Traffic Circle at 11th and Elgin

[Hoss]

I'll work on that as soon as I get them to understand blinkers, left lane is for passing, and throwing cigarettes out of the window during dry weather causes fires.

I always wondered about the blinker thing.  Maybe some models didn't come with them?

[Red Arrow]

I always wondered about the blinker thing.  Maybe some models didn't come with them?

If you use them all the time, you will just wear them out.  Then you won't have them when you really need them, like diving across 3 lanes of traffic to make a turn you should have prepared for 1/2 mile before.

[Conan71]

I live 1/4 mile away from 1 of 2 traffic circles in town (Admiral & Mingo).  If the way people navigate the current ones are any indication, we're in trouble.  People don't seem to understand who has the right of way in a traffic circle.  If you are entering the circle, you yield.  If you are in the circle, you have right of way.  Simple as that.  Don't know why Tulsa drivers don't understand it.

I see road rage incidents about once every 8-10 trips through the one at 36th & Hudson and someone not understanding ROW at least once every two trips through it.  They might as well just call them clusterf*cks.

[Red Arrow]

The article states that the center island will be 110' in diameter.

Only a 55 ft radius.  Sounds like a (racing) challenge to me.

[Conan71]

I always wondered about the blinker thing.  Maybe some models didn't come with them?

And the number of uses of the turn signals seems to be the inverse of what the car cost. 

"I drive a Mercedes.  I can't be bothered with a turn signal, I'm too important, can't you see by my $80,000 car?"

[Red Arrow]

I see road rage incidents about once every 8-10 trips through the one at 36th & Hudson and someone not understanding ROW at least once every two trips through it.  They might as well just call them clusterf*cks.

My mother claims to have "rescued" my father from New Jersey traffic circles when they got married and chose to live in Pennsylvania.

[Red Arrow]

And the number of uses of the turn signals seems to be the inverse of what the car cost. 

"I drive a Mercedes.  I can't be bothered with a turn signal, I'm too important, can't you see by my $80,000 car?"

Only $80,000?  Cheap one.

[dsjeffries]

I live 1/4 mile away from 1 of 2 traffic circles in town (Admiral & Mingo).  If the way people navigate the current ones are any indication, we're in trouble.  People don't seem to understand who has the right of way in a traffic circle.  If you are entering the circle, you yield.  If you are in the circle, you have right of way.  Simple as that.  Don't know why Tulsa drivers don't understand it.

From what I've found while doing some roundabout/traffic circle/rotary research, roundabouts operate differently than traffic circles and rotaries. Generally in traffic circles, people entering the circle have the right of way instead of people already in it; conversely, in roundabouts, entering traffic must yield to vehicles already in the circle before proceeding.

Here's an animation showing how a modern roundabout works:


Also, because of this one's smaller size (110' instead of 200') and curved approaches, people will be forced to slow down to enter it.

There are so many varieties of roundabouts, it's hard to say what style we're going to get (just based on the simple renderings the public has been shown), but there are some really cool ones out there.

As the saying goes, this ain't your grandpa's roundabout.

[Red Arrow]

From what I've found while doing some roundabout/traffic circle/rotary research, roundabouts operate differently than traffic circles and rotaries. Generally in traffic circles, people entering the circle have the right of way instead of people already in it; conversely, in roundabouts, entering traffic must yield to vehicles already in the circle before proceeding.

How does one tell if they are entering a roundabout or traffic circle regarding right of way?  They look pretty much the same to me.

Also, your animation has a major flaw.  It shows drivers using blinkers.

[dsjeffries]

How does one tell if they are entering a roundabout or traffic circle regarding right of way?  They look pretty much the same to me.

Also, your animation has a major flaw.  It shows drivers using blinkers.

Mainly through striping and signage, like below:
Roundabout:



Compare that roundabout to this traffic circle, which has no striping and limited signage:


The Arizona Department of Transportation has a really great website with information, videos and animations. Check it out at http://www.azdot.gov/ccpartnerships/roundabouts/history.asp

[DTowner]

Whatever you call it, when completed this will be a good intersection to avoid unless you're car insurance is paid.  I travel through the circle at 36th & Hudson frequently (Desi Wok fix must be met), and it is usually not a problem only because there is very little traffic at the times I travel through it.  Four-way stops baffle most Tulsans, so I don't have much hope for their ability to navigate a traffic circle or roundabout.  In fairness, if you didn't grow up with them, they are a little weird at first.  It took me a while after moving to DC to navigate them with confidence, but most of the circles in DC have more than 2 road intersecting, so there was a lot going on.

[dbacks fan]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Norht+29th+Ave+%26+Happy+Valley+Road+Phoenix,+AZ&aq=&sll=33.67864,-112.156677&sspn=0.266843,0.44014&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=W+Happy+Valley+Rd+%26+N+29th+Ave,+Phoenix,+Maricopa,+Arizona&ll=33.712756,-112.121916&spn=0.008782,0.013754&z=16

[Townsend]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Norht+29th+Ave+%26+Happy+Valley+Road+Phoenix,+AZ&aq=&sll=33.67864,-112.156677&sspn=0.266843,0.44014&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=W+Happy+Valley+Rd+%26+N+29th+Ave,+Phoenix,+Maricopa,+Arizona&ll=33.712756,-112.121916&spn=0.008782,0.013754&z=16

That intersection sounds a little dirty.

[dsjeffries]

Whatever you call it, when completed this will be a good intersection to avoid unless you're car insurance is paid.

Whatever you call it, they've been shown to dramatically reduce accidents (by as much as 75%), all around the world.

I travel through the circle at 36th & Hudson frequently (Desi Wok fix must be met), and it is usually not a problem only because there is very little traffic at the times I travel through it.

That traffic circle and the rotary at Admiral and Mingo are nothing like this new one. New designs (last 20+ years) are much easier for drivers (even Tulsa's drivers) to understand and navigate.

DBacks, there are some cool animations of the Happy Valley roundabouts here: http://www.azdot.gov/ccpartnerships/roundabouts/AZ_Roundabouts.asp

[Red Arrow]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Norht+29th+Ave+%26+Happy+Valley+Road+Phoenix,+AZ&aq=&sll=33.67864,-112.156677&sspn=0.266843,0.44014&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=W+Happy+Valley+Rd+%26+N+29th+Ave,+Phoenix,+Maricopa,+Arizona&ll=33.712756,-112.121916&spn=0.008782,0.013754&z=16

I like that the entrances and exits for the Interstate don't happen at the same place. (As they typically do on a Clover Leaf) How do the on-off ramps and circle/roundabouts fare in heavy traffic?