait to merge closer to the end of the lane?

Share This

[CMP]

I get in line if I need to go NB on I-5 from the Spokane Street Viaduct. It’s illegal to cross the double-white line there and I’d never cut other cars off intentionally like that. That is not a merge situation. There are these weird things called signs that indicate whether you’ll have your own lane or need to merge and if more people paid attention to what those signs meant, we’d all be better off.

I feel like 80% of Seattle drivers pay zero attention to signs on roads. I passed my driver’s test at 16 and had to retake it six years later when I moved home after college due to a DMV mistake. I crammed with that goofy book and learned more in 30 minutes waiting for my exam than I ever did in driver’s ed. Including what certain road signs meant. I’m all for the DMV retesting on written and driving every ten years (or less!) to ensure that (i) bad drivers don’t get a license and (ii) our memories are refreshed regarding basic rules of the road. If you can’t handle that then you shouldn’t be driving IMO. Not directed at you Jan, just a general statement about Seattle-area drivers.

Share This

[JanS]

I’ve always felt that signs are important, and sometimes wonder why there aren’t more. The signs on the WS Bridge have improved, but I wonder sometimes about out of town visitors and how they manage when signs are lacking.

The DMV makes mistakes? Noooooo,,,,,,,,,

Share This

[JayDee]

I went to the outlet mall at Tulalip in my seldom used German sports car and boy, the roundabouts were one of my favorite parts. But no where in the NW have I seen compound roundabouts. In Aberdeen Scotland I entered one with three roundabout laced together like grapes, missed the exit, and told my friend: “Don’t worry we’ll go around and try again…”

Share This

[Ali K]

We used to live near this one in Hemel Hempstead, Uk

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4534373787_e557bdc7fc.jpg

Share This

[JanS]

Ali…I think driver’s heads would explode here -lol

Share This

[Erin3746]

Just don’t forget that there is a difference between traffic circles (and “traffic calming circles”) and roundabouts. Almost no one gets the difference: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Safety/roundabouts/BasicFacts.htm

Share This

[datamuse]

They’re incredibly easy to navigate once you’re used to them. The hardest part for us was that in Ireland, people drive on the left, so all your instincts are reversed. I prefer them to intersections because there are fewer ways to get into a crash, but simultaneously require drivers to pay closer attention to what we’re doing.

Share This

[Author]

Posts