Michigan Radio & TV Buzzboard

km1125 wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:20 pm

I was thinking that looked like Pontiac Trail/Milford/Grand River, but I don't think there's train tracks going through the middle of that one!

Where is that?

Blonshine says that while the intersection is in desperate need of safety upgrades, she was initially skeptical of MDOT’s plan to install a roundabout instead of a signal. “My initial thought was, ‘Why don’t we get a traffic light?’” she says. “I truly thought traffic lights were the best way to go. But I was not educated. Statistically, roundabouts are much safer – there’s a slower rate of speed, and the impacts are not as significant. It’s also proven to be more effective with the flow of traffic, versus the stop-and-go of a traffic signal. I really believe that traffic in that area needs to slow down, but also keep moving.”

“If you look at M-72 in front of Meijer, it’s great,” says Kluczynski. “You never have a stoppage. You have to slow down to go through them, but you’re never stopped at a stop light. You will still have some accidents with a roundabout, but they’re property damage. It’s a fender-bender. You’re not getting t-bones or head-ons.”

Ben Zonia wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 05, 2019 12:04 pm

Long ago, before all the NIMBYs got active, they should have put easily accessible access to US 131 and I-75, and a semicircular limited access or expressway around Traverse City.

Howard Jones wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 05, 2019 1:34 pm

The one at 18 1/2 and Van Dyke is way out of balance traffic wise. NB Van Dyke travelers get frustrated and wind up just cutting people off because there is so much more traffic entering the roundabout from EB 18 1/2 Mile than any other of the directions during the afternoon rush (they are primarily NB Mound drivers headed for the M-53 freeway).

I know the idea was to have 18 1/2 as a free-flowing Mound connector to M-53; however adding a traffic light at 18 1/2 & Merrill would be really helpful as a bit of a traffic break - with a side bonus of allowing cars to turn left off SB Merrill onto EB 18 1/2. It's a joke that there is a terribly timed light at 19 & Merrill but not one @ 18 1/2.

Oh, I wonder how potheads will handle roundabout? Cool Man!