New roundabout on Rutland Road

[2castanet]

Not sure who in the Ministry of Transport is responsible for designing a roundabout on this extremely busy intersection where big trucks will take up the whole roundabout and everyone who does not know how to use these will create such a bottleneck. They need to get out of the office and watch what happens at that corner in real life. I am predicting disaster!

[gman313]

LOL i'm sure you know more than everyone else

[spooker]

Why would you expect a lot of trucks to use this? Seems like trucks would want to use Edwards in the future to enter the area instead of Sexsmith ... historical usage doesn't necessarily mean that will continue to happen when the new roundabout is in place

[Bsuds]

Rutland Rd is a designated truck route so would be used heavily by them but I don't think the roundabout will cause a problem when used properly.

People are getting used to using them as more are built and they do let traffic move smoother.

Noe if we could only get some drivers to signal properly.

[Rwede]

Even the most basic city roundabouts are engineered to accommodate a 53 footer.

When I travel Europe and see the wonderfully functioning roundabouts there, then see the desperation and boo hoo here about them, I shake my head.

[Queen K]

Remember the "hooo hawww" up in Clearwater about a roundabout being installed on the highway? Businessmen claimed it would "confuse people and they wouldn't know how to use it."

Ya, no news stories come from there about trucks stuck in the roundabout for days.

And they won't happen here either.

[alanjh595]

I used the roundabout at Valley and Cross Rd. many times. I am astonished at how many tire tracks are all over the inner circle, and how close they are to the center of the island.

[lensbaby]

Not sure who in the Ministry of Transport is responsible for designing a roundabout on this extremely busy intersection where big trucks will take up the whole roundabout and everyone who does not know how to use these will create such a bottleneck. They need to get out of the office and watch what happens at that corner in real life. I am predicting disaster!

They work fine just everywhere else on the planet. Can't choose not to build it because some drivers don't know how to use them. Education and enforcement would soon take care of that.

[syron]

All Roundabouts are designed for truck traffic.
I predict that anyone who thinks they aren't designed for trucks doesn't know how to use a Roundabout.
The issues with the traffic/intersection is why a Roundabout is being installed.
Last time I checked there was a truck in Fire truck.
The irritating part is the completion date for the Roundabout was Oct. 31, 2017.

[Queen K]

Are you kidding? Have you seen the amount of time it's taking to finish ONE block on Ethel Street? What are they using? Spoons?

[AlienSoldier]

I love roundabouts! Helps me use up my old motorcycle tires and practice leaning.

[TylerM4]

Sorry to disagree OP but I think a roundabout in this location is a great idea. Trucks can indeed navigate them and everyone knows a roundabout is much more efficient than stop signs. Can't come soon enough.

[alanjh595]

I like the round-a-bout at cross and Valley, much better than a 4-way stop.

[Bpeep]

Not sure who in the Ministry of Transport is responsible for designing a roundabout on this extremely busy intersection where big trucks will take up the whole roundabout and everyone who does not know how to use these will create such a bottleneck. They need to get out of the office and watch what happens at that corner in real life. I am predicting disaster!

What do you think is a better alternative?

[LivinginKelowna]

Roundabouts are fantastic for moving traffic, there is no doubt about that.

There are some legitimate concerns though

The roundsbouts in this town are not large enough to accommodate effectively, trucks with more than one trailer. You see tracks over all of them simply because they are just that, not large enough.

The fear that I have regarding the proposed solution is when there is a red light at 97, the traffic is going to back all the way to the roundabout, then the people will be stopped and effectively trapped in it until the next green.

Before the westbound traffic on Old Vernon would be backed up past the CanAm building and the Northbound traffic on Rutland Road would be backed up to, and sometimes past Commercial. Now we will be funneling all of the traffic onto Old Vernon and I think it will be to the roundabout.