Slow but steady...

I am a big fan of roundabouts. Others claim that Roundabouts don't always lead to solutions. (And how could I disagree with that, too? Nothing is perfect; there is a downside to everything.)

But I think that roundabouts should be used more often and have a place in our quiver of auto-space interventions. The frustrating part of urban driving is not the speed per se but its stop-and-go nature. Roundabouts allow continuous, Slow but steady driving which I believe is more calming than full-stop signs and/or traffic lights.

Comments

[Adam Villani]

Well, what about roundabouts with stop signs, as seen in Pasadena? Kinda defeats the purpose.

[Abe]

the roundabout/all-way-stop at boyer and lynn works pretty well
http://maps.google.com/?t=h&ll=47.639586,-122.310748&spn=0.003108,0.007757&t=h

this intersection in ravenna could sure use one. only half of the inlets have stops, which is pretty scary if you don't realize it's NOT an all way stop.
http://maps.google.com/?ll=47.667974,-122.30297&spn=0.003107,0.007757&t=h

[M1EK]

I love roundabouts as a driver, but have serious reservations related to their impact on pedestrians, given the lack of respect for crosswalks in this country.

[Leslie Davis]

We just got roundabouts in our little seaside neighborhood "Birdrock" in San Diego. I love them, but then again I'm Canadian which means I'm almost British...but these roundabouts did not come easy. Finally the residents let the advice of our "walkable communities" consultant prevail. I would suggest a 'primer' on how to use them though...Californians don't really have a clue who yields to who..but the "ease" of continuous movement...which leads to lower stress and better subconscious feelings...is working! 2 more to come.

[JRoth]

What struck me in reading the article is that this area has (apparently fairly new) Home Depot, Target, & other stores, with more big boxes and 1,000 new residences (meaning at least 2,000 more cars) on the way. And people are blaming roundabouts for their problems!? How about blaming a planning process that allows development that completely outstrips local traffic capacity? How about blaming unsustainable retail economics that puts big boxes in close proximity as if they were High Street shops? You can't have multiple big boxes in a car-dependent area while maintaining any sort of pedestrian-friendliness. It's like bitching about how unpleasant it is to walk along the freeway. Well, yes, it is.

Look, this isn't a rant against big boxes per se. But people need to admit what their priorities are, and not pretend that they can have it all. There's a reason that walkable, well-maintained towns & neighborhoods are expensive: they're desirable, and, frankly, require either the ability to pay small shop prices, the means to drive somewhere the locals have abandoned to big boxes, or the willingness to do without. But people in those places have made the choices that have left them with walkable streets and tolerable traffic. Others have made other choices, and should learn to live with the consequences.