Homer Watson and Ottawa Three Lane Roundabouts

[Viewfromthe42]

Traffic from those bypasses can only be right turns, so it doesn't help through or left turns from any smaller road intersecting a larger road at a roundabout.

[SammyOES2]

It still helps.  It allows the section of the through/left lanes that come after the right turn lane separates to be full of cars going left and through (instead of having the turn-right cars sprinkled through).  That increases the throughput of cars going left/straight because: 1. the cars turning right aren't competing with them to go straight 2. the cars turning right are slower to accelerate and clear the way then cars going straight/left.

Edit: Maybe a better way of saying it is that in the current set-up, a small gap could let three cars go simultaneously.  2 left/through and 1 right.  But if you didn't have that right turn lane, a small gap would only let 2 cars go.

[Canard]

I took this photo during the Airport's open house, and this section shows pretty clearly how the bypass lane works (look at the wear marks in the roundabout):

   

(this is at Conestoga Mall)

[GtwoK]

Out of curiosity - it it illegal to NOT use the bypass, if available?

[KevinT]

I took this photo during the Airport's open house, and this section shows pretty clearly how the bypass lane works (look at the wear marks in the roundabout):



(this is at Conestoga Mall)

The bypass lane at Conestoga Mall merges nicely though, and the ones at Alpine and Ottawa are practically 90 degree standard stop sign turns.  They don't move well at all.  :-(

[Markster]

Yeah, it's a weird design, those jughandle rights. I think it might be a local planning reaction to the briefly-3-lane roundabout at Block Line, where people were getting confused about what lanes they needed to be in.

If you separate the right-turning traffic out from the intersection, then it's very hard for them to do something completely stupid. And I guess this way, people turning right don't have to be confused by watching traffic curve around the roundabout, and can just watch a more familiar stream as if they're at a T-intersection.

[robdrimmie]

Historically traffic from Alpine onto Homer Watson backed up a lot (as far back as the Kia dealership in extreme cases) in the mornings, because the stretch of Ottawa from Alpine to Homer Watson would be completely full (often going as far back as Strausberg). Most of the traffic was to get onto the highway, which was on the other side of Homer Watson.

With the changes to how the highway is accessed and exited and the switch to roundabouts it seems like traffic flows a lot more smoothly from Alpine, but I've avoided the roundabouts when biking and the 11 doesn't go that way currently. My very uneducated guess would be that the bypass lane is not strictly required but since a lot of traffic in theory will be coming from Fischer Hallman direction along Ottawa and turning left at the Alpine roundabout to get onto the highway, the bypass will be moderately helpful.

If the 11 goes back to its old route (getting to Ottawa along Flint and Alpine from Kingswood), then it will probably be the most benefitted, until the route gets shuttered.

[Markster]

Historically traffic from Alpine onto Homer Watson backed up a lot (as far back as the Kia dealership in extreme cases) in the mornings, because the stretch of Ottawa from Alpine to Homer Watson would be completely full (often going as far back as Strausberg). Most of the traffic was to get onto the highway, which was on the other side of Homer Watson.

With the changes to how the highway is accessed and exited and the switch to roundabouts it seems like traffic flows a lot more smoothly from Alpine, but I've avoided the roundabouts when biking and the 11 doesn't go that way currently.

It's really interesting, to wonder how many people will choose to use the Alpine access to the highway. Volume on the Ottawa ramp will go down for sure.

[Smore]

Let's allow all lanes to open before we pass judgement on the design....

[Smore]

Isn't Ottawa ramp closing?

[KevinL]

No, both ramps will remain open. The Ottawa ramp was closed briefly during roadwork, but that was never meant to be permanent.

[Markster]

We spent 2 years talking about this in the General thread instead of the already-existing thread for this project!

I've moved all the relevant posts here, so we can have discussion (and all the pretty pictures) in one place!

[Coke6pk]

Out of curiosity - it it illegal to NOT use the bypass, if available?

Ive noticed quite a few right hand turns from e/b Homer Watson to s/b Ottawa thru the roundabout and not the by-pass.  Recently there seems to be a bit higher traffic in the bypass and no traffic in the lane that moves into the roundabout, hence it being a faster option... [and you then have priority over those waiting in the bypass lane waiting to yield].  I assume as traffic increases this will no longer be the case.

There are no lane markings/designations yet (as its 1 lane everywhere), so there is nothing to be deemed illegal.  If that lane becomes marked as a straight ahead lane, technically you could be cited for "lane change not in safety" or "Disobey sign".

Coke

[myfaceisonfire]

The Homer Watson SB to Ottawa WB bypass is a crock...my wife drives it daily and traffic is CONSTANTLY backed up, sometimes well north of Hwy 7.  Most people just go straight through now and "bypass" the bypass, much quicker.  Unfortunately this comes at the expense of those drivers stuck in the bypass as their turn ends up being preempted by those that elect to go this route.  

Is it fully open now?  I haven't done it myself since it has (if it has) so maybe things will improve once all lanes are open.

[boatracer]

It isn't fully open. Only a single lane through/around both circles.