Roundabout anyone??

What's the consensus on this brilliant idea of the Zerkle administration?

Bulldoze the monument and keep the traffic lights. Build walk-over bridges for pedestrians.

Hazel wrote:

Bulldoze the monument and keep the traffic lights. Build walk-over bridges for pedestrians.

Build US68 and SR29 and 36 bypasses around Urbana and put the traffic lights back in.

One child has already been hit.

Too bad the bypass didn't qualify for BO's stimulus $$. I don't see how Ruth thinks this plan will help the semis. From what I see, the lanes aren't any wider and that's the problem with the semis. They want us to use the center lane to go straight, so more semis will be up against the monument and trying to not hit it. The right lane is for right turns only.

I'm just glad I live where I can avoid that entire area if necessary. It might be entertaining to take the lawn chair up, sit in the Square and watch the fireworks the first few days. lol

So are they ever going to do it? Other than the problem of stupid people that don't know to drive, I think it's a good idea. But then, the square as it is now is a big problem for stupid people that don't know how to drive.(or stay in a lane, or read a sign....)

it's a stupid idea but you get what you get when you put an actual clown on city council. guess that pretty much defines the class level of the town, you get what you get

**clowns really creep me out since that serial killer dude and that council dud is creepy

Just to let you know the Mayor of Urbana is not for the roundabout! They will have to change it again!1 Because it isn't going to work as well as they hope it to!!!! Just don't forget there are small business downtown, please find a place to park and come in and see us!!!!

lol Tom Cat he is creepy. Story in paper today sounds like council doesn't like him much either.
fyi--Laurie with the Urbana city charter the mayor has more power than anyone in city govt. and she could stop the roundabout if she wanted to. don't let her or the admin kid you on that.

Has anyone had problems with the roundabout? I rather like it. I feel like I get through town faster.

How to negotiate the roundabout:

Approach the monument fairly slowly. You know, under 25 mph, like you've always had to do in the square.

If you are turning right, get in the right lane. If you're not turning right, stay out of the right lane.

If no one is coming from the left, just go. No need to stop. Look out for idiots.

If someone is coming from the left, let them go first. Wait til no one is coming from the left, then go. Look out for idiots.

The area between the yellow circle and the monument is not a lane. It's a clearance area for semis, to (hopefully) avoid our traditional weekly "semi hung up on the monument" issue. Look out for idiots.

Once you are in the roundabout, you have the right of way. Look out for idiots pulling out in front of you.

Try not to run over the yield sign on your right as you exit the roundabout.

Yield to pedestrians at all times.

If you are a pedestrian, look out for idiots. Don't assume they see you. I suggest you run.

Don't be "the idiot"!

I think you can see the common theme in the instructions. Looking out for idiots is not something new to people who have commonly negotiated Monument Square in Urbana.

You think us fools wrote:

Has anyone had problems with the roundabout? I rather like it. I feel like I get through town faster.
How to negotiate the roundabout:
Approach the monument fairly slowly. You know, under 25 mph, like you've always had to do in the square.
If you are turning right, get in the right lane. If you're not turning right, stay out of the right lane.
If no one is coming from the left, just go. No need to stop. Look out for idiots.
If someone is coming from the left, let them go first. Wait til no one is coming from the left, then go. Look out for idiots.
The area between the yellow circle and the monument is not a lane. It's a clearance area for semis, to (hopefully) avoid our traditional weekly "semi hung up on the monument" issue. Look out for idiots.
Once you are in the roundabout, you have the right of way. Look out for idiots pulling out in front of you.
Try not to run over the yield sign on your right as you exit the roundabout.
Yield to pedestrians at all times.
If you are a pedestrian, look out for idiots. Don't assume they see you. I suggest you run.
Don't be "the idiot"!
I think you can see the common theme in the instructions. Looking out for idiots is not something new to people who have commonly negotiated Monument Square in Urbana.

Was the law that stipulates the person on the right has the right-of-way, suspended for this roundabout ? Will everyone that encounters this traffic circle know the rule was changed to the person on the left having the right-of-way ?

Lord knows there is no shortage of idiots but, should we have different rules in every community ?

You think us fool, has the right theme. Look out for idiots. I know I had a few people tell me there were really 3 lanes. I went up to recheck and there are only two! that solid line around the monument is not to be used as a lane! Just yield and as YTUF put it LOOK OUT FOR IDIOTS!

Well, my experience Sat. will be my last. I yielded and the first vehicle on the left came through with the next 3 vehicles behind him on his tail. I had to wait or get hit. I had been through several times before that and it seems that Yield in Urbana means hit the accelerator as hard as you can and hope everyone gets out of your way.

I hear the yield signs in the square keep getting hit. The signs look hideous and detract from the historic downtown. Way too UGLY. If we had to copy from Dublin the least they could do was build the signs into something more decorative.

Also, who has time to look around at the shops on your way through town now. At least with the lights you could window shop and check things out. Now you'd get killed looking around or kill a pedestrian.

Mystic wrote:

Well, my experience Sat. will be my last. I yielded and the first vehicle on the left came through with the next 3 vehicles behind him on his tail. I had to wait or get hit.

That's how it's supposed to be! It's not a four way stop. You yield to traffic from your left.

Mystic wrote:

Also, who has time to look around at the shops on your way through town now. At least with the lights you could window shop and check things out. Now you'd get killed looking around or kill a pedestrian.

Totally agree. Sad but true.

You think us fools wrote:

<quoted text>
That's how it's supposed to be! It's not a four way stop. You yield to traffic from your left.
<quoted text>
Totally agree. Sad but true.

Again I ask, when did the law change from the person on the right having the right-of-way ? People from other places are really going to be surprised.

I have not decided if I hate or love the new roundabout but all the comments I have been reading everywhere have said nothing about how it is for shopping downtown. parking etc. and JAS_BHS62 is right you are so concerned to get through right now, no one is able to see what stores we have to offer. That's the way to bring business downtown.

JAS_BHS62 wrote:

<quoted text>
Again I ask, when did the law change from the person on the right having the right-of-way ? People from other places are really going to be surprised.

Where do people yield to traffic from the right? When you negotiate an on-ramp onto a divided highway you yield to traffic from the left (except for rare left-side merges). Maybe I'm missing something obvious? What law is this?

There is an exception to the law listed at the bottom.

An uncontrolled intersection is one with no traffic lights, stop signs or yield signs. These are common in residential neighborhoods. It is apparent that many drivers either do not understand or do not respect the rule regarding right of way at these intersections.

In order to prevent accidents and injuries, Arizona law creates a simple right-of-way rule for traffic approaching uncontrolled intersections—yield to the vehicle on the right. The state statute that establishes this rule makes it clear that the vehicle nearest the intersection is not entitled to claim the right of way, unless it also is the vehicle on the right.

When two vehicles approach the intersection "at approximately the same time," the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right.

In most cases, if a collision occurs between two vehicles in an uncontrolled intersection, the investigating police officer will conclude that both approached at approximately the same time. Otherwise, no accident would have occurred.

If you were the driver of the car on the left, you are unlikely to convince the officer that you had the clear lead approaching the intersection, and, therefore, the right of way belonged to you. The collision speaks for itself.

This right-of-way rule even applies when the car on the right is turning and the car on the left is proceeding straight through the intersection.

There are a few minor exceptions to this right-of-way rule. They are:

•If the intersection is a "T" intersection (one street ends at the intersection and the other continues), the driver on the continuing street has the right of way.
•Drivers entering a freeway from an acceleration ramp must yield to drivers already on the freeway.
•All drivers must yield to funeral processions and to authorized emergency vehicles with illuminated red or blue lights.
There is a general duty imposed on all motorists to drive safely and cautiously. Remain alert and never stubbornly claim the right of way when another driver improperly takes it. You do not want to cause an accident, especially one resulting in a personal injury.

§1145. Vehicle approaching rotary traffic circle or island.

Except where a traffic control device directs otherwise, the driver of a vehicle approaching or about to enter a rotary traffic circle or island shall yield the right of way to any vehicle already traveling on such circle or around such island.

I try to avoid the square because of the roundabout, and go side streets.
I think Urbana might loose business, because people will avoid going thru there if they can.
In my opinion, it is a disaster. Not everyone yields to the left, and others just plow thru the intersection.
It is an accident waiting to happen.
I would like to see the lights go back up.

I have really waited to see the roundabout in action and now I know how I truly feel about it. It sucks and looks like a go chart track. If your plans are to drive through Urbana and head OUT OF TOWN then it is great for you. If you are like me and use businesses up town and go through the square frankly it sucks! If you are able to park in the square, you feel like you are taking your life in your hands to get out. People are drive too fast (in my opinion) through the square and my father was at the barber shop and said his business has dropped and he said other stores in the square are having the same problem. One of the problems is now parking. they have made marking in the square difficult and have taken parking away from the streets going into the square. sooo Like I said if you are trying to get out of Urbana it is great for you (good job council) but if you are one of us who tries to buy Urbana and use Urbana stores it really sucks and makes it difficult on us. I mean really First you have to watch out for the parking nazi marking your tires. I had my hair done and it took 2 hrs. I WAS going to do some shopping uptown after wards but my tires were already marked and was going to get a ticket so I actually left Urbana and went to West Liberty where I could park and take my time shopping and eat and just enjoy myself and spend money (not in Urbana) We have several seats coming up in the next few years we need some fresh blood on our council. I would run but then I would read thing on topix about me lol.

The one in Dublin is not two US Hwys intersecting. In my opinion it's just insane.