02-04-2021, 04:53 PM
(02-04-2021, 03:58 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:Quote:As stated in the recent CycleWR State of the Network meeting, they wanted to build crossrides in the roundabout but provincial regulations don't allow them to.
This makes no sense. How far from the roundabout does the crossing have to be before it isn’t part of the roundabout but just a crosswalk, not affected by roundabout regulations? What if you had the roundabout pedestrian crossing, then a 1m gap, then a crossride-equipped crosswalk?
I am not certain there is a specific number here, but I don't think engineers are looking for loopholes. I know they asked the province directly if they would authorize it on a trial basis and they were told no.
There is also harm in moving the crossings away from the roundabout as it increases the travel time for pedestrians, and increase the danger (midblock crossings are more dangerous because the traffic is moving faster, and especially so when somewhat near intersections because traffic may not be visible).
FWIW it doesn't matter anyway, there is currently no way to give cyclists right of way at ANY midblock crossing without putting a traffic control device such as a traffic signal or stop sign on the road that is being crossed. This, I believe, is fixed in the upcoming update to Book 18, but not the roundabout.
In my opinion, the city would have benefitted more, spending the money to reconstruct the geometry of the roundabout, by tightening up the turns and narrowing the lanes, rather than adjusting the crossings in the...in my opinion, fairly minor way they did. I believe that would have made a more meaningful impact on safety, and more truely represented the "dutchness" of dutch roundabouts.
While I have not made secret of a certain level of disdain I have for the traffic engineering profession, I happen to know the engineers and staff involved in the roundabout and unlike most engineers and planners I have encountered, I believe they were doing their best to make a safe and prioritized environment for pedestrians, as well as to push the boundaries of their profession. Although I may still from time to time disagree with their conclusions, I don't question their motives or efforts.