Homer Watson and Ottawa Three Lane Roundabouts

[KevinL]

My brother was in town for Thanksgiving and twice his route took him from southbound HW to westbound Ottawa; both times, he missed that slip road. He's used to roundabouts but that certainly threw him off.

[plam]

I'd say that roundabouts have been common to the region for well over a decade now, and are pretty much pervasive within the region now and common throughout Ontario. I don't think there should be an excuse for not understanding how to deal with a roundabout. That said, does the driver training handbook cover roundabouts, and has the Highway Traffic Act been updated to enforce certain behaviours in roundabouts (I don't think so, but maybe I'm wrong)? These really need to be brought up-to-date, as roundabouts are basically unavoidable now in Ontario.

I lost points on my motorcycle M licensing exam this year for doing a roundabout wrong (I entered in the wrong lane, which messed things up). Definitely part of driver training there.

[Viewfromthe42]

I've been caught off guard now by people using a slip road to bypass the main roundabout entry, and using the slip road to get *into* the roundabout, at the Laurelwood roundabout just east of Fischer-Hallman.

[timc]

Do you mean the slip road to nowhere?

[Markster]

What??
viewFromThe42, can you expand on that?

[Viewfromthe42]

At that particular roundabout, the slip road is designed such that you can take it and still enter the roundabout. Last night I took the left lane to enter the roundabout as the car in front of me took the slip road. That car then proceeded to enter the roundabout from the slip road, because the geometry allows them to do so. Thankfully avoided an accident, but it felt like a very poor infrastructure design (and choice; it's such a low use roundabout even when anything gets developed to the north/south of it, no slip lane should be needed.

[taylortbb]

I think it's clearer with the satellite view, https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4754535,-...a=!3m1!1e3 . It's definitely a really weird slip road, as it joins the exit of the roundabout in a way that someone could go the wrong way (like Viewfromthe42 reported).

[KevinL]

If that branch of the roundabout goes literally nowhere, why does it even HAVE a slip road? Very strange design.

[Coke6pk]

You can see the tire marks of vehicles taking the slip road and going into the roundabout... so it seems a common occurrence.

Coke

[Canard]

Does it have those black-and-white "lane" signs at the entrance? I've always thought those make it crystal clear where you need to be!

[Viewfromthe42]

I believe it does. It definitely has a right only black and white sign for the right hand slip lane.

[jeffster]

My brother was in town for Thanksgiving and twice his route took him from southbound HW to westbound Ottawa; both times, he missed that slip road. He's used to roundabouts but that certainly threw him off.

I am not sure if the slip road is a genius idea or stupid idea. I think it works if everyone uses it correctly, but when you're trying to teach people roundabouts then you put in these slip roads...though I have to admit, so far, the traffic has moved really good.

[Markster]

People are still getting the hang of it.  It'll take a while before everyone realizes what the slip roads are, and start to use them fully.  In the meantime, it's not like it's illegal not to.  It's like forgetting to use a slip right turn bay at a conventional intersection.  You can still make the turn, you just slow down through traffic a little.

Honestly though, the design of the approaches certainly seems counter-intuitive.  The slip roads for turning right come to meet the road at sharp angles, while the lanes meant for continuing straight through approach the roundabout at a very shallow angle, as if to angle you toward making the right turn.

   

[Elmiran]

Went through this roundabout on the weekend. Driver missed the slip road and I was giving directions, I didn't even see it coming even after reading about it here. It was easy to miss looks like an off ramp for the highway or something for those not familiar with the area. Is there even a sign saying it goes to Ottawa St W?

[jeffster]

Went through this roundabout on the weekend. Driver missed the slip road and I was giving directions, I didn't even see it coming even after reading about it here. It was easy to miss looks like an off ramp for the highway or something for those not familiar with the area. Is there even a sign saying it goes to Ottawa St W?

The sign says Ottawa Street. Unsure if it says Ottawa St "W" as technically there is no Ottawas Street West, it's Ottawa Street South. I am pretty sure though that it has direction (Ottawa St S -- as well as 7/8)....