Traffic Circle at 11th and Elgin

[Townsend]

Tulsa's First Traffic Roundabout Simplifies Downtown Intersection

http://www.newson6.com/story/19575953/downtown-tulsa-to-get-its-first-traffic-roundabout?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

TULSA, Oklahoma - Confusing intersections, with traffic signals that do little more than cause delays provide the perfect place for a roundabout.
Up to now, Tulsa has had traffic circles, but no roundabouts. But that's about to change.

It won't be long until you won't be able to remember how dysfunctional and confounding the intersection of 10th, 11th, and Elgin used to be.

"This is Tulsa's first roundabout," said Doug Duke.

Duke is a traffic engineer with the City of Tulsa. He designed the project.

"Roundabouts have their place in certain instances. This was a good place for one," Duke said.

The old intersection was a merging of 11th Street on the east, 10th Street on the west side of the intersection, and Elgin on the north.

There was a light and folks often went the wrong way. This will solve a traffic headache, but beyond that, it will provide an attractive gateway to downtown.

"This is a significant area of the city: Route 66, the preservation of the old warehouse market, McClure Park—the old ball park was near here," said Bruce Bolzle.

Bolzle is with KMO Development Group. His company is involved with development of this part of downtown and hopes this will spark other projects, as well.

Lighting around it will feature dark-sky compliant lighting, meaning the light focuses down rather than up.

Work is continuing on the roundabout and westbound traffic is getting the first exposure to negotiating it. There's a learning curve for something new like this, but ultimately it should be safer.

"Overall, roundabouts have shown to lessen accident frequency and severity," Duke said.

And this roundabout is small enough that there's little chance we'll get stuck in it, like in the movie National Lampoon's European Vacation.

The city says between now and the end of the year, we should be able to get to and through the roundabout from all directions.

They have yet to decide what will go in the middle.

[Conan71]

"This traffic circle is great because people can drive around it and move stuff from one place to another."

-Mayor Dewey Bartlet (sic)

[TheTed]

Yield signs, Tulsa, and simplify do not belong in the same sentence. Four-way stops confound Tulsans.

[Townsend]

The "generally circular shape" in the middle of the traffic circle in years to come:

[TheTed]

Maybe I'm just impatient with the constant delays of everything in these parts, but isn't the timeline on this a little excessively lengthy? They started on this in early 2012, I think.

[carltonplace]

Yield signs, Tulsa, and simplify do not belong in the same sentence. Four-way stops confound Tulsans.

Tulsa owns the Yield sign: The first US yield sign was installed in 1950 at First Street and Columbia Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma, having been devised and designed by Tulsa police officer Clinton Riggs

[sgrizzle]

Maybe I'm just impatient with the constant delays of everything in these parts, but isn't the timeline on this a little excessively lengthy? They started on this in early 2012, I think.

A lot of utility relocation and an odd shape.

Kinda wondering how they still don't know what to put in the middle.

[patric]

The streetlight optics look good, but we still have a utility that likes to burn off-peak watts (and gets to dictate how much they will be over-lamped).
When you over-lamp, you end up with pools of light surrounded by intense darkness, rather than a nice uniformity the eye can better adapt to.

When you use Full-Cutoff (FCO) like these, you are supposed to reduce wattage.  Not only does that increase the quality of the lighting, it helps the fixtures pay for themselves faster by requiring less electricity.

Tulsa owns the Yield sign: The first US yield sign was installed in 1950 at First Street and Columbia Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma, having been devised and designed by Tulsa police officer Clinton Riggs

Got to interview him when he was at Tulsa Junior College.  Could listen to his stories for hours.  Sadly, his breed is long gone.
He still had the original Yield sign in his office.

Tulsa's contribution to the automobile-centric world (Yield sign) still beats Oklahoma City's (parking meter) hands down.

[Townsend]

Kinda wondering how they still don't know what to put in the middle.

Suicide stands brought to you by Owasso Cheerleaders.  Go Rams

[Vision 2025]

A lot of utility relocation and an odd shape.

Kinda wondering how they still don't know what to put in the middle.

I know, up lights... sorry Patric but the fountain idea was already taken

[DowntownDan]

Drove through again recently.  There is no chance that the old Lyons building doesn't get plowed.  It will happen within the first year of opening.  Mark it down.

[Townsend]

Drove through again recently.  There is no chance that the old Lyons building doesn't get plowed.  It will happen within the first year of opening.  Mark it down.

Coming soon then?

[rdj]

I drove thru Saturday in a 1.5 ton truck.  No issue.  Plenty of room, the cars around me figured it out just fine.  I know we design things for the lowest common denominator, but it's a pretty easy deal to navigate.

[DowntownDan]

I drove thru Saturday in a 1.5 ton truck.  No issue.  Plenty of room, the cars around me figured it out just fine.  I know we design things for the lowest common denominator, but it's a pretty easy deal to navigate.

I think you're vastly overestimating the lowest common denominator in this town, especially when it comes to driving.  All it takes is one idiot, drunk or not, and a whole lot of damage will occur.

[Townsend]

I think you're vastly overestimating the lowest common denominator in this town, especially when it comes to driving.  All it takes is one idiot, drunk or not, and a whole lot of damage will occur.

...and with our lack of automotive insurance coverage state wide...

We do this in Tulsa: