SUE'S BLOG...
January 27, 2011
Traffic Circles
For the last number of weeks, I’ve been hearing about safety concerns related to two traffic circles in the Churchill Meadows community of Ward 10. These are located at Freshwater Dr./Tacc Dr. and Freshwater Dr./Escada Dr. Walkers and drivers seem to be unsure about the best way to navigate these traffic circles and this confusion is not something we want on our streets. I’m taking these concerns very seriously and want to update you on the situation.
A traffic circle is meant to serve as a traffic calming measure for motorists and at the same time keep the flow of traffic moving, as opposed to a traditional all-way stop. It works best when the amount of traffic (both driving and walking) remains relatively low. Because these two traffic circles are located in close proximity to schools, the volume of traffic is significantly high enough at certain times of the day that we need to consider a better way to protect everyone, and especially our walkers. We’ve already had members of Traffic Safety Council and other city officials out to inspect these intersections and are in the process of making some recommendations for improvement.
One of the options I first considered was to hold one or more information sessions in the community to help residents understand how to use the traffic circles properly. However, since our inspections, I am recommending that the traffic circles be removed and replaced with all-way stops and zebra striping to clearly mark the crosswalks.
It is my hope that these two traffic circles will be removed within the next six months. In the meantime, city staff will be adding signs at the circles to help motorists properly drive through them. As well, they will be removing the trees in the centres of the circles to provide better visibility for drivers and walkers.
For now, here a few tips to consider:
When a driver approaches the traffic circle, they should slow down and give way (yield) to any vehicles on their left that have already entered the circle. Motorists making a right or left turn should signal their intention as they approach the traffic circle. Do not signal if you are going straight.
Pedestrians crossing at a traffic circle should do the following:
- treat it as a mid-block crossing—that is, only cross when there are no vehicles approaching or entering the traffic circle;
- cross at the point where the sidewalk meets up with the edge of the roadway, which is usually a few metres away from the edge of the circle;
- never cross diagonally to the centre of the circle;
- as always, make eye contact with any motorist before entering the roadway.
If you have questions or comments about the traffic circles—or any other matter—please contact me.