Anyone like traffic circles-roundabouts?

[MossRoad]

When I was young, this intersection used to be at grade level. There were 6 RR tracks crossing the north running street, and the same 6 RR tracks crossing the west running street. There was a stoplight at that intersection, as they were both very busy streets. The obvious problems were traffic heading south or east would frequently get stopped by the light, and a train would come. Those 6 tracks are 2 through lines and 4 sidings in a yard. It was brutal. Many, many wrecks from cars just bouncing through up to 12 sets of tracks if you turned north or west, let alone the train issue.

So they built a huge hill south of the intersection, bridges over the tracks on the north and west roads, curved the approaches, and put a stoplight at the top of the hill. That lasted about 15 years. Then they put in this roundabout. I love it!

 

[Pixguy]

I have no issues with roundabouts and then I went to Ireland and entered driving on the left side into one there.
That was fun!

 

[kenmbz]

NJ on the other side of the river put in more roundabouts.
In NJ "squeezing" them in or making them in weird shapes seems to be the norm.
Have some ones here where you can't see people entering from under an over pass too easily.

Most of the ones in my old town had to have their center sections redone due to tire wear

Most have been improvements, but in some areas an overpass would be needed , no one around here wants to spend that kind of money and close roads while being built. Too much traffic on the NJ side. (one of the many reasons I am on the PA side).

 

[ray66v]

In a perfect world, the concept is fine.

However, we don't even live in a world that is close to perfect.

They just built a new one by me that is so small, you don't have time, or ability to clearly signal your exit, which is the critical part to keeping traffic moving. Not that most people consider anyone other than themselves and signal anyway.

 

[Cub 7275]

I guess the highway engineers today are too young to remember the old round-a-bouts (many in NJ) which caused so many accidents back in the 60's & 70's that they were replaced by traditional intersections. Oh well, what was old is new again. Can't wait for the diverging diamond with a reverse rotation round-a-bout in the middle!

In theory, and in other places around the world they work. Problem is, like kenmbz points out, our highway engineers can't copy the effective designs without "improving" them and invariably screwing them up. Most roundys around here in Michigan are too small in diameter for one lane and woefully small to be multiple lanes (I believe the multiple lane ones where not needed are a requirement to get federal matching funds or something similar).

Then there is the competition to put as many roundys in series as possible. Here is a sweet setup (zoom out to see the bonus roundys by the stores): Lee Rd · Michigan 48116

As we all know, when pulling a trailer, any cars behind you must get in front of you at the first opportunity, even if you were going faster than them before the intersection. You can guess what happens when the two lane road goes to four lanes through the tiny roundy. Driving a 53' tractor trailer must be extra fun!

 

[MossRoad]

In a perfect world, the concept is fine.

However, we don't even live in a world that is close to perfect.

They just built a new one by me that is so small, you don't have time, or ability to clearly signal your exit, which is the critical part to keeping traffic moving. Not that most people consider anyone other than themselves and signal anyway.

Around here nobody uses their turn signals in the roundabouts and it seems to work just fine. In fact, if someone DOES use their turn signal in the roundabout, it makes you wonder what they're up to.

 

[lman]

I've never used turn signals in a roundabout and I found this article that left me even more confused.

Turn Signal on a Roundabout - National Motorists Association

Editor’s Note: This post first appeared as NMA Weekly E-Newsletter #585. In response to this newsletter in March 2020, over 50 readers responded with their own ideas about roundabouts. If you would like to receive the newsletter and join the discussion, become a member of the NMA. Join Today...

www.motorists.org

 

[Oaktree]

I guess the highway engineers today are too young to remember the old round-a-bouts (many in NJ) which caused so many accidents back in the 60's & 70's that they were replaced by traditional intersections. Oh well, what was old is new again. Can't wait for the diverging diamond with a reverse rotation round-a-bout in the middle!

In theory, and in other places around the world they work. Problem is, like kenmbz points out, our highway engineers can't copy the effective designs without "improving" them and invariably screwing them up. Most roundys around here in Michigan are too small in diameter for one lane and woefully small to be multiple lanes (I believe the multiple lane ones where not needed are a requirement to get federal matching funds or something similar).

Here in New England we call them rotaries, but I've seen the same thing...back in the 80s a lot of them were replaced by multi-way stop intersections, now we're starting to see rotaries make a comeback. I agree that some of them seem way too small, mostly due to lack of available land to make larger ones. Still, they do seem to help traffic flow at busy intersections, though I see how pulling a long trailer might be "interesting".

 

[ning]

I've never used turn signals in a roundabout and I found this article that left me even more confused.

Turn Signal on a Roundabout - National Motorists Association

Editor’s Note: This post first appeared as NMA Weekly E-Newsletter #585. In response to this newsletter in March 2020, over 50 readers responded with their own ideas about roundabouts. If you would like to receive the newsletter and join the discussion, become a member of the NMA. Join Today...

www.motorists.org

I try to signal my exit as soon as I've passed the previous exit to it, as a courtesy to someone entering from there or the next one. For instance, in a typical 4-street roundabout where I'm going "strait through", I'll signal my exit immediately after passing the first exit since I'm taking the second.

 

[Bearsixty7]

I don't know so I asked...

If posted speed is 65 and and you decide to pass the vehicle ahead traveling 63 what happens when you blow by at 73 in the eyes of the law?

Most LEO's won't bother you on the freeway's unless you are more than 5mph over (some don't care until 10) the posted speed limit so do 70mph in the 65mph zone to pass and you will be fine.
The main point is, don't just go 63.1mph to pass a vehicle going 63mph!