Hello out there in SeeClickFix land.
After writing the article on the Gilbert Road intersection with State Route 29 (Lake Avenue) for Monday's SeeClickFix article (Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner Richard Wirth adds Gilbert Road/Route 29 junction to list of intersections to address), I received this e-mail from another concerned citizen:

Allow me to add my concerns about the intersection of Gilbert Rd. and Rt. 29. As a resident of the Meadowbrook Area, we travel to the Wilton Mall area, almost daily. It is almost impossible to get from Gilbert Rd. to Weible at the "offset" intersection at Rt. 29, unless some sympathetic driver allows you "in" at Rt. 29. This intersection is exacerbated by two "green turn arrows" at the Rt. 29 and Weible intersection signal.

When all is "clear", traffic bursts out of Weible on the Green Arrow.

I have had so many "near misses" that I now go past Gilbert, to Henning Rd, (longer but safer) and enter Rt. 29 at the Henning Signal. Then turn right toward Weible and safely make the left turn since the signal is on Rt. 29 at Weible.

John Ginley
10 Winding Brook Dr.

When I spoke to Commissioner Richard Wirth, he agreed to work on getting me -- and thus you -- a follow-up story with some reports on these intersections and concerns that have been expressed to him over the last couple months through this continuing series. "Nothing is being ignored," he said, adding that as soon as the city's traffic safety control officer, Mark Benacquista, gets some free time to evaluate the issues. He has, in the past, generated reports specifically for the SeeClickFix users.
I'll keep at it, though, and make sure some there is a conclusion to some of these SeeClickFix complaints.

After writing the article in response to SeeClickFix complaints about the intersection of Circular Street, Whitney Place and Park Place, I received an interesting e-mail from Pennsylvania Department of Transportation civil engineer Abram VanElswyk (I didn't think our circulation was so far reaching. Thank you internet), who suggested a different type of roundabout. Here are the contents of the e-mail which I have forwarded to Mark Benacquista, Dep. Commissioner Frank Dudla and Commissioner Richard Wirth:

Lucian –

I read with interest your article from yesterday regarding the issues at the Circular/Whitney/Park Place intersection, specifically the City Traffic Control Supervisor’s comments that a roundabout wouldn’t work there.

I checked out the site and do see how a typical roundabout could have negative right-of-way impacts. However, one option I wanted to call your and Mr. Benacquista’s attention to is a mini-roundabout. The primary difference between a regular roundabout and a mini is that the center of a mini is “traversable” (you can drive over it), which lets you make the roundabout smaller - cars go around like normal, and anything larger than an SUV or a Uhaul truck just bumps over the middle, which has a soft curb.

Here’s Federal Highway’s page on mini roundabouts: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/roundabouts/fhwasa10007/

I’ve also attached a rough sketch showing how a pair of minis (one 70’ diameter, one 60’) might work at the Circular/Whitney/Park Place intersection.


I was not able to find email contact information for Mr. Benacquista, so if you would forward this message on to him it would be greatly appreciated.


Regards,

Abram VanElswyk | Civil Engineer Transportation
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Bureau of Project Delivery | Highway Quality Assurance Division
400 North Street | Harrisburg PA 17210
Phone: 717.705.8535 | Fax: 717.705.2379
www.dot.state.pa.us

He attached this picture of his suggestion:



Also here is a copy of the report prepared by Benacquista:
Circular@Park Whitney