Can we get more roundabouts in Idaho Falls?
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I love the few roundabout-style intersections we have around Idaho Falls. They process the traffic much faster, you usually do not have to completely stop, they introduce green plantings or pleasing environments to an intersection, and they do not need electric lights.
Of course my favorite roundabout has to be on the west side’s Taylor Crossing area. It’s the one created by Nathan Durtschi with huge rocks, waterfalls, and sometimes colored lights. I wish we had more roundabouts throughout Idaho Falls like that one. Our city could introduce sculptural art pieces in the intersection roundabouts along with more greenery. We could create so many that driving around could be a tourist thing to do. We could be the roundabout capital of America!
I have heard from some people that they hate roundabouts, the the point that they will alter their course by miles to avoid them. They do not like that the roundabouts are not fair, that a line of cars can make you wait for your turn. The roundabouts are not democratic, but they are designed to process heavy traffic most efficiently from whatever direction it comes from. I would much rather wait for an opening at a roundabout than wait for a stupid light to change colors (especially when there is no traffic coming either way).
Does Idaho Falls have plans for more roundabouts, and what intersections are planned to get them?
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Comments
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0 I think it would be interesting to look at historical traffic accidents and determine if the roundabouts are really ‘dangerous’.
History has proven that if an unique intersection feels dangerous then it is generally much safer than traditional signaled intersections because divers are much more cautious.
That said, I do agree that roundabouts should be larger if they are handling two lane traffic.
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0 0 Neal Larson’s website had a link to an awesome tutorial on roundabouts.
There is a great sign that should be placed on the approach. It clearly communicates how drivers are to function in the roundabout. I think another sign would need to be placed on the middle island and facing all four directions that says “Incoming traffic yields to traffic from left.”
There are explanations and videos of how to use roundabouts, and even explanations of the differences between roundabouts and old European traffic circles or traffic calming islands.
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0 0 Does anyone know other artistic or landscape things Nathan Durtschi has done around Idaho Falls?
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0 0 Being born and raised in England I am totally for Roundabouts, the problem with them over here is people dont know how too use them correctly, if your coming upto one and turning left your left turn signal should be on. If you really want too see what a roundabout can look like in what would be the worst nightmare
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0 0 Ryan: it seems you left us hanging in the middle of a sentence. What you also fail to realize is we drive on the right hand side of the road, so we’d be turning right into our roundabouts, and not left. But I digress…
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0 0 I like the CONCEPT of roundabouts but the way they are built here is absurd. The tiny size makes it impossible for traffic to negotiate them safely (except for Taylor’s Crossing which is a 3-way). And Idahoans in general refuse to learn even the most basic traffic rules such as HOW AND WHEN TO YIELD or how to negotiate a 4-way stop. And I constantly see people coming to a complete stop in roundabouts instead of merging into traffic. This causes even more safety issues.
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Roundabouts are indeed a fine tool, when they are created large enough to give drivers time to react, move, etc. The roundabout near Taylor Crossing is great, single lane, in and out affair. The ones I truly dislike are the two lane, very small affairs where, not only do people not pay attention to lane markers, but they are so small that, being two lanes, there is no time or room to change lanes to grab your turnout. Pile on top of that a community that in general has a hard time understanding simple contraptions as the left turn arrow device, and you’ve to a recipe for danger. I am one that avoids them, not because I dislike the speed at which I can get through such an intersection, but because to risk my family is not worth it. Roundabouts have a use, but like any tool, when poorly engineered, they are nothing but danger.