Re: “Hall St. project to be completed by fall 2017”
A roundabout is an excellent solution for the challenging intersection of Hall and Lakeside. I have been driving in Canada for 50 years and after five years of driving in New Zealand I have come to appreciate the significant advantages of roundabouts. In New Zealand, and many other countries around the world, roundabouts are the norm, replacing the use of most stop signs and many stop lights.
With roundabouts traffic flows more smoothly and safely. A driver only needs to look in one direction to see if he/she can proceed through the intersection. At a roundabout, it is perfectly clear who has the right of way. No matter from which direction a driver approaches a roundabout, coming to a complete stop is not required if there are no other vehicles in the roundabout.
Traffic flows more smoothly with fewer unnecessary stops, thus conserving energy. A roundabout at Hall and Lakeside will be a significant improvement to traffic flow at this corner. Another corner that would benefit from the use of a roundabout is Baker and Vernon. Hurray for the end of challenging three and four-way stops.
Paul Major, Nelson