Dear editor:
I am pleased to see some interest being expressed in our local papers on the use of traffic roundabouts.
The use of the modern roundabout design really is a superior system to improving traffic flow.
Go to Alberta Transportation’s website, as it cites a U.S. study that found modern roundabouts have “…more than 90 per cent reduction in fatalities, 80 per cent reduction in injuries and 40 per cent reduction in total number of crashes”. It also notes in modern roundabouts “…traffic moves at slower speeds, there are fewer conflict points for pedestrians and motorists, reduced potential for right angle (a.k.a. T-bone) collisions and the elimination of head-on and high-speed collisions”.
They are less expensive to build, maintain and they move vehicles more efficiently than lights. Much of the world currently enjoys the benefits of these systems already. According to Wikipedia modern roundabouts are “…commonplace throughout the world, in particularly Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, …and the United Kingdom. Half of the world’s roundabouts are in France (more than 30,000 as of 2008)”.
The Highway 8 and 22 intersection uses a roundabout very successfully as well as Cochrane’s Fireside development. Canmore and Calgary are beginning to use them as well.
There is a cheaper, safer and more traffic movement friendly system than installing lights at too many intersections like we have done in Cochrane.
In the short distance of approximately three blocks from Griffin Road to 1st Street West, there are five sets of lights.
To leave West Valley, there are six sets to travel east on 1A or five to head south to the Trans-Canada Highway.
“Let there be light” has become “let there be lights”.
Ken Parker
