Mount Pleasant Roundabouts subject of survey/feedback
Around and around we go. Opinions continue to circulate about the safety and efficiency of roundabouts in response to a plan to create a new traffic rotary at the intersection of Daniel Island Drive and Seven Farms Drive on Daniel Island.
Our neighbors across the Wando River in Mount Pleasant know a thing or two about traffic circles. They have more than 15, according to Paul Lykins, Transportation Project Engineer for the Town of Mount Pleasant. In most cases, they have been well received, he said.
“It’s a nice feature,” added Lykins. “It’s a traffic control device…They reduce the severity of crashes. You get the sideswipe versus the t-bone effect. They offer much slower speeds and only minor property damage and virtually no injuries.” Lykins estimates the single lane roundabout at Mathis Ferry Road and Shelmore Boulevard, at the entrance to the I’On subdivision, is used by about 10,000 vehicles per day. It is the town’s oldest roundabout and is a bit smaller than the others in town. It is also near a preschool and shopping center.
“We’ve had no complaints about that one,” he said. “It does slow traffic down and it works fairly well.”
Several I’On residents agreed when asked about the effectiveness of the roundabout.
“I have been happy with the roundabout at the entrance to I’On,” said Florrie Sloan. “For a two-lane road, it is great at keeping traffic flowing and avoiding bottlenecks. I think a roundabout for a four lane road would be a disaster!”
“I like the two roundabouts that are near us on Mathis Ferry Road,” added Gabrielle Gause. “The only frustration is drivers that don’t know how to drive in a roundabout - either too fast or too slow! I think it keeps traffic moving better than a traffic light would in those intersections.”
“I am pro-roundabouts,” said Jools Bourne, a cyclist who frequently uses the I’On traffic circle. “Sometimes traffic lights just really ruin the flow of traffic, and people end up waiting through the lights and traffic doesn’t flow.”
Bourne sees roundabouts as an effective device for moving vehicles, but cautions that many drivers need to understand how they work before using them.
“Roundabouts are great,” he added, stressing the need to know when to yield. “…But they’re like guns. If you put it into an idiot’s hand, it might not get used in the intended manner.”
Are roundabouts safer for pedestrians and cyclists?
When it comes to pedestrian and cyclist safety, the question of whether roundabouts are a viable alternative to signaled intersections is not as easy to answer, Lykins said.
“There are different schools of thought on that,” he continued. “There is guidance in the design manuals on how to safely deal with bicyclists and pedestrians, but I will say that in an area near a school, where you have kids potentially crossing, in my mind, having them walk up and push a button on a traffic signal and stopping traffic to cross is probably the ideal situation. Otherwise, you would have to be very careful when they cross (in a roundabout). They would need to stop in the middle, seek refuge, and then cross the other lane. A high schooler would be fine dealing with that, but not a first grader.”
Views from Mount Pleasant residents on the issue were mixed.
“In terms of safety for children and pedestrians, that’s a different story,” added Sloan. “As a driver, I am always on the lookout for kids and walkers as I go through the roundabout. We have not allowed our 13 year old to go through it.”
“(The I’On roundabout) doesn’t seem to be a problem,” said Gause. “But there are always people who approach too fast into the roundabout and may not see bikes or pedestrians. I don’t think it is any more of a safety issue than crossing at a regular intersection.”
Long Pointe subdivision resident Ellen Nietert was excited when a two-lane roundabout was created at the entrance to her neighborhood in 2013, because it made exiting the community much easier. But it did not necessarily create a safer experience for pedestrians, she said.
“I would never let my boys cross the Long Point circle by foot or bike,” added Nietert. “The simpler circle at I’On is fine for pedestrians because it only involves one lane for yielding. This particular circle has a lot of traffic going at fairly fast speeds…plus there is an extra lane so drivers could have accidents if people were crossing there.”
Lykins noted that the Long Point Road roundabout did meet with complaints when it first opened, but most of that was related to drivers not properly understanding how the traffic circle worked. Concerns eased once drivers became educated on proper yielding and moving through the intersection safely, he said.
Survey says….
A Daniel Island News survey on the topic of Mount Pleasant roundabouts yielded more than 300 responses. When asked if drivers know how to appropriately navigate the traffic circles there, 62.37 percent of respondents said “yes,” versus 37.63 percent who said “no.” Close to 92 percent said they do not allow their children to enter roundabouts on their own, whether on foot or on bike.
Respondents were also asked if they believed roundabouts offer a “safer option” than a signaled light. Nearly 43 percent said “yes,” but about 57 percent said “no.” Multiple reasons were cited by the naysayers, including a lack of understanding about roundabouts, drivers not yielding, drivers not paying attention, and drivers traveling too fast. In contrast, approximately 63 percent reported that roundabouts are a “more efficient” option than a signaled light.
Lykins added that he has not yet been involved in a situation in Mount Pleasant where a roundabout was placed at an intersection that already had a traffic signal. When studying whether to create a roundabout or a signal, the town typically elects to go with a signal because it is a less costly option, he said.
“It’s public input,” he added. “That’s the deciding factor…You have to look at all of the users of the facility and make some good engineering judgements based on that.”
SURVEY RESPONDENTS SOUND OFF ABOUT ROUNDABOUTS
Following are just a few of the comments received from those who took part in The Daniel Island News’ survey on the safety and effectiveness of roundabouts in Mount Pleasant. While the majority of those who took part in the survey (62 percent) said they have found that most drivers know how to navigate traffic circles, about 38 percent did not agree.
“Long Point Circle. My daughter lives in this community and it (is) challenging to pull in front of a car traveling from US-17 at 45 mph where the driver is clueless that he must yield.”
“Too many close calls on who has the right of way ... particularly with distractions like phones.”
“On Rifle Range Road, I’ve witnessed accidents involving cars in the roundabouts. People are impatient and enter without yielding. I can’t image riding a bike or trying to cross as a pedestrian!”
“Not when pedestrians or cyclists are involved. People seem to pay attention to the car traffic not the foot traffic when navigating a traffic circle.”
“I generally love roundabouts but most people have no clue how to navigate. Would have been great to have a roundabout on River Landing Drive instead.”
“You can’t compare these to Seven Farms intersection because they (Long Point & 3 on Mathis Ferry) are NOT heavy pedestrian roundabouts. On Mathis Ferry I find most traffic keeps right on going and never yields so those of us trying to turn off Hospital Drive or Shelmore must wait because three or four cars keep coming up Mathis Ferry and no one yields to traffic in the opposite street.”
“I have not seen any issues where pedestrians have been involved. Most traffic circles I have used are not an area populated with pedestrians.”
“Despite popular opinion, the majority (most) of people navigate roundabouts without incident. By their very nature, speeds are necessarily reduced. People unfamiliar with roundabouts quickly become acclimated to their function.”
“The roundabouts that I use in Mt. Pleasant don’t have pedestrian traffic like the DI one will have, so it’s not a fair comparison.”
“They do not check for pedestrians or cyclists before entering the roundabout. ...they seldom stop before the crosswalks to check if someone might be crossing. They also often seem to assume that if they are going fast enough when they enter the crosswalk others will automatically yield.”
“I have found that no one understands exactly how a roundabout works. There are those that do not yield and plow on through. There are others that will pull out in front of someone when they have the right away driving through the circle. Drivers are so concerned about moving on that they do not carefully watch pedestrians at all. Roundabouts are only helpful when it has replaced a 4 way stop like it did on Rifle Range road. These intersections on Rifle Range were at Venning Road and Bowman. I lived off of Rifle Range for 10 years and used these roundabouts on a daily basis before moving to Daniel Island.”