Comments on: Decatur Floats Idea of Roundabout at Glenlake Park Entrance

By: smith

smith — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:20:51 +0000

To me the problem is this. Before the lane reduction many people were going upwards of 60 mph when they had the green light. Now its maybe 50 mph. A circle makes everybody slow down which makes it safer for everyone.

By: SAHM

SAHM — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:52:57 +0000

Please observe the awful back every Tuesday and Wednesday when I travel there at 4:25 to get to Callonwolde.
Also people do not know how to use a roundabout!

By: MyNameisQ

MyNameisQ — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:41:06 +0000

I’m frequently a pedestrian using the Emory Village roundabout. I’m also friends with people who drive the roundabout every day. Everyone (pedestrians and drivers!!) agree that the roundabout is a huge improvement. And I have to admit that a number of us were skeptical during all the construction.

It’s extremely pedestrian friendly, particularly with the way the lanes are split. This setup allows you to focus on only a single direction of traffic when crossing to the midway point. Then you can rest or wait for idiot drivers while focusing on the other direction of traffic. This is obviously antecdata, but I’ve noticed a significant uptick in pedestrian traffic around Emory Village, but that is certainly just my observation and not based on any insider knowledge of how the businesses are doing.

The throughput from a vehicle standpoint is also significantly better. I have yet to see westbound traffic on N. Decatur backed up all the way to Clifton the way it routinely did when the intersection was on the traffic light. This is in spite of decreasing the number of lanes on N. Decatur to accommodate new bike lanes. I think this lack of backup also contributes to the pedestrian friendliness as drivers are less hellbent on making it through the light when it changes.

In short, I’m thrilled with the Emory Village roundabout. It functions well and has made the intersection less of a nightmare for both drivers and pedestrians. If that’s not a win-win in Atlanta, I don’t know what is.

By: lydwena

lydwena — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:27:42 +0000

Emory has two roundabouts, one at Lullwater and one in front of Everybodys Pizza. The Lullwater roundabout is nice with the inside being nicely landscaped with possibly a small tree and tall ornamental shrubs.

Including the roundabout is a great idea. Also, I’m an avid road cyclist and pay attention to my surroundings. I don’t think the round about should be a concern to cyclists.

When cyclists go to Stone Mountain to ride, they go around the roundabout at the grist mill just like all of the other vehicles. The vehicles are going slow enough to allow the cyclist plenty of room.

The speed limit will surely be 25mph approaching the intersection. Can someone confirm this?

By: Deanne

Deanne — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:47:26 +0000

I missed the first few minutes of Hugh’s overview, so someone else will have to share who proposed what (if it came up). During the workshop, the City Folks weren’t trying to push the roundabout concept. ( Hugh was going around checking with folks to see if they had questions, John Madajewski was available- and sharing interesting tidbits like S.Candler and the Agnes Scott tunnel will soon be getting blinky crosswalks, and Fred was talking pros and cons with all the bike folks. Amanda Thompson wasn’t there.) The consultant stationed at the lone drawing with the roundabout concept did the info supplying . Poor guy! He looked dazed and stunned about midway through! (Nice guy, and he did say that signalized crosswalks could be added just before the roundabout approaches.) My guess is that the City requested it is a design option, and wanted to proactively address concerns like how to pay for it.

By: Decatur Metro

Decatur Metro — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:13:46 +0000

Really? Being proposed by whom?

By: Deanne

Deanne — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:01:50 +0000

Please don’t have hurty feelings! You’ve combined info and gotten mixed up! The workshop was for Clairemont/ Commerce/ Church Street Improvements. The roundabout is one option being proposed for the intersection by the Park. Keeping the traffic light is the other.

By: Deanne

Deanne — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:57:59 +0000

DM: “… Go to a Strategic Plan meeting…”

Or folks could go to the PUBLIC INPUT WORKSHOPS the City holds for these projects!!!

At this workshop a consultant said to me, “ You don’t often see public input sessions at the beginning of a project.” I replied, “Well, you don’t usually find as many noisy and complaining folks in one place either! Better to go ahead and try to get it out of the way!” When he made the same remark to Hugh Saxon, Hugh being the nice guy he is, replied, “ I wouldn’t know any other way to do it but from the start.”

Maybe the grumbling folks should trust that our City Folks want what we want, and let us all get on with mulling over the possibilities for these projects.