WISDOT: No Roundabouts on 27th Street

Greg Kowalski at Franklin Today reports that the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has decided against roundabouts for 27th Street. Given the Fed-level priority placed on placing roundabouts whenever possible, one can only hope that the reasons given in the the WISDOT letter are indeed relevant; while a time-saving, safety-enhancing feature in many instances, roundabouts are certainly not appropriate everywhere.

For the record: The City Franklin did not, to my knowledge, offer any encouragement whatsoever to make roundabouts a part of 27th Street. This will be something to remember when the bills for signal light installation and maintainence arrive, and also when we read yet again about a drunk driver who is conveyed effortlessly through wide streets and into a residential area where he or she can do some real damage.

Meanwhile, Franklin adds to its enforced-by-"planning" reputation as a drive-thru city.

Comments

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawl5AAQ0elCFzOSRj6zoZ5aP6_1ME9I_xeI]

Hmm. I would like to hear their reasons too.

Food for thought... you mention that roundabouts aren't for everywhere.... do you think that
1) that means that street lights have a place or,
2) another passive control device is available that could be used instead?

[John Michlig]

1) I think street lights certainly have their place. It's insane to make a blanket assertion that each and every intersection should be made into a roundabout.

2) The problem with passive control devices in suburbs like Franklin/Oak Creek is that these suburbs have actively promoted FAST and UNIMPEDED driving for as long as they've been in existence; it seems to be a point of pride for the average suburban engineering staff that you can basically get from one side of town to the other while blindfolded. Changing a culture of pedestrians-be-damned car movement will be tough, to say the least.

For instance: I've been privy to the boasts of at least FOUR Franklin municipal leaders that they get through the mini-roundabout near the Wyndham Target at between 35 and 40 mph. If they're saying that in the presence of a guy that they know has a blog, what are they boasting about when they're sure they are completely off the record?