Roundabouts in HRM
 

Planned:
HALIFAX | Cogswell @ North Park | X1
HALIFAX | Agricola @ Cunard | X1
HALIFAX | Kearney Lake @ Bedford Hwy | X1
DARTMOUTH | Woodland @ Mic Mac | X1
DARTMOUTH | Akerley @ Hwy 107 | X2
BEDFORD | Rocky Lake @ Duke | X1
BEDFORD | Anderson Conn @ Hwy 107 | X2

Completed:
HALIFAX | Armdale Rotary | X1
HALIFAX | Larry Uteck | X3
DARTMOUTH | Magazine Hill | X1

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I think we should have a general thread for roundabouts in and around Halifax. So to start off here is an article from the Coast this week;

Traffic roundabouts suggested for three intersections bordering the Halifax Common
Traffic manager Ken Reashor to make presentation to HRM council.
Posted by Tim Bousquet on Wed, Mar 31, 2010 at 5:58 PM

Traffic engineers are investigating removing traffic lights from three street intersections around the Common and replacing the traditional intersections with traffic roundabouts. The Willow Tree (Quinpool/Robie/Cogswell/Bell), the Cogswell/Trollope/Rainie and the Cunard/Agricola intersections are being studied, says traffic manager Ken Reashor, as is the Woodland/MicMac intersection in Dartmouth. Three more are under construction on Larry Uteck Boulevard in Clayton Park.

A roundabout considered for the intersection of Devonshire, Novalea and Duffus Streets caused considerable stir when nearby residents learned of the plan, but that intersection "is very obviously an ideal spot for a roundabout," says Reashor, and a roundabout there would increase safety for pedestrians, slow traffic and provide more green space.

Reashor will make a roundabout presentation to Halifax council this month, and hold an open house with north end residents this spring in hopes of convincing them to accept the roundabout proposal.

roundabouts are the most efficient ways to configure intersections, certainly the intersections mentioned above should be reconfigured as roundabouts.

I somehow doubt that. If it was true they would be everywhere. I have driven all over the eastern and central part of North America and seldom see them, and where I do, they are generally in the countryside, not at the busiest intersections in cities. This proposal seems totally absurd to me.

And before anyone jumps in and comments on how much they're used in Europe: this isn't Europe.

For the three mentioned in the article I can see why they would consider them. They are all oddly configured intersections unfriendly to pedestrians/cyclists however I don't think one is required at Agricola @ Cunard. The Willow Tree would be controversial but may help traffic flow and safety problems. Cogswell @ North Park needs upgrades of some sort immediately and being a six-way intersection may necessitate a roundabout.

and they're used a lot in Europe! :D

:tup:

so why should they not be at these intersections?

I think they would be great for those intersections around the Commons. The only one I'm skeptical of is the intersection mentioned in Dartmouth, at Woodland and MicMac. I don't think it would work well with the highway coming into it on one side. But maybe I am wrong. I'm very interested in seeing some built in the city.

I would never have thought of one here myself but I like the idea. One of the biggest complaints about that area is the speed at which highway traffic comes into and then down Woodland Ave. Seldom do you ever see anyone drive the speed limit there. The roundabout would slow this traffic considerably.

And/or generate far more collisions.

I like the idea of roundabouts around the commons!!

Yes, I'm in favour of them too. I heard that there are 70 planned roundabouts for Nova Scotia. So there will soon be no excuse for anyone to be ignorant about how they work.

This should be fun...

Just a few months ago, one opened on the outskirts of Cambridge, Ontario. However, it isn't a very heavily used road. Maybe this is a nationwide trend.

There are several new roundabouts in the planning stage in Moncton. Also, if you read the PEI thread, there is a panoply of potential roundabouts being discussed in Charlottetown as well, including a couple on Riverside Drive which would be part of the city bypass.

Personally, I think that sometime last year, that there was a secret conclave of traffic engineers in Canada at some obscure wilderness resort and they decided en masse to begin this massive social experiment and foist it upon the unsuspecting Canadian public.

I love a good conspiracy theory, especially when it has to do with social engineering! :tup:

There's three new ones I can think of in Nova Scotia; Exit 9 on Hwy 101, Alexandria St (Sydney), and Exit 5A on Hwy 101. All of those are generally on low volume roads.

Outside of Halifax I only know of Amherst having one in the plans.

personally i see nothing wrong with roundabouts. i lived in edmonton for a few years, there is one in particular that i used all the time as it was in my neighbourhood. this one is at 149st and 107 ave. very busy intersection. i looked it up through google, an estimated 45000 cars and trucks use this roundabout over the run of a day. i never saw any accidents here and i used it twice a day. traffic was slow going through, but traffic was constantly moving, as opposed to starting and stopping for lights. i dont see any problem with having roundabouts near the commons, it will certainly make those intersections that are mentioned alot easier to navigate.

i would like to know why people are against these roundabouts. im not wanting to start an argument or anything, i would just like to know why people would be against it. im not an engineer or cityplanner, but i know from my own personal experience, that roundabouts are efficent ways to move traffic

I have to agree with Keith. Roundabouts would be a terrible idea anywhere that there is heavy vehicle traffic AND high pedestrian concentrations. (Eg. Willow Tree intersection).

Everyone wants roundabouts because they "keep traffic moving, without all the stopping and starting". So when exactly do people get across the street? Pedestrian counts are very high in this area with a hospital, hotel, public parks and a high school nearby. Do pedestrians get the right of way like at normal street crossings? In this city where pedestrian is king, I can imagine times of the day when traffic is at a complete standstill because of a near constant stream of pedestrians.

I *hate* walking through the Armdale roundabout with a passion. Drivers have so much to concentrate on getting into and out of it, being in the proper lanes, knowing their exit route, watching other drivers coming in, going out and traveling around. Add to this pedestrians in many short and longer crossings, and poor sight lines from multiple lanes, (the constant curve of the roundabout makes it difficult for drivers to see people or cars approaching if there is heavy traffic in the lane next to them) its quite a distracting place.

The next 2 posts after you mentioned the main reason. Roundabouts are designed to move traffic not Pedestrians. Roundabouts are difficult to cross for pedestrians. It can be scary because you are relying on the drivers to see you in time. However I am in favor of them because as at any pedestrian crossing, Pedestrians are still responsible to make sure the crossing is clear, instead of just barging into the crossing.