06-08-2017, 09:14 AM
(06-08-2017, 08:00 AM)MidTowner Wrote: Hopefully no roundabout there...there are a lot of residential around, and a school (Sandhills) just up the road on Victoria.
The roundabouts on Ira Needles/Trussler are terrible for people on foot, but at least there really isn't anyone living to the west (although, maybe one day; on the other hand, maybe they won't be expecting to be able to walk anywhere anyway).
I'm loth to call Westheights and Highland "urban," but it is too developed and should be getting too much foot traffic for a roundabout.
Last I heard they were recommending against a traffic circle.
That being said, I don't necessarily agree with this. Traffic circles are more uncomfortable for pedestrians, but I believe they are actually safer. In the Netherlands at least, they are by far preferred and quite comfortable for pedestrians.
I suspect the reason is simply one of our cultural things. When that ped light goes on, peds walk, no thinking. With a traffic circle, there is negotiation and judgement to when to walk which puts some of the onus on the pedestrian not to make a mistake. That is uncomfortable, even if it is safer. This is just my speculation however, outside of Europe, I know of no data on the safety of roundabouts for peds (and of course there, a large high volume roundabout would get grade separated ramps, it is important not to treat all roundabouts the same after all---another mistake we make).