Menards Subdivision (NWC 204th & West Dodge)

[almighty_tuna]

There are signs at the roundabouts for the people who were sick on roundabout day at drivers ed...

Right?! How is this so complicated??

[djc311]

There are signs at the roundabouts for the people who were sick on roundabout day at drivers ed...


Screenshot 2025-04-25 144428.jpg

Ah - makes total sense now!

[TitosBuritoBarn]

On one hand, you have the "cheaters" that follow the car in front of them and drive right through without waiting their turn. This is going to lead to accidents... it's like a mini road rage session. I've witnessed on multiple occasions someone honk at the cheat car only to get flipped off by the cheater themselves. It seems like the worst culprits are those traveling north or south... they just blast right through it, even saw one guy jump the curb because he didn't make the curve correctly.

Roundabouts don't have "turns" to take. They're not like a four-way stop. Entering cars must yield until they can safely enter, regardless of how many cars they need to wait for. There are not "cheaters" if they can safely enter the intersection without the risk of a car hitting them.

Traffic engineers are great and all, but I would have much rather have seen a light be installed than a circle. Maybe most people don't have enough momentum to kill other drivers, but it's going to lead to accidents for sure

Yeah. There will be crashes regardless of the style of intersection there. Human error cannot be fully factored out of any type of intersection. And what it sounds like you're saying is that you'd prefer to risk death or severe injury by having an intersection style people are used to over a minor injury from an intersection style that will require people to adapt.

So what you're saying is if you approach a roundabout and there are 25 cars stacked up to the immediate left (yes, like a corner), and you're there after that line of cars got there, then all 25 of those cars deserve the right to go first? Who decides who goes? That logic suggests that as long as all 25 cars continue to follow one another, then the lone car to the right has to wait it out. If that's the case, then that's even goofier than I thought.

What’s goofy about that? How’s that different than a two-way stop or a signal controlled intersection? However, your scenario does sound like an extreme case whete a roundabout would not be warranted. Usually if that’s what’s going to happen on a typical basis they will not put in a roundabout. They will instead use a different style of traffic control.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

On one hand, you have the "cheaters" that follow the car in front of them and drive right through without waiting their turn. This is going to lead to accidents... it's like a mini road rage session. I've witnessed on multiple occasions someone honk at the cheat car only to get flipped off by the cheater themselves. It seems like the worst culprits are those traveling north or south... they just blast right through it, even saw one guy jump the curb because he didn't make the curve correctly.

Roundabouts don't have "turns" to take. They're not like a four-way stop. Entering cars must yield until they can safely enter, regardless of how many cars they need to wait for. There are not "cheaters" if they can safely enter the intersection without the risk of a car hitting them.

Traffic engineers are great and all, but I would have much rather have seen a light be installed than a circle. Maybe most people don't have enough momentum to kill other drivers, but it's going to lead to accidents for sure

Yeah. There will be crashes regardless of the style of intersection there. Human error cannot be fully factored out of any type of intersection. And what it sounds like you're saying is that you'd prefer to risk death or severe injury by having an intersection style people are used to over a minor injury from an intersection style that will require people to adapt.

Given the fact kids are taught green means go and red means stop before they can ride a bike, I would say people should understand the concept of an intersection with lights. If you want to assume roundabouts prevent 100% fatalities, I imagine there's documented proof that's not true. Take for example the accident a couple of years ago that took place at 192nd & F St. Guy blew through the intersection going probably over 100mph, drunk... would a roundabout have stopped him from driving that stupid? Hard to say - my guess is he would have launched it and hurt someone.

For the little I use the intersection at 192nd & Giles, it's extremely apparent people are completely ignoring the right away or "rules" of how to use the roundabout. I assume there's lower risk of fatalities, however if it's going to result in significantly more frequent accidents or perhaps road rage incidents that continue to be escalating to ridiculous levels (see here for reference from this week: https://www.ketv.com/article/iowa-crime ... t/64565871).

We will see what transpires from the 192nd & Giles roundabout once the middle school opens in August. In retrospect, the Menards cluster could have been avoided had better planning been implemented to begin with. Which, TBH, shouldn't have been difficult. All of that development has occurred in the past 10-15 years, not in the 1980s-1990s. It should have been somewhat predictable as to what could happen. The roundabout was not a day 1 solution at Menards - this is the "fix" after all of the traffic problems arose (at Menards).

I do feel roundabouts on streets where the speed limit is lower (perhaps 25-35mph) they may be more effective. At 192nd, it's 45mph until you hit the roundabout. People approach it often times at high speed and they whip around the circle like they don't need to slow down.

Surprised there's such an argument that this is the best thing since sliced bread... I don't feel it is (IMO).

I don’t assume they’re fatality free. My point is that the more likely scenario is a less severe consequence when a crash does occur. However if all drivers approach a roundabout at speed, they’re going to have a bad time. People adapt. Like anything new you get used to it.

Planners and engineers do study these things extensively. We’re not proposing things willy nilly.

[Stan]

All those Elkornians needing to get to Menards faster.

[Brad]

The roundabout is now open!