Well Bill this traffic circle is much smaller and "tighter" than any I have seen. I saw this post and took a pic myself of the tracks and trash this morning.

Are you saying that Ansonia won't be legally liable when someone crashes into the traffic circle and is injured? I think counsel would argue otherwise especially since it's not properly lighted at night. You want to be careful when speaking in behalf of the City of Ansonia, it's design of this street and it's legal opinion as to if it is or is not liable for what could be a flawed traffic circle design. Using history as a guide, someone get hurts there and the City is on the hook so that is why you need to be very careful before putting traffic circles in front of highway entrance ramps where they are not typically installed.

I think someone best:

1. Check this traffic circle for tracks and trash at least weekly do cleanup, repair (which isn't happening)

2. Discuss installing lighting since you can't see this circle at night. Steps have to be taken to show the city is trying to make this safer.

3. The city best discuss this issue at a meeting and make sure they are covered WHEN an accident occurs. You can post all the speed limits you like, Ansonia is still going to get sued and probably have to settle. That traffic circle's design is highly unusual and not very safe.

Sure, they may have intended to stop cars from speeding on to the highway when they built that.. but they have opened themselves up to a liability nightmare.

I'll add these photos alone would serve as proof the circle is unsafe, drivers ARE striking it as evidenced by the tracks and the city isn't maintaining it. All bad.

Whoever the designers (obviously a younger person) of these "new" roundabouts are, they apparently do not remember the old roundabouts which were phased out in most states because of the confusion & accidents which resulted from them. Now it seems that "they" have deemed them to be safer than 4-way stops. I beg to differ...especially when I encounter one in an unknown area or state. An older driver may not be quick enough to figure out which lane or direction to go in one of these roundabouts. I have also noticed than the turns are so tight that it's all too easy to run up against the curbing, which could cause loss of control. The traffic flow moving at a normal speed does not allow for even a slight margin of error from another driver's unfamiliarity with the turn, not to mention driver error. I think the concept should be abandoned again!

Mr Raymond. My comments are my own and based on common sense. (1) At the beginning of the road, there is a HUGE green sign showing the circle up ahead.(take a picture of that) (2) There is a 25MPH speed limit sign posted next to it. If drivers read the signs, and obey the speed limit, they have been made aware of the up-coming circle. (No different than a "stop ahead" sign and "stop" sign) Drivers are striking it because of excessive speed and/or driver distraction/inattention. You don't travel at the speed limit when you make a left turn, do you? No, you apply the brakes to make a turn safely.

Excerpted from Connecticut DOT: http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=4109&q=468558

Roundabouts vs. Traffic Circle:
Three basic principles distinguish the modern roundabout from a traffic circle.

1. Modern roundabouts follow the "yield-at-entry" rule in which approaching vehicles must wait for a gap in the circulating flow before entering the circle. Many of the old traffic circles in the United States required circulating vehicles to grant the right of way to entering vehicles though few, if any, of these type circles exist in Connecticut. Some traffic circles may also use stop signs or signals to control vehicle entry.

2. Modern roundabouts involve low speeds for entering and circulating traffic, as governed by small diameters and deflected (curved) entrances. In contrast, traffic circles emphasized high-speed merging and weaving, made possible by larger diameters and tangential (straight) entrances.

3. Modern roundabouts are substantially smaller than a typical traffic circle. The diameter of a typical roundabout can be 3 to 5 times smaller than the diameter of a traffic circle, thereby using an area 9 to 25 times smaller than a traffic circle. The larger size of the circle was required due to the "yield within the ciricle" operation and because they were designed to accomodate higher speeds of both entering and circulating traffic.

4. Adequate deflection of the vehicle entering a roundabout is the most important factor influencing their safe operation. This is done by adjusting the geometry of the entrance alignment, splitter island, center island, and exit alignment to ensure that "through" vehicle paths are significantly deflected. Roundabouts typically limit the speed of vehicles to 20 mph or less.

By CONNDOT definition, this is a roundabout, and you speed should be "20MPH or less"

Bill... none of that is going to stop the lawsuit hitting Ansonia broadside when someone is killed by that thing.

Ignorance of the law is not a good basis for a lawsuit. ConnDOT is building new roundabouts throughout the state. http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=4109&q=467780&PM=1

There is nothing more to add here. The millions have been spent. If you had concerns with this project, you should have attended the public meetings in 2008 & 2009. In the mean time, the information presented above, reinforces the fact that you should slow down when entering a roundabout to avoid an accident.

Bill,

I am unsure if you represent Ansonia but none of what you posted makes any motorist safer, sends Ansonia's town crew to maintain the roundabout (dirt is thrown in the street) or does a thing to help the city when someone is injured by striking the roundabout.

Posting links doesn't fix the problem and that round about is clearly a problem or there wouldn't be tire tracks all over it. My hope is someone who can take action sends the crew over there to clean it up and looks into this. That was the purpose of the OP's post. Not a debate on speed limits and the DOT.

Sorry for all the links Michael, just backing my postings with facts. The city has an OFFICIAL app to report problems. http://www.cityofansonia.com/accessansonia Time and time again, it has been stated that seeclickfix has NO official link to the City of Ansonia.

Well after seeing this post (and having my own near death experience with that circle) I looked and had some friends look. While there is a sign way up at the beginning of the street with what looks like a traffic circle on it you are still turning the corner when you pass it so it's very easily missed. It should have been put perhaps 100 feet further down.

We also don't see a speed limit sign and if you reach that circle at 25 MPH you are going too fast because it's too tight. You have to slow to 20 or you'll hit the other curb.

William, I'll add that app is poor at best. A friend used it to report something and that Connecticut Post littering every week with those orange bags and got "call the CT Post" as a reply! HELPFUL! It also is closed communication so the city can pick and chose what to respond to and no one will know.

This keeps things in the light of day where they belong. They could get 100 complaints about that circle and silence. Here... we all know it's a hazard.

Bill. I just need to caution you. If you are indeed still a member of the Economic Development Commission in Ansonia your comments could be seen by opposing council as representing the City of Ansonia and it's legal position concerning the safety of the traffic circle if someone is indeed injured or worse and the city is sued.

I see your points. Clearly if people are striking and damaging the traffic circle SOMETHING is wrong. The speed limit is too high, the circle is to tight to maneuver, it is not probably lighted at night so drivers can see it, something.

Many a technically "speeding" driver has won a suit against a municipality. "They were moving too fast to we have no liability for the design of the roadway that the public openly questioned the design of" doesn't stop a sleep settlement.

Let's get the city crew out there regularly cleaning it up first. "Evidence" of a hazard via tire tracks that have not been there over a month (first set) isn't a good thing to leave there.

No caution needed sir. Last time I checked, the 1st amendment protected my right to express my opinion in the city where I live, work and pay taxes, regardless of my volunteer activities. You must be a lawyer. All you have focused on is blame and frivolous lawsuits, instead of the simple solution. Slow Down.

ok if you are not driving like a maniac you can clearly see the road in front of you.and to michael raymound bill never said he was from the city.and futher more the state of ct. is in charge of the on ramps and off ramps.

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if people didnt drive like idiots they would see the circle as far as bill his coments are his own he doesnt represent the city of ansonia.and the state is in charge of the entrance and exit ramps