Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson
Efficiency has nothing to do with safety. The two words are not synonymous...
|
I never said the two were synonymous. Those are your words. But no engineer or anybody else with any common sense would ever consider an intersection efficient if it resulted in lots of accidents.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson
...When you are already driving within our circles, only two vehicles (maximum, per lane) can barely drive in between each of the four exit/entrances. That is not efficient. They are too small and with the increased population, they seem to be ever-shrinking...
|
The roundabouts in TV are plenty large enough to handle the traffic load they are designed to handle, which is the traffic along Buena Vista, Morse, and cross streets. How many vehicles fits in the roundabout at any given instant has little to do with the efficiency of the roundabout.
The efficiency of an intersection is measured more by how many vehicles can pass
safely through the intersection in a given unit of time and...more importantly...how much delay there is for vehicles attempting to pass through the intersection. Overall vehicle delays on Buena Vista and Morse would increase dramatically if stop signs or traffic signals were implemented at current roundabout locations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson
...And yes -- replacement would result in fewer accidents, as you said...
|
Big "WHOOPS!!" here. My original post did say (I've since edited it) replacing roundabouts would result in fewer accidents. That is NOT what I intended to say. Replacing the roundabouts with stop signs or signalized intersections would almost certainly INCREASE the number of accidents.
Sorry our one apparent point of agreement was really just a bit of careless writing on my part.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson
...Where does one find these "traffic studies" to substantiate what you are saying?...
|
I particularly recommend the first link for a quick summary from the federal government, especially with respect to safety of roundabouts...
Intersection Safety - Safety | Federal Highway Administration
Intersection Safety - Safety | Federal Highway Administration
WSDOT - Roundabout Benefits
MythBusters Tackles Four-Way Stop V. Roundabout Traffic Throughput - nextSTL
The Case for More Traffic Roundabouts
Plenty more available, most easily found using typical searches.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson
...A "professional engineer?" So is my husband. I have never heard of a degree in "transportation engineering," per se...
|
Since you're going that route, actually it's "Professional Engineer", as I'm sure you're husband will confirm. And I didn't realized you were so interested in the gory details, so...my degree is Master of Engineering, Major in Civil Engineering, specializing in Transportation, University of Florida, 1976. Sorry I wasn't so verbose in my op.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson
...Does it have something to do with a bus?
|
I won't dignify that comment with a reply.
I know you were hanging on every word of this post, weren't you GE!!??!!
