Will Roundabouts improve or impede traffic near Lambeau

[oregonpackfan]

According to the article, a Wisconsin State legislator is asking that the DOT reconsider installing roundabouts near Lambeau Field.

His contention is that inebriated fans after the game will have difficulty maneuvering the roundabouts which will increase traffic congestion.

To this argument, I respond "Hogwash!" I don't see roundabouts increasing the difficulty for inebbriated drivers. Drunk drivers will have difficulty successfully driving through any type of intersection, be in the standard form or the roundabout form.

Roundabouts have been successfully used in Europe for many years. More of them have been installed out here recently in the Portland, OR area. They have been highly successful in assisting traffic flow and reducing congestion. My town of 16,000 now has 4 roundabouts and they all work very well.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/59094277.html

[bbbffl66]

I hate roundabouts! We have 1 here in Madison by the Super Wal-Mart that is just a nightmare. They should be banned. :evil:

[billy_oliver880]

We have 5 here in Mount Horeb. They work just fine. Most tourists are the ones that have the issues navigating them.

[MJZiggy]

We have them all over the place here. I hate them. I can see drunk people not being able to handle them because you have to know which street to get out on. They are, however, supposed to handle more traffic than a stoplight. I still hate them--especially Dupont Circle.

[Fritz]

I think they work, in a roundabout sort of way.

And I like them. But Americans don't like new stuff unless it's technology or bad t.v. shows.

[gex]

Inebriated fans after the game will have difficulty maneuvering (driving) :shock:

[ThunderDan]

We have 5 here in Mount Horeb. They work just fine. Most tourists are the ones that have the issues navigating them.

I saw someone put their Harley down while biking the Ironman course thru Mt Horeb 3-4 years ago. Scrawny little woman who couldn't get her bike back up. Luckly she only had scraps and a very bruised ego.

[Little Whiskey]

We have them down by the airport. I hate them. 4wheel drive usually makes them a little more managable.

[Scott Campbell]

His contention is that inebriated fans after the game will have difficulty maneuvering the roundabouts which will increase traffic congestion.



I wish all traffic laws were more accommodating towards drunks.

[pbmax]

Roundabouts should be part of the driving test like parallel parking. And they should add merging into highway traffic from an on ramp. If you can't figure out the roundabout, sorry, no license.

If you can't figure out that merging into traffic from an on ramp is easier at speed than from a complete stop, sorry, no license.

[MJZiggy]

Way back when we had merging in driving school. Don't know if they teach it anymore or not.

I don't think there's any trick to driving roundabouts, it's just a pain.

[DonHutson]

His contention is that inebriated fans after the game will have difficulty maneuvering the roundabouts which will increase traffic congestion.



I wish all traffic laws were more accommodating towards drunks.

No kidding. I'm sure most drunks have trouble maneuvering a field sobriety test, too. Maybe we should do away with those?

[MJZiggy]

While I understand your point, the idea of making it harder for them to kill innocent people is rather appealing

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Roundabouts should be part of the driving test like parallel parking. And they should add merging into highway traffic from an on ramp. If you can't figure out the roundabout, sorry, no license.

If you can't figure out that merging into traffic from an on ramp is easier at speed than from a complete stop, sorry, no license.

Ty wholeheartedly agrees.

However, if they want to give that test, i think we, the drivers, should get to test traffic engineers and DOT employees who create entrances and exits at uncomfortable close distances which are tough enough to manage when entering the highway at full speed, but now are danger zones as in AZ we now have those fucking traffic lites at the entrance. Some with double lanes.

Yep, nothing like watching SUVs or low hp cars try to get up to speed to merge as they are being cut off by vehicles trying to exit.

[HowardRoark]

And they should add merging into highway traffic from an on ramp.......If you can't figure out that merging into traffic from an on ramp is easier at speed than from a complete stop, sorry, no license.

There would be not vehicles on the roads in Minnesota if this were the case.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Ty would also like to add to the test, using the turning lane..aka "suicide lane".

No, you don't stop on the highway...and then turn into the turning lane. Idiots.

[Little Whiskey]

Roundabouts should be part of the driving test like parallel parking. And they should add merging into highway traffic from an on ramp. If you can't figure out the roundabout, sorry, no license.

If you can't figure out that merging into traffic from an on ramp is easier at speed than from a complete stop, sorry, no license.

how about, knowing how to pass a tractor on the road with out giving the farmer the finger.

[Partial]

Roundabouts should be part of the driving test like parallel parking. And they should add merging into highway traffic from an on ramp. If you can't figure out the roundabout, sorry, no license.

If you can't figure out that merging into traffic from an on ramp is easier at speed than from a complete stop, sorry, no license.

Ty wholeheartedly agrees.

However, if they want to give that test, i think we, the drivers, should get to test traffic engineers and DOT employees who create entrances and exits at uncomfortable close distances which are tough enough to manage when entering the highway at full speed, but now are danger zones as in AZ we now have those fucking traffic lites at the entrance. Some with double lanes.

Yep, nothing like watching SUVs or low hp cars try to get up to speed to merge as they are being cut off by vehicles trying to exit.

We have a bunch of those here and it is basically the dumbest thing ever. The DOT decisions for improving traffic around MKE are questionable at best. Cannot wait for them to completely redo the Zoo interchange so traffic sucks less balls. No reason for that.

[MJZiggy]

You're supposed to treat it like a zipper. Cars coming in merge every other car with the ones exiting. And if you're not doing either, get the hell out of the way.

[sheepshead]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xql99I1VSdI

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Roundabouts should be part of the driving test like parallel parking. And they should add merging into highway traffic from an on ramp. If you can't figure out the roundabout, sorry, no license.

If you can't figure out that merging into traffic from an on ramp is easier at speed than from a complete stop, sorry, no license.

Ty wholeheartedly agrees.

However, if they want to give that test, i think we, the drivers, should get to test traffic engineers and DOT employees who create entrances and exits at uncomfortable close distances which are tough enough to manage when entering the highway at full speed, but now are danger zones as in AZ we now have those fucking traffic lites at the entrance. Some with double lanes.

Yep, nothing like watching SUVs or low hp cars try to get up to speed to merge as they are being cut off by vehicles trying to exit.

We have a bunch of those here and it is basically the dumbest thing ever. The DOT decisions for improving traffic around MKE are questionable at best. Cannot wait for them to completely redo the Zoo interchange so traffic sucks less balls. No reason for that.

The idea is sound, it just works better when you don't try and retrofit.

Zoo interchange: Sucked 25 years ago, it will always suck.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

You're supposed to treat it like a zipper. Cars coming in merge every other car with the ones exiting. And if you're not doing either, get the hell out of the way.

Hard to do when you have 2 lanes of traffic trying to merge into..while trying to get up to speed to do so...knowing you have less than a mile to do so.

Right now the zipper is getting caught on boxers, with occasional foreskin.

[HowardRoark]

Right now the zipper is getting caught on boxers, with occasional foreskin.

Your cultural bias is showing again.

[MJZiggy]

Right now the zipper is getting caught on boxers, with occasional foreskin.

Your cultural bias is showing again.

Regardless, my eyes are watering a bit.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Right now the zipper is getting caught on boxers, with occasional foreskin.

Your cultural bias is showing again.

Not really. Referring to location.

More an issue of "brevity is the soul of wit."

Didn't seem to flow right when i tried, "with occasional skin that is on the shaft of the penis."

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Right now the zipper is getting caught on boxers, with occasional foreskin.

Your cultural bias is showing again.

Regardless, my eyes are watering a bit.

Yes. And, that was the point.

[GBRulz]

Personally, I like them, but I'm definitely in the minority with my opinion around here. Even the Packers have been openly complaining to the DOT about a roundabout at this intersection.

Worst case scenario is there will need to be a police officer to help direct traffic before and after the game in the vicinity of the roundabout. Now, I am not familiar if there is ever any police assistance at that intersection currently as I don't travel through it on game day. Anyhow, all of the other intersections around the stadium have police directing traffic or controlling the lights, so what is the difference if they do the same at the roundabout ? If they find that traffic runs smoothly without any assistance at all, that's a double win.

[Lurker64]

Even the Packers have been openly complaining to the DOT about a roundabout at this intersection.

Well, that settles it. I've never driven on or even ever seen a roundabout, but if the Packers are opposed, so am I!

[RashanGary]

I'm an work in roadway design. I've talked to some of our traffic engineers about roundabouts to get a feel.


I LOVE the single lane roundabouts. I cannot find one weakness in the roundabout vs the 4 way stop. It flows much better in slow traffic and it flows much better when the traffic is heavy. It's much safer. Really no weakness unless you're trying to fit it in a very tight area.

The two+ lane roundabouts I'm not as sold on. It's difficult for pedestrians to cross because there is no real break in traffic. It's like playing real life frogger. Close to Lambeau I would assume pedestrian traffic would be an important consideration. Also, people who don't know how to use them (Wisconsin seems to have an abnormally large older population) really slows them down.

I think it would be cool if they had a pedestrian bridge, but how do you make that handicap accessible and what is the cost of making it safe?

When it comes to 2+ lane roundabouts, I like them, but I don't love them. I have one near me that I use quite a bit and it's working well, even during busy times, but I don't know if it's any better than a signalized intersection would be. Are they really worth the trouble of having to train all of these stubborn drivers and suffer through the early minor crashes that come with idiots on the road? I don't know? There are a lot of idiots on the road and you do have to plan for them.

[MJZiggy]

The single lane roundabout works well when there's not a lot of traffic. If flows things nicely, but on gameday it would be impossible to break into the flow in that one lane as there would be a steady stream of cars going through.

You make a pedestrian bridge accessible with outdoor grade elevators. That's what they did in Vegas when they wanted walkways over the strip, though there they put in escalators as well. I just don't see an outdoor grade escalator surviving a Wisconsin winter.

The traffic circle in Dupont is 2+ lanes with (get this) traffic lights!

[Scott Campbell]

Way back when we had merging in driving school. Don't know if they teach it anymore or not.

I don't think there's any trick to driving roundabouts, it's just a pain.


I think there's a good reason they're becoming so popular here. Better intersection throughput. Less accidents.

[Scott Campbell]

Roundabouts should be part of the driving test like parallel parking. And they should add merging into highway traffic from an on ramp. If you can't figure out the roundabout, sorry, no license.

If you can't figure out that merging into traffic from an on ramp is easier at speed than from a complete stop, sorry, no license.

how about, knowing how to pass a tractor on the road with out giving the farmer the finger.


Damned city folk.

[DonHutson]

While I understand your point, the idea of making it harder for them to kill innocent people is rather appealing

If that was for me, I was being sarcastic. I agree, and the idea of catering transportation systems to drunks is idiotic.

[Sparkey]

We have them all over the place here. I hate them. I can see drunk people not being able to handle them because you have to know which street to get out on. They are, however, supposed to handle more traffic than a stoplight. I still hate them--especially Dupont Circle.

I would rather be hit by some idiot going 15 mph in a roundabout than some moron pulling out in front of me at an intersection when I am going 55 mph.

I used to hate them, but the more I use them, the easier and faster it is to get through them and the less I have to use my breaks, so they should last longer.

[mraynrand]

Look kids! There's Big Ben! And there's Parliament!

[RashanGary]

I would rather be hit by some idiot going 15 mph in a roundabout than some moron pulling out in front of me at an intersection when I am going 55 mph.

I used to hate them, but the more I use them, the easier and faster it is to get through them and the less I have to use my breaks, so they should last longer.

I live just outside of GB. Just East of me is farmland. I also spend up time in an extremely rural area of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

If you've ever pulled up to a 4 way stop in the middle of farm land or the middle of forest, came to a rolling stop and then proceeded, you'll know what I'm talking about. Those intersections are freaky. There are dumb ass farm kids out drinking or just out being idiots. I'm sure more than 1 stop sign has been completely blown at speeds excess of 50 MPH. Picture your wife, child or self getting smashed square on, in a T-Bone accident. Every time I come to a stop like that, I'm very, very careful. Those 4 way stops can be death and the more rural, the bigger the drinking community, the worse.

[mission]

I would rather be hit by some idiot going 15 mph in a roundabout than some moron pulling out in front of me at an intersection when I am going 55 mph.

I used to hate them, but the more I use them, the easier and faster it is to get through them and the less I have to use my breaks, so they should last longer.

I live just outside of GB. Just East of me is farmland. I also spend up time in an extremely rural area of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

If you've ever pulled up to a 4 way stop in the middle of farm land or the middle of forest, came to a rolling stop and then proceeded, you'll know what I'm talking about. Those intersections are freaky. There are dumb ass farm kids out drinking or just out being idiots. I'm sure more than 1 stop sign has been completely blown at speeds excess of 50 MPH. Picture your wife, child or self getting smashed square on, in a T-Bone accident. Every time I come to a stop like that, I'm very, very careful. Those 4 way stops can be death and the more rural, the bigger the drinking community, the worse.

I lost my cousin, a good friend and also my 15 year old summer baseball coach all from exactly this. Country idiots using country roads for personal drunk and driving drag racing.....