13 New Roundabouts Coming To Genesee County
Genesee County drivers should brush up on their roundabout skills, because it looks like we will have quite a few more popping up soon.
The Board of Commissioners approved a study to find 13 potential intersections to replace with roundabouts. The study will take about a year to conduct, but when the findings are in, the construction project will begin. According to Mlive, the study will cost just over $300,000.
I can almost hear the people who are scared of roundabouts heads exploding as they read this article. I don't really understand the irrational fear of roundabouts that some people have. They are actually a lot more self explanatory than a straight up intersection, but anytime there is something new, people tend to think the worst.
The roundabout fear is so prevalent in Michigan, that MDot actually had to create a "How To" for drivers. The one thing to remember is that you don't stop. Too many times I have rolled up to a roundabout to wait my turn to get in, and a driver in the roundabout stops to let me in.
Everyone needs to realize that the point of a roundabout is to keep traffic moving.
Don't stop once you are in the roundabout, and when you are entering, don't stop if nobody is currently coming toward you in the roundabout. MDot studies have proven that roundabouts are not only safer for drivers, but they cost less to maintain. If you still need some help, MDot even put together a video to help you see how it's done
So instead of arguing about how to use a roundabout, I'm going to list a few of the intersections that could use a roundabout.
- Any of the I-75 entrance/exit ramps in Genesee County, but the top is at Miller and I-75.
- Saginaw & Kearsley St in downtown Flint
- Linden & Hill Rd in Mundy Township
- Robert T & Chavez in Flint
There are many other intersections that could benefit from a roundabout, but I'm sure the study will find those. In the meantime, I'm going to fend off all of the roundabout haters from the comments section.
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