This intersection was really dangerous and was completely devoid of any pedestrian accommodations before getting the roundabout facelift.
But that sliplane...WHYYYYY?
For real, why? Is there any legitimate* reason to include sliplanes in a roundabout?
*maintaining vehicular traffic flow does not qualify as legitimate
@DrTCombs as an added bad design bonus there is the North bound "bike lane" that only exists for 25ft or something before ramping onto the sidewalk. It looks very similar to the start of the slip lane, basically ensuring that an occasional car will ramp up onto the sidewalk when not paying attention.
@pimentoad yeah, that 'bike lane' is essentially a "we don't endorse the use of this intersection by people not in protective metal cages" disclaimer
@DrTCombs When I first glanced at this, I thought there was an additional lane on University Dr and that the slip lane connected with that (and it was installed due to traffic volume or something). Only after taking a closer look did I realize that there's literally two merges right next to each other into the same lane. Aside from the obvious risks for pedestrians, that also seems super dangerous for drivers!
@DrTCombs I'm sure there's a reason the roundabout has markings to tell people who didn't exit right that, as they continue, they can go either straight or left.
Which is also completely wrong if you think roundaboutly about it.
@DrTCombs Maybe it's a for real "oopsie" ? Like what do you do once they are out building it and you notice this redundant lane?
@pkw You are a generous soul.
@DrTCombs Oh to be clear I hate it! 😬
@pkw we could fix it would bollards and a permanent coffee stand...
@pkw actually we could probably fix a lot of things with bollards and a coffee stand
@DrTCombs Encouraging fast moving traffic to speed traffic flow is sadly what all the new roundabouts that #washington state DOT is doing in even fairly dense areas. It's maddening. The plans with what to do with a state surface highway & interstate interchange next to a light rail station: https://www.theurbanist.org/2022/03/07/shoreline-moves-ahead-with-highway-expansion-on-seattles-doorstep/
I was disappointed that the draft of the WA Target Zero Plan* kept the status quo for roundabouts. But 1 of the priority strategies is to remove R turn lanes & slip lanes. Why remove slip lanes but keep designing roundabouts as slip lanes??
2nd image shows the diff btwn North American & Dutch roundabouts: separated infra for all 3 modes & reasonable turning radii for cycles. Dutch = full roundabout. N.A. design only round at the very center.
*Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP)
@mmb yeah the designs here all seem to prioritize wide broad turning radii for motor vehicles (and winding pedestrian paths & rarely any bike specific path). that dutch example seems to force motor vehicles to make nearly a hard right angle to get into the roundabout with bike/peds offered a very intutive routing.
Seems so obviously a better choice in the Dutch version. 🤷♀️
Bellingham also defers to WSDOT.
@DrTCombs there is an intersection near where I am now (on a university campus) where two roads cross at an angle. When it was built, there were slip lanes to facilitate drivers turning right around the sharper angle. Since then, the university has built three new buildings on the opposite side of the intersection to the rest of the campus, and the slip lanes have been blocked off with unsightly concrete barriers...
@DrTCombs which at least make it much easier for the thousands of students and faculty (not exaggerating) to cross on foot.
That said, there are still idiot drivers who try to turn right against the sharper angle, despite the no-right-turn signs. I saw one who drove up onto the pedestrian waiting area (fortunately, no one was waiting there at the time) to turn right illegally because the angle was too sharp for their driving "skills".
First time I encountered the new version I was in a car, and was stunned at the lack of design cues telling me to slow down as I approached the slip lane.