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Why are they asking us how to fix this? Aren't there civil engineers who dedicate their lives to studying traffic patterns and optimal road layouts, who have approached problems like this before in other cities and have studied previous cases, and who know what will work, what won't, and what will be most cost-effective? The county should hire three of those people, get three reports, and see what they suggest. Bonus points if they all suggest the same thing.
Public relations. I actually think they have multiple plans on how to fix this. They just want to see what the public thinks is the most popular so it's easier to get buy in from the public and therefore elected officials. Fixing woodruff is going to be painful and expensive getting public buy in will go a long way to something potentially happening.
The downfall to that is people are sometimes scared of radical changes. I could see much of the general public freaking out if they propose diverging diamonds at the 85 or 385 interchanges.
The downfall to that is people are sometimes scared of radical changes. I could see much of the general public freaking out if they propose diverging diamonds at the 85 or 385 interchanges.
I encountered one in Charlotte. It's intimidating at first, but then you quickly realize just how great it is. I think people here would warm up to them fast like everywhere else. But isn't it a little too late for that, aren't they already redoing the 85/Woodruff interchanges?
With a flex lane, how is it possible to make a left turn without blocking the flow of traffic in the left lane, while the car turning left waits for a break in oncoming traffic? The whole reason the suicide lane exists is to prevent that.
Flex lanes can work well on limited access highways. Generally all it is turning the shoulder into an extra lane during rush hour. They can also work well on surface streets if you restrict left turns, which ain't going to happen on Woodruff.
It's hard to explain, I see it in my head and with pictures I've seen online. I feel it could be worked out, but who knows.
One thing you could do is connect Ketron, Green Heron, and Woodruff Industrial with a parallel road, and give them dedicated right turn lanes off Woodruff. Cut off Woodruff access to the parking lots, and have people enter businesses via those 3 roads or the parallel road.
That'll mightily improve traffic flow along Woodruff in my opinion. And still take away the suicide lane. And then maybe then you could take the edges and pave a new lane.
Doubt those businesses would be for that though, even though they still have easy access. But that's the only way you'll squeeze more lanes in. Greenville's just gotta build somewhere else. Maybe if Laurens comes back to life that'll take some pressure off.
I encountered one in Charlotte. It's intimidating at first, but then you quickly realize just how great it is. I think people here would warm up to them fast like everywhere else. But isn't it a little too late for that, aren't they already redoing the 85/Woodruff interchanges?
Further down Woodruff Rd is a brand new Roundabout, which I think is awesome. But there is a Simpsonville Residents group on facebook, and the general consensus about it there is that it's some sort of alien-hybrid, Area-51 technology and they Do. Not. Like it.
"It's too small!"
"People don't use their turn signals!"
A few have even called it stupid, and wished a normal intersection with a light had been put there instead.
So I don't see the diverging diamond thing going over too well lol.
Further down Woodruff Rd is a brand new Roundabout, which I think is awesome. But there is a Simpsonville Residents group on facebook, and the general consensus about it there is that it's some sort of alien-hybrid, Area-51 technology and they Do. Not. Like it.
"It's too small!"
"People don't use their turn signals!"
A few have even called it stupid, and wished a normal intersection with a light had been put there instead.
So I don't see the diverging diamond thing going over too well lol.
You know people love to go on about things theyre clueless about. Once a DDI is built and they actually drive on it, they'll be alright. I had no idea what a DDI was into I was on it in Charlotte. It did feel alien and I was all kinds of confused, but hey I got over it.
People don't use turn signals to begin with lol. Won't be nothing new there.
I initially felt that roundabout was a bad idea but I live off of Lee Vaughn road near Woodruff and have to use it if I want to go to five forks or to 101 or to the landfill. I now LOVE it. It is very efficient. Sometimes people don't get it and sit there an wait or pull out in front of you but for the most part it runs very smooth. I am impressed at how well it can handle heavy traffic at certain times of the day.
Maybe we need some public service "training" on these things. They are new concepts to people.
I initially felt that roundabout was a bad idea but I live off of Lee Vaughn road near Woodruff and have to use it if I want to go to five forks or to 101 or to the landfill. I now LOVE it. It is very efficient. Sometimes people don't get it and sit there an wait or pull out in front of you but for the most part it runs very smooth. I am impressed at how well it can handle heavy traffic at certain times of the day.
Maybe we need some public service "training" on these things. They are new concepts to people.
Lol kinda like merging onto the highway and driving in the passing lane..
I initially felt that roundabout was a bad idea but I live off of Lee Vaughn road near Woodruff and have to use it if I want to go to five forks or to 101 or to the landfill. I now LOVE it. It is very efficient. Sometimes people don't get it and sit there an wait or pull out in front of you but for the most part it runs very smooth. I am impressed at how well it can handle heavy traffic at certain times of the day.
Maybe we need some public service "training" on these things. They are new concepts to people.
I also use it daily and love it. I do see some minor issues that have been mentioned, but it's nothing like it used to be. The flow of traffic through there is fantastic compared to the previous 4 way (or formerly 2-way stop).
It was reported in another thread that a second roundabout is being built a little further up on Woodruff Rd.
With a flex lane, how is it possible to make a left turn without blocking the flow of traffic in the left lane, while the car turning left waits for a break in oncoming traffic? The whole reason the suicide lane exists is to prevent that.
Flex lanes can work well on limited access highways. Generally all it is turning the shoulder into an extra lane during rush hour. They can also work well on surface streets if you restrict left turns, which ain't going to happen on Woodruff.
I think the elimination of left turns on Woodruff except at redlights will happen in the near future. It is getting to the point that traffic backed up to turn left at redlights is preventing normal use of the left turn lane during peak traffic times anyway. People turning left into smaller businesses is a safety issue even when the lane isn't blocked.
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