Comments on: Roundabout proposed for Laburnum and Hermitage

By: North Richmond News » Check out the roundabout - Richmond, Virginia

North Richmond News » Check out the roundabout - Richmond, Virginia — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:46:03 +0000

[...] City of Richmond has made draft renditions of the proposed roundabout at Laburnum and Hermitage, and they can be found at our friendly neighborhood Bellevue Web. Posted here is a partial view of [...]

By: Peter Redstone

Peter Redstone — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:39:46 +0000

It was found in England that roundabouts reduce gas consumption and reduce accidents. You can run a red light or stop sign, but you MUST slow down at a traffic circle!

I am all for roundabouts, as long as they are properly signposted with yield signs at every entrance.

By: edg

edg — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:59:13 +0000

My one comment is that many people in Richmond do not seem to understand how to drive through a round-about, especially when making a left hand turn. I have been behind quite a few people who stop at the other lane’s red light after beginning the turn.

By: Jennifer Young

Jennifer Young — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:15:44 +0000

On Broad, I’d think the timing of the lights are set to calm traffic so people don’t fly down the streets at top speed. I wonder if any studies have been done on traffic circles vs. stoplights regarding speeding? Would be interesting to compare. I’d hate to see traffic increase on Laburnum. It’s a thoroughfare for most of us in the Northside, but it’s still a residential street.

By: J. Tyler Ballance

J. Tyler Ballance — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:56:46 +0000

These “traffic circles” are a great time and gas saving improvement, plus they can be very attractive if a fountain or garden is added to the middle.

We need more creative solutions to reduce our driving times. Less time on the road will equal less fuel consumed.

Back in the 1990s, Richmond experimented with the idea of switching the stoplights on main roads, on weekends, to flashing yellow and cross streets to flashing red. Apparently, there was no increase in collisions but the experiment was stopped at the direction of the City Manager, of that time. Can you imagine how easy a trip down broad street would be without having to wait at the many ill-timed lights? Even if this was done only on the major roads, this administrative step could save all of us a lot of time on off-peak driving (Weekends and after 7:00 PM).

We could also allow U-turns and Right Turn On Red at intersections during off-peak hours, rather than the full time prohibition at some of our intersections.

As for the General Assembly, they could pass the 5 cents per gallon gas tax increase right now, so that we could get started on transportation improvements that would pay us all back by reducing the amount of time for our daily commute. The impact of the gas tax increase, based on U.S. DOT average driving figures would only cost each driver, including out of state drivers who travel here, only $15.00 annually. This is a much lighter tax load than the nuisance of Tolls, or those stupid “abuser fees” or other schemes that turn law enforcement into revenue collection agents.

Send your ideas to your elected representatives on this issue, by email or by phone. But be sure to tell them to, just say NO to Tolls. Tolls cost us in time and efficiency, plus everyone benefits from roads and a lighter burden can be more easily shared by all drivers than a few.