WestGrayGuy Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 Has anyone else noticed the new traffic circle going in at the intersection? As far I know, this will be number two for Houston. The Mecom Fountain is the first. Old West End Association I also noticed they are building an El Tiempo Cantina off Washington. I love the food at the one on Richmond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 Yes, I think it's going to look great when finished. It's actually not the second in Houston, but at least the third. A traffic circle was built at Broadway and Park Place near Hobby Airport when the Park Place addition was developed. The old Houston-Galveston Interurban Railway stopped in the middle of it. When the Gulf Freeway was built on the Interurban right of way, the traffic circle was hidden from view by the freeway overhead but largely left unaltered. It remains to this day, although it is now controlled by traffic signals. A new roundabout has been built in Westchase at the intersection of Seagler and Meadowglen. Both of these streets have been extended (Seagler south to Richmond, Meadowglen west to the Sam Houston Tollway) as part of the new West 8 development. The streets were finished over a year ago but remained closed to traffic for months, until they were opened for a short time a few months ago. Then they were closed again. I don't know if they've been reopend yet or not.There's also at least one "lost" traffic circle in the city. One used to exist where the Eastex Freeway intersects the old North Loop (now Kelley St.) just north of the current 59/610 interchange on the northeast side of town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunstar Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 The project looks good, but I'm not sure where they get off calling that an historical area. It looks like another effort to make a poorly developed area more tolerable. All the new development has been dissapointing to say the least and the apartment complex on the corner is an eyesore. Maybe they should consider brining back the Vatican. I like the picture though: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 There's also at least one "lost" traffic circle in the city. One used to exist where the Eastex Freeway intersects the old North Loop (now Kelley St.) just north of the current 59/610 interchange on the northeast side of town.Another "lost" traffic circle was at Franklin and Smith downtown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 That picture appears to have no relation whatsoever to the diagram in the first post.Yeah that's a shame how the Gulf Freeway was built right through the Park Place circle... that could have ended up being a really nice place otherwise.There's another "lost" traffic circle at Bellaire & Bissonet. You can still see remnants of the old circle in the parking lots of the businesses surrounding that intersection today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestGrayGuy Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 That's funny, there are so many traffic circles but I only think of the one at Mecom fountain. I guess I should get around more.Franklin and Smith downtown? Didnt know about that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 That's funny, there are so many traffic circles but I only think of the one at Mecom fountain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Traffic circles seem to be acceptable - even common - in foreign cities. (I'm basing this on my fondness for black-and-white movies from the early 50's). So - since I don't drive anymore, are traffic circles a good way to deal with intersections? Will people behave? And would it help if they drove Fiats or Renaults? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmancuso Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 the way people drive here in houston, rotaries may not be such a good idea. anyone ever see 'national lampoon's european vacation', where chevy chase get's stuck on a rotary in london and can't changes lanes and get off? look kids! big ben, parliament! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Traffic circles may not be great for major intersections, but for smaller ones they are supposed to work well. They force traffic to slow down and eliminate left turns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Darn those right wing republicans! Of course, it makes me wonder what Nascar drivers would do when they encounter a traffic circle. Ricco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 Traffic circles seem to be acceptable - even common - in foreign cities. (I'm basing this on my fondness for black-and-white movies from the early 50's). So - since I don't drive anymore, are traffic circles a good way to deal with intersections? Will people behave? And would it help if they drove Fiats or Renaults?<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I think they are statistically more dangerous due to having to suddenly think and steer at the same time. There's one in Long Beach CA that's one of the deadliest intersections in So CA. And now with cell phones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
111486 Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 That's funny, there are so many traffic circles but I only think of the one at Mecom fountain. I guess I should get around more.Franklin and Smith downtown? Didnt know about that one. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Same here. Here is a nice photo of mecom fountain. Doesn't show the whole circle though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYC Texan2 Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 I think we should all be strongly in favor of any efforts to give our neighborhoods a higher level of identity and more of a master-planned feeling to the city (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . . . ). I have been through the Washington traffic circle and think it looks good. A great traffic circle would have development around it, though (e.g., Dupont Circle in D.C.), and I thought the buildings are built too far back. But give it time and hope . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt16 Posted October 23, 2004 Share Posted October 23, 2004 The Memorial Club Apartments seem to be waiting for some investment group to come in and buy out. With all the new development going on off Washington and being so close to the park, it's a wonder this hasn't happened yet. I guess a weak apartment market is a big factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 The Memorial Club Apartments seem to be waiting for some investment group to come in and buy out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowbrow Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Does anyone have any new info on this Roundabout? I was told it was finished minus some landscaping. Functional? or Disaster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Does anyone have any new info on this Roundabout? I was told it was finished minus some landscaping. Functional? or Disaster?<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I have driven it and its fine. It will take a little getting used to, but it wasn't exactly an easy intersection to begin with. I think once they get all the landscaping in place it will be a big improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights2Bastrop Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 The one I remember most is the one where Kelly crosses the Eastex Freeway (just north of the North Loop). It had a name, but for the life of me I can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted December 20, 2004 Share Posted December 20, 2004 I think the whole city breathed a sigh of relief when that death trap was replaced. I thought we would have learned that traffic circles are not the answer.They aren't for certain intersections, and the one you referred to was a disaster because it was an intersection between the Eastex Freeway and the old non-freeway North Loop. However, for some intersections traffic circles are perfectly safe and far more efficient than signals or stop signs. The Westcott/Washington intersection is probably a good example of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights2Bastrop Posted December 20, 2004 Share Posted December 20, 2004 Will the proposed intersection be a free-for-all, or will it have traffic lights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 There are no traffic lights, and it's not a proposed intersection. It's already been built. The intersection is controlled by traffic entering the circle always yielding to traffic that's already in the circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowbrow Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 The one thing that really makes roundabouts work in europe is the use of blinkers. The blinker indicates when you plan to leave the roundabout and others must yield to you. If you dont use your blinker then you are asking for trouble.Knowing how little texans like to actually use said device, I am scared for us all.(ps. one of the heaviest traffic fines in most european locales is the failure to signal in a roundabout.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 There used to be three massive traffic circles in New Jersey along Route 23 where it intersected with U.S.202, U.S.46, and some other highway. It was a complete nightmare because they were one right after the other. During rush hour, it could take 40 minutes to go three miles. When I-287 was built through threre a few years ago the state and feds spent billions plowing through a mountain and straightening the whole mess out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw2ntyse7en Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N Judah Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 I PRAY EVERYNIGHT THAT THE SAME WILL HAPPEN HERE.. you lazy, slow, cell phone using, make up applying, HOUSTON CHRONICLE READING drivers..<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Wow, SOMEone's in a rush to catch up to the congestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Don't forget the traffic circles on each side of the Washburn tunnel in east houston/pasadena.Traffic circles are a great way to remove traffic signals in smaller intersections. If you have a busy intersection, a traffic circle can still work as long at the circle is much larger.In Alexandria, Louisiana there is a large traffic circle that connects two busy highways on the south side of town. The size of the traffic circles alows for safer movements and merging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowbrow Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 I have yet to have a problem going through this intersection. Of course my sample size is about 6 but I'm becoming optimistic.Now bring on some landscaping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Well, you've got me beat. Only three chances for me, though I'm 3/3, so I'm feeling pretty good about it myself.I would like to not only see the landscaping but some pretty artistic lighting as well. Maybe a small fountain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowbrow Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 April 10, 2005, 12:17AMShaping up style on Washington AvenueTraffic circle will put a fresh spin on old streetBy ALLAN TURNER-------------------This message has been edited to remove copyrighted material.Please do not post copyrighted photos or articles from newspapers or magazines. We have already received a warning from the Houston Chronicle, and the legal departments of other publications have visited the site. If you would like to discuss a published article, please summarize the article and provide a link to the original source.------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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