Washington & Westcott Improvements

[Trophy Property]

I had no idea this roundabout was being built. I guess I never get over to that part. I love the Mecom fountain and the roundabout at Montrose and Main.

[MidtownCoog]

We should call it Washington Circus.

[MidtownCoog]

Traffic circles may not be great for major intersections, but for smaller ones they are supposed to work well.

I dunno, Piccadilly Circus is pretty major, and it even has traffic light. How else would you cross the street?

[skwatra]

don't forget about the world's largest roundabout, at the arc de triomphe in paris.

didn't have a chance to drive in it, but just watching was enough for me (borrowed this pic):

this one has no signals, 12 streets going into it, and pedestrians can get to the arc in the middle via underground tunnels. there are fences everywhere keeping people from attempting to cross any part. you can see the tunnel entrance to the left of the large street in the picture (top-left).

[GovernorAggie]

I just drove this roundabout Saturday and it's a very nice one. Ironically, I was on my way to Memorial Club Apartments (which looked like some work was actually being put into them, btw).

[incurablygeek]

This is my neighborhood (I live just off Washington at Asbury) and I commute to the west side daily. The roundabout works well except for the odd occasion when someone who is clearly unfamiliar with them stops either on entering (when there's no traffic in it) or while they're in it to let somebody else enter (not realizing that whoever is in has the right-of-way).

Most people seem to navigate it pretty well. I rarely have to stop and I use my blinkers to signal the left turn when entering from the north (well trained after driving 18 months in the UK). Not that anybody else pays attention, mind.

[kjb434]

I drive through this circle also about 3-4 times a week. It's much more efficient than the previous traffic signal. I do agree that the biggest problem is when people use it that don't know how.

[Astro]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That looks like some major traffic chaos there... are there any lane dividers in the circle part?

[kjb434]

From what I've seen in movies (now this is the movies though), the Arc-de-Triumph traffic circle appears to be a free for all. Scary huh. Please correct if i'm wrong.

[skwatra]

i haven't been for a couple years, but i beleive there are no dividers. it actually is quite impressive in times of light to medium traffic, the cars flow right through. but as you can see it can get jammed.

[Astro]

I think I'd be scared to drive through that...

[MidtownCoog]

Good GAWD! Those people are driving cars!

With all that urbanity, I thought for sure they would all be riding le metro!

I bet they are headed to their "sprawl"ing estates!

[kjb434]

Or the suburbs, they do exist in Europe.

[N Judah]

I read somewhere that in Paris it's the exact opposite of the US -- their suburbs are where the immigrants and gangs are, and the inner cities are where all of the wealthy people want to be. So if they are in fact heading to their sprawling estates, it might be only because they couldn't afford something closer in.

[editor]

I dunno, Piccadilly Circus is pretty major, and it even has traffic light.  How else would you cross the street?

Through an underground passage beneath the street. In London they call it a "subway" which must be why they call their subway "the tube."

On my first trip to London I became very confused. I kept going down the stairs marked "subway" but there weren't any trains.

[MidtownCoog]

Through an underground passage beneath

But you can also cross at street level to get to the Virgin Megastore the middle of the circus where the statue is.

I'll be back there next week.