BIKE: Travis Hts. Neighborhood Traffic Calming Plan(Status Update)

[Mike Dahmus]

David Foster wrote:

>I am a strong supporter of these traffic circles because they slow down
>cars, increasing safety for both cyclists and pedestrians. 
>
I must say - I enjoy traffic circles when biking, but I find the 
argument that they improve safety for pedestrians rather ridiculous.

Yes, some tiny percentage of people blow stop signs in their cars (and a 
much higher percentage of cyclists do) - but most drivers stop at stop 
signs, allowing pedestrians to cross in front of non-moving automobiles 
in at least that direction of travel (all directions if 4-way stop).

If we had conditions that pervail in England, I'd find traffic circles 
more credible for pedestrians - that being:

1. Enforced legal penalties for encroaching on a crosswalk (not "yield 
to people already in it" but rather "stop when you see somebody waiting 
to step out into one")
2. Marked crosswalks at all such circles (in England, they use a 'zebra' 
crossing at all entrances/exits to roundabouts; ours have absolutely 
nothing).

Important to note that in England, my experience is that roundabouts are 
used for medium and high traffic intersections, while residential 
intersections continue to use stop signs (or Give Way). I highly support 
the use of roundabouts as in England instead of our stupider 4-way-stops 
such as 45th/Shoal Creek, but don't necessarily think they're the right 
thing for interior traffic calming (which is a change in thought for me 
over the last few years based on actual experience with the ones in Hyde 
Park).

- MD