03-06-2008, 10:25 AM
Hi Jerry, I talked to them that day too. They seemed like they begrudgedly worked up a drawing of a roundabout just so they could say they were addressing community input.
When the STIP meeting occurred in August I listened to the DOT officals beat around the bush on the subject so I tried to pin them down and extracted a promise that they would produce a cost/benefit analysis for roundabouts vs signalized interestions. I do not claim to be a big advocate of roundabouts. I just think that, for intellectual honesty alone, the subject should be considered seriously by the DOT and then let's all examine the facts.
To date the DOT has failed to produce the cost /benefit chart. I intend to continue to press them on it.
Like you I have lived with roundabouts in Europe and found them practical and convenient in the country and suburbs but a bit scary in mid city locations. By scary I mean when they have 6 lanes of traffic running in a roundabout - something very unlikely here.
Mostly this topic is subject to general indifference on the part of the traffic engineers. They know how to spend major money building major highways. Look at Honolulu. That is where they practice. What I and others here would like to avoid is Honolulu type traffic solutions.
We'll just have to see how successful the residents in Puna will be in getting safer roads instead of just getting bigger and faster roads.
When the STIP meeting occurred in August I listened to the DOT officals beat around the bush on the subject so I tried to pin them down and extracted a promise that they would produce a cost/benefit analysis for roundabouts vs signalized interestions. I do not claim to be a big advocate of roundabouts. I just think that, for intellectual honesty alone, the subject should be considered seriously by the DOT and then let's all examine the facts.
To date the DOT has failed to produce the cost /benefit chart. I intend to continue to press them on it.
Like you I have lived with roundabouts in Europe and found them practical and convenient in the country and suburbs but a bit scary in mid city locations. By scary I mean when they have 6 lanes of traffic running in a roundabout - something very unlikely here.
Mostly this topic is subject to general indifference on the part of the traffic engineers. They know how to spend major money building major highways. Look at Honolulu. That is where they practice. What I and others here would like to avoid is Honolulu type traffic solutions.
We'll just have to see how successful the residents in Puna will be in getting safer roads instead of just getting bigger and faster roads.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Punaweb moderator