Description
Currently, the traffic circle at Drake & Maple allows two lanes of traffic to enter the traffic circle. This causes a lot of confusion because many people who are in the right lane think they can go around the whole circle when really they should only be turning right. Put up some kind of barrier to force people in the right lane to only turn right. Let the left lane be for people who want to go through the circle. Or, completely remove the circles and bring back the traffic lights.
6 Comments
Road Commission (Guest)
John:
While there may be a small amount of confusion for a few new roundabout drivers, we have not seen any significant problems caused by the roundabout. And, in fact, the combination of the two Maple roundabouts have almost entirely eliminated the massive backups that used to occur every morning and every evening at these intersections.
To repeat other posts on this site, let me reiterate that the primary reasons we built roundabouts at the two Maple intersections (Maple and Farmington) is because the evidence is overwelming that roundabouts dramatically reduce injuries and fatalities at intersections and that they greatly improve traffic flow without widening roads.
Both the Federal Highway Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (the organization that represents insurance companies, which are the ones that pay when people are injured -- so they have a great incentive to see fewer people injured or killed) have documented dramatic drops in crashes when roundabouts replace traffic signals at intersections. Both have documented 90 percent reductions in fatalities, about 76 percent reductions in serious injury crashes and 37 percent reductions in total crashes.
As a road agency, there is virtually nothing else we can do that produces such dramatic safety and traffic flow improvements.
So, my suggestion is to give the roundabouts another try -- they're really not at all intimidating once you've been through them once or twice. The reality is you're going to be seeing a lot more of them, not only in Oakland County, but literally all over the country and around the world.
Road Commission for Oakland County
dan (Guest)
I disagree, the right hand lane can be used too.
Andy (Guest)
Road Commision for Oakland County:
I drive the circles on Maple Rd and Fourteen Mile Rd everyday. I've been hit twice in them, nearly hit a few more times and have witness numerous accidents. While I do agree the traffic in the area has improved GREATLY, the safety in the area definitely has not. I know there were accidents before the circles were installed, but didnt notice nearly as many. The addition of the court appointed pedestrian crosswalks looks like an interesting process, I havent tried to cross those circles on foot, and I really dont want to. Trying to cross the circle and Maple and Drake must really be an adventure. I've read all the statistics about how great traffic circles are, how safe the are, but it seems like in some places their installed just to have them there. I've been to numerous places where there are actually 2 traffic circles right in a row(Cooley Lk Rd and Bogie Lk Rd, Old 23 and Lee Rd) . Both are a bit confusing and it seems unnecessary to have as many circles as there are. I have to laugh when I'm driving in a rural area and come across a traffic circle in the middle of nowhere. I always think to myself, now there's my tax money at work!
wbResident (Guest)
Dangerous Traffic Circles!
growfins (Guest)
It's not the circles at fault. Maple needs another lane from Orchard Lake to M-5. In the works for the last 40 years I believe.
I fear a lifetime of traffic lights & four-way stops has rendered most WB residents incapable of adapting to traffic circles. It amazes me to see drivers come to a dead stop at the circle when there's not another vehicle in sight.
IMO the far left lane is usually backed-up with people who need to re-examine their driving skills, especially in light of the often mammoth vehicles they are lounging in as they converse on their cell phones.
DailyDriver (Guest)
Maybe if the distracted drivers would pay attention instead of talking on the phone, yacking to someone in the car, etc. this would not be a problem! People need to step up and take responsibility for their actions. Driving requires one to pay attention. Those circles work well except when people fail to accept the responsibility that comes with driving. If people are so confused they ought to look into a safe driving class or take the bus. This is not rocket science and I for one am tired of mucking up efficient solutions to accommodate those who are lazy or ignorant. Follow the arrows - the circles are clearly marked upon approaching and within the circle. If you find yourself in the wrong lane, don't cut people off, just go around the circle again. Those who can't, won't, or refuse to learn to, navigate traffic circles are probably the same people who exit a freeway from the lanes left of the exit lane or better yet stop and back up on the shoulder instead of going to the next exit, hence endangering everyone.
We can't fix stupid and selfish - only those that are guilty of those 2 attributes have the power to do that - SO STOP IT! Have some shame already and check yourself!!!!!!!!!!! No excuses - except for the elderly - they have earned our patience. In those cases I drive defensively and suck it up!!!!!!!!!!