×

Skepticism on the planned roundabout

I’ve been giving a lot of thought recently to the planned roundabout at the intersections of Routes 20 and 60. While it appears the State is set and determined to build the roundabout I am offering my nonprofessional opinion on why they should rethink the project.

The New York State Department of Transportation says that the roundabout at Routes 20 and 60 is essential because of frequent accidents caused by left hand turns from commercial drivers on the approaches to the intersection. Also, the DOT tells us that the frequency and severity of accident will be less with a roundabout.

A problem with roundabouts is that most drivers have no idea of the right of way rules in them. New York State Rules of the Road state that “A driver entering a traffic circle, or rotary, must yield the right of way to drivers already in the circle.” Unfortunately, few drivers seem to be aware of this rule.

Based on my experience driving in the Town of Hamburg, which has several roundabouts, I find that some drivers are so confused by how to proceed that they will stop and wait until all other vehicles in the roundabout or waiting to enter from other directions have cleared it before advancing, producing long backups. Other drivers foolishly go directly in to the roundabout regardless of what other vehicles are already in it. This causes drivers to slam on their brakes to avoid these drivers and creates the potential for severe accidents.

Another problem with roundabouts is illustrated by the one that has already been constructed in our area. That one is at the bridge over Cattaraugus Creek on the Seneca Nation Territory. Traffic is generally light here but watch out when a tractor trailer with a long trailer enters the circle. The diameter of the circle is small and of course the road that forms the circumference of the circle makes for a tight fit for long tractor trailers. Many tractor trailers must proceed slowly causing all other traffic to slow.

The intersection of Routes 60 and 20 is a very high-volume intersection. However, the traffic signals seem to move traffic along expeditiously most of the time. However, roundabouts in many areas contribute to traffic congestion. An example of this are the approaches to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. While admittedly an extremely high traffic area at certain times, if you decide to approach the Cape on Interstate 495 on summer or early fall weekends it is likely that you will run into at least a 7- or 8-mile traffic backup which sometimes stretches back nearly 25 miles to my son’s home in Middleborough, Massachusetts. The reason for this; a roundabout, comparable in size to the proposed Routes 20 and 60 roundabouts, at the Cape end of the Bourne Bridge over the Cape Cod Canal.

It used to be the same as you approached Cape Cod on Route 3 coming down from Boston and going over the canal on the Sagamore Bridge. There the problem was a large roundabout on the mainland side that caused monumental backups. The roundabout was eliminated several years ago and while there are some backups they are rarely more than a mile or so even during high traffic periods.

My concern is the possibility of long waits to get through the proposed roundabout at peak traffic hours. This roundabout will have to accommodate the many tractor trailers that currently pass through the intersection and because it is being built in a confined area these trucks may not be able to negotiate it at any more than a crawl. The same could be said for the many school buses that pass through the intersection daily. It probably should be larger but that would require moving Country Fair, MacDonald’s, Rite Aid and Wendy’s to new locations and certainly no sane person would suggest that.

Finally, I am no fan of Albany bureaucracy and while I could be wrong, I suspect the new state fascination with roundabouts might just be the work of a bureaucrat justifying his/her position and not the result of cutting edge twenty-first highway engineering.

I think the State of New York is misguided in building a roundabout at the intersection of Routes 20 and 60. Of course that is one man’s nonprofessional opinion on the planned roundabout but I suggest that anyone else who thinks it’s a bad idea write or email our state senator, state assemblyman, county legislature, county executive and our governor.

In response to a local mayor who in cutting off discussion of the roundabout at a village board meeting said it was a matter for the town of Pomfret and the state, I would reply that its really everyone’s concern who lives in this part of the county. I live in Silver Creek but even in retirement I pass through that intersection several times a week so it’s my problem and if you live in Fredonia, Dunkirk, Forestville, Cassadaga, Brocton, and the other communities and towns of this area it could be your problem as well.

Thomas Kirkpatrick Sr. is a Silver Creek resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today