MyWHaT

Over 100 people came to the Hagerty center last night to hear the initial recommendations by traffic engineer Ian Lockwood. He was hired by the city of Traverse City to work with the community to redesign Division St. in a way that serves both the 20 to 26 thousand vehicles per day (VPD) and also the needs to address the hostility of the current design.

As mentioned in the previous post, roundabouts featured prominently in the recommended design. Certainly, that will be one of the major hurdles in the proposal as almost every community that proposes this traffic calming device goes through a feisty process from people resistance to change. Traverse City has already had one of those debates.

Still, other communities, like Clearwater Beach, FL have embraced the tool to such a high degree that they have actually petitioned to force the implementation of roundabouts. The result, the country’s busiest roundabout (video) that handles over 58,000 VPD while handling over 8000 pedestrians. All with a reduction in crashes and with a clear sense of place.

Clearwater, Florida’s signature roundabout

Still, roundabouts on Division St.?

Yes. Roundabouts have a proven record in accomplishing many of the concerns northern Michigan has with Division St. The key will be the follow through.

Done well, roundabouts fix a number of issues.

• For vehicles: increase traffic flow, improve time travel and access along the corridor, while reducing crashes (crash rates at the intersections on this route are some of the highest in the region).
• For the neighborhoods: despite the possible increase in traffic volumes, there would be lower speeds, improved noise control, less cut-through traffic*, improved east-west access and thus, increase home values.
• For non-motorized traffic: Lockwood admits that the proposal is not a ‘complete street’ and isn’t perfect, but that he is encouraged that the slower speeds will improve east-west accessibility for all modes of traffic. The plan also includes sidewalks and pathways along the corridor, including long-term development of a tree canopy. If a couple of crosswalks are included at places other than just the intersections, then active transportation will be increased and encouraged by improved safety, access, and a better sense of place along the corridor.

Of course, this is if the design is completed as intended and not turned over to a reluctant authority without the proper experience and motivation to embrace the project with enthusiasm. Have no doubt, although not completely out of the realm of possibilities, this design will be a political challenge.

Don’t be scared, be vigilant

This is where our elected officials, area power brokers, luminaries and neighborhoods will need to step it up and stand for something different. Last July Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic, explained in an article on Slate the difficult relationship Americans have had with roundabouts. Roundabouts are rarely popular when proposed and take leaders willing to make un-popular decisions to make them happen.

In the article, titled Don’t Be So Square, he describes exactly the scene from last night’s presentation:

After a period of study, the engineers propose a roundabout. The engineers, armed with drawings and PowerPoint slides, visit a community meeting. They try to explain the benefits of their proposed design in clear language, though they may occasionally drop phrases like entry path overlap or inscribed circle diameter. Townspeople raise concerns. Roundabouts are not safe, they say. They are confusing. They are bad for pedestrians. They will hurt local businesses. They are more expensive than traditional solutions. The local newspaper reports this, adding some man-in-the-street comments from “area drivers,” who profess not to like roundabouts, even making dark references to “circles of death.”

But here is the key…

More and more the story is not ending like Traverse City’s previous experience, but rather as Vanderbilt writes, “then, the roundabout is built, the safety record improves, traffic congestion doesn’t seem any worse than before, and the complaints begin to fade faster than white thermoplastic lane markings in the heat of summer.“

Roundabouts work, in part, because they increase the ‘awareness’ and ‘vigilance’ of drivers. People are no longer blindly following orders; they are now forced to pay attention and negotiate with real humans.

The key to implementing roundabouts will also take vigilance.

More examples and discussions of Lockwoods presentation can be expected, including more discussion on roundabouts in general and along Division.

I love having new material!

* The one exception to the cut-through traffic is the 11th St. corridor east of Division St., however, only if the city fails to implement some creativity along that street. 11th Street wouldn’t need to be closed off to traffic, but using other traffic calming and controlling devices, incentives for cut-through traffic could be reduced & calmed.

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