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It is not because it is so small, it is because some people are too stupid to understand how to use a roundabout/traffic circle. Regardless of the size of the circle, people around here still stop at them like there is a stop sign. Many of them are probably the same morons that stop and sit through a complete red light even though they are turning right or the ones that are turning right onto a multilane road and they have an acceration lane but they stop and wait to pull out into the main traffic lanes in front of moving traffic.
Given that roundabouts are infrequently used as a type of traffic control, it shouldn't be any surprise to people that most are 'confused' on how to navigate them. I've lived in six states, three of which I was old enough to understand basic driving skills and never encountered a roundabout until I traveled to the Boston area for work. During which time, they were used to transition from major roadways as oppose to the one in Providence or the proposed one at Balch/Gilespie. I think the proximity of the Shell station will cause any benefit gained by the roundabout to be lost given the traffic going into and out of the gas station. We need widening of the roads and less small town thinking/planning.
Given that roundabouts are infrequently used as a type of traffic control, it shouldn't be any surprise to people that most are 'confused' on how to navigate them. I've lived in six states, three of which I was old enough to understand basic driving skills and never encountered a roundabout until I traveled to the Boston area for work. During which time, they were used to transition from major roadways as oppose to the one in Providence or the proposed one at Balch/Gilespie. I think the proximity of the Shell station will cause any benefit gained by the roundabout to be lost given the traffic going into and out of the gas station. We need widening of the roads and less small town thinking/planning.
It seems that roundabouts are generally for aesthetics and traffic calming rather than true traffic enhancement. I suppose that's because there's generally an island in the center with some nice feature, such as the clock at the center of the roundabout by the downtown library.
I saw this earlier today for Decatur.
The Decatur Daily, Ala. — Bayne Hughes The Decatur Daily, Ala.
Dec. 09--After more than 10 years of promises and dashed hopes, Decatur finally can proceed with a project that could lead to major development in Limestone County.
The city on Friday was awarded a $14.2 million federal grant for construction of an overpass on Alabama 20, and officials hope to have the project ready to bid in 21 months or less.
More from The Decatur Daily, Ala.
"This is the best thing to happen to Decatur in decades," Mayor Tab Bowling said. "The creation of a Highway 20 overpass and exchange is the catalyst of growth and change our city has been striving to achieve."
The overpass would be just east of Alabama 20 and Bibb Garrett Road, where a now-abandoned Bass Pro-anchored development, called Sweetwater, once was planned.
The project includes ramps, a new access road, improved highway lighting, and accommodations for safe pedestrian access.
Bowling said the overpass is "critical to our ability to create a safe access from the north side to the south side of the highway." The grant will cover engineering and construction. Only right of way acquisition costs are not included.
City Development Director Wally Terry said the project must be ready to bid by September 2020. The bridge design is over 90 percent complete, so Terry said he thinks they'll finish well ahead of the deadline.
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, announced the grant.
Councilman Billy Jackson said the grant is nice, but he is concerned about any additional costs the city might incur even though this is a no-match grant.
Jackson said he's not in favor of building the overpass "because of speculation or by saying I wish something would happen. I don't want this to be like the sewer we added out there 20 years (in advance) in anticipation of development that never occurred."
The effort to put a Bass Pro Shops-anchored complex in Decatur-annexed Limestone County first became public in March 2008 when then-Mayor Don Kyle signed a non-binding letter of intent to initiate formal contract negotiations with a corporation that intended to develop 540 acres. Developers said construction on a 130,000-square-foot Bass Pro and a 300-room hotel and convention center south of Alabama 20 and west of Interstate 65 was expected to be completed in late 2009 or early 2010.
The complex never materialized although it went through delays, renegotiations and revived hopes for more than six years. The project unraveled for good in late 2014, and developer Genesis USA LLC then sued Sam Frazier, who manages the land owned by the Mitchell-Frazier family trust that the development would have used.
The lawsuit stalled any other plans for the property, but last month the state Supreme Court affirmed the case's 2017 dismissal. Genesis had 90 days to file an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, meaning the lawsuit could be weeks from ending.
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Frazier said Friday that he had not been seeking a new developer because he's waiting for the lawsuit to end.
"There's no question the overpass project will facilitate the development of our property," Frazier said. "This is very positive."
Bowling called it the hottest property in the area because of its location near Interstate 65. The announcement earlier this year of the 4,000-employee Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA plant 4 miles east of the Mitchell-Frazier site added to the urgency of preparing the Alabama 20 corridor for development.
Terry said the Apple Lane Farms restaurant and Chevron gas station near the overpass site will be closed and demolished to make way for the overpass.
Decatur will receive the grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant program. This program focuses on economic development and infrastructure improvements.
"This $14.2 million BUILD grant is great news for the city of Decatur and the surrounding region," Shelby said in a news release. "The funding will allow for much-needed improvements and enhancements to the current infrastructure in Decatur."
Shelby said there has been a significant lack of resources for the city to develop and maintain major rural highway infrastructure.
"This funding will help bridge the gap between Decatur and other main employment areas in the state, providing necessary funding for these much-needed transportation resources," he said.
Bowling said it's unheard of for a city to receive a BUILD grant on the first attempt.
I saw this earlier today for Decatur.
The Decatur Daily, Ala. — Bayne Hughes The Decatur Daily, Ala.
Dec. 09--After more than 10 years of promises and dashed hopes, Decatur finally can proceed with a project that could lead to major development in Limestone County.
The city on Friday was awarded a $14.2 million federal grant for construction of an overpass on Alabama 20, and officials hope to have the project ready to bid in 21 months or less.
More from The Decatur Daily, Ala.
"This is the best thing to happen to Decatur in decades," Mayor Tab Bowling said. "The creation of a Highway 20 overpass and exchange is the catalyst of growth and change our city has been striving to achieve."
The overpass would be just east of Alabama 20 and Bibb Garrett Road, where a now-abandoned Bass Pro-anchored development, called Sweetwater, once was planned.
The project includes ramps, a new access road, improved highway lighting, and accommodations for safe pedestrian access.
Bowling said the overpass is "critical to our ability to create a safe access from the north side to the south side of the highway." The grant will cover engineering and construction. Only right of way acquisition costs are not included.
City Development Director Wally Terry said the project must be ready to bid by September 2020. The bridge design is over 90 percent complete, so Terry said he thinks they'll finish well ahead of the deadline.
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, announced the grant.
Councilman Billy Jackson said the grant is nice, but he is concerned about any additional costs the city might incur even though this is a no-match grant.
Jackson said he's not in favor of building the overpass "because of speculation or by saying I wish something would happen. I don't want this to be like the sewer we added out there 20 years (in advance) in anticipation of development that never occurred."
The effort to put a Bass Pro Shops-anchored complex in Decatur-annexed Limestone County first became public in March 2008 when then-Mayor Don Kyle signed a non-binding letter of intent to initiate formal contract negotiations with a corporation that intended to develop 540 acres. Developers said construction on a 130,000-square-foot Bass Pro and a 300-room hotel and convention center south of Alabama 20 and west of Interstate 65 was expected to be completed in late 2009 or early 2010.
The complex never materialized although it went through delays, renegotiations and revived hopes for more than six years. The project unraveled for good in late 2014, and developer Genesis USA LLC then sued Sam Frazier, who manages the land owned by the Mitchell-Frazier family trust that the development would have used.
The lawsuit stalled any other plans for the property, but last month the state Supreme Court affirmed the case's 2017 dismissal. Genesis had 90 days to file an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, meaning the lawsuit could be weeks from ending.
Subscribe
Frazier said Friday that he had not been seeking a new developer because he's waiting for the lawsuit to end.
"There's no question the overpass project will facilitate the development of our property," Frazier said. "This is very positive."
Bowling called it the hottest property in the area because of its location near Interstate 65. The announcement earlier this year of the 4,000-employee Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA plant 4 miles east of the Mitchell-Frazier site added to the urgency of preparing the Alabama 20 corridor for development.
Terry said the Apple Lane Farms restaurant and Chevron gas station near the overpass site will be closed and demolished to make way for the overpass.
Decatur will receive the grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant program. This program focuses on economic development and infrastructure improvements.
"This $14.2 million BUILD grant is great news for the city of Decatur and the surrounding region," Shelby said in a news release. "The funding will allow for much-needed improvements and enhancements to the current infrastructure in Decatur."
Shelby said there has been a significant lack of resources for the city to develop and maintain major rural highway infrastructure.
"This funding will help bridge the gap between Decatur and other main employment areas in the state, providing necessary funding for these much-needed transportation resources," he said.
Bowling said it's unheard of for a city to receive a BUILD grant on the first attempt.
This is a good thing that will benefit the region. This is the same grant program (BUILD), that the Huntsville Sky Bridge has been submitted to. Doubt that the HSV project will be selected.
Given that roundabouts are infrequently used as a type of traffic control, it shouldn't be any surprise to people that most are 'confused' on how to navigate them. I've lived in six states, three of which I was old enough to understand basic driving skills and never encountered a roundabout until I traveled to the Boston area for work. During which time, they were used to transition from major roadways as oppose to the one in Providence or the proposed one at Balch/Gilespie. I think the proximity of the Shell station will cause any benefit gained by the roundabout to be lost given the traffic going into and out of the gas station. We need widening of the roads and less small town thinking/planning.
It seems that roundabouts are generally for aesthetics and traffic calming rather than true traffic enhancement. I suppose that's because there's generally an island in the center with some nice feature, such as the clock at the center of the roundabout by the downtown library.
Probably the biggest benefit to roundabouts is they are far safer than regular 4 way intersections. There isn't a red light for people to run and go perpendicularly into an intersection resulting in high speed collisions. The roundabout is directly in front of all incoming traffic so most everyone sees it and slows down. When there are collisions, they are generally at slower speed and result in far less injuries.
The other benefit is once people become accustomed to how one they encounter often works, it is far more efficient. Unless there is very heavy traffic, you should never have to come to a complete stop. You just slow down and time your entry so you fit in between other traffic, go around and exit on the street you need. It is pretty simple and I prefer them. They have been used in Europe for a long time and work very well. I wish we had more of them and a lot less 4 way stop signs and red lights. I will admit though that I also wish we were all required to take a written driving exam about every 10 years or so to renew our licenses. If we did so, we could educate the driving public on how to properly use new intersections and could also teach the morons out there how to properly use multi-lane highways so they would maybe quit cruising in the left lane and causing traffic jambs and road rage incidents.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketDawg
That'll be a good project, but seems like what really should happen is to extend 565 into Decatur.
It would make too much sense to extend 565 to Decatur. So lets throw up a $14 million interchange in hopes of spurring more development and increase traffic on an already overloaded, dangerous stretch of 4 lane highway. Then we can wait another 10 or more years until there is all sorts of development already built and then spend 4 times as much buying right of way, moving utilities, and tearing buildings down to extend the interstate. lol
It would make too much sense to extend 565 to Decatur. So lets throw up a $14 million interchange in hopes of spurring more development and increase traffic on an already overloaded, dangerous stretch of 4 lane highway. Then we can wait another 10 or more years until there is all sorts of development already built and then spend 4 times as much buying right of way, moving utilities, and tearing buildings down to extend the interstate. lol
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