COCHRANE— With the opening of the Jack Tennant Bridge on Thursday (Oct. 15), navigating roundabouts has become a necessity for anyone heading east over the Bow River.
Cst. Jennifer Brewer said people should feel confident navigating roundabouts as long as they are following traffic rules.
“In Cochrane, there are not as many as elsewhere,” Brewer said. “Some people just don’t have that exposure and they get that anxiety and they get that fear.”
Since the Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge officially opened to the public, Brewer said, there has been an increased interest in safely navigating roundabouts.
For many people, the roundabouts on the east side of the bridge may be a first-time experience or they may have had limited exposure to traffic circles prior to using them.
“When you’re afraid to drive then maybe you shouldn’t drive,” Brewer said. “We want you not to be afraid of roundabouts because we don’t want that anxiety to interfere with how you are handling the road.”
When approaching a traffic circle a simple motto can help drivers navigate entering the intersection, “right is right,” Brewer said. She explained, roundabouts are different in comparison to traffic lights and stop signs because drivers must always yield to the person on the left.
Roundabouts are always merged into from the right-hand side regardless of it is a double lane or single lane, she said, and when leaving a traffic circle the driver always exits from the right-hand side.
“In a traffic circle you want to enter to the right,” Brewer said. “If you enter to the left you’re going to be going the wrong way.”
Brewer said when approaching a roundabout a vehicle moving into the circle always yields to the vehicle on the left who is already in the roundabout.
For those looking to exit a circle, she said it is critical to use the signal light to indicate which exit they will be using.
“When you are in a single lane roundabout and you don’t need that first exit make sure you turn your signal light off when you are in the roundabout,” Brewer said. “When you know which exit you want turn it on just before that exit so people know what you’re doing.”
If navigating a double lane traffic circle follow the markings on the road and ensure you are in the lane you need to exit.
“The signal light is your best friend,” Brewer said. “You want to definitely make sure you’re using that signal light so everyone around you knows what’s your doing— Make sure it's activated at the appropriate time.”
In a statement to The Cochrane Eagle manager of Municipal Enforcement for the Town of Cochrane Sgt. Frank Borsos said roundabouts serve as a way to help keep the community safe by slowing traffic down and keeping vehicles moving.
"These are alternatives to intersections and 90-degree angle collisions that can happen at these intersections," he said. "They improve safety of all road users and it is important that everyone is following the rules of the road."
