Flagler County officials are alerting residents that Old Kings Road will be closed at U.S. 1 by the Florida Agricultural Museum beginning Monday for several months to accommodate road construction there. There is a marked detour at Matanzas Woods Parkway that motorists are instructed to use.
Alliant Engineering designed the roundabout, which has been approved by the Florida Department of Transportation, for the developer of Sawmill Creek, D. R. Horton, according to Wimpée. The project should take about four months to complete.
Sawmill Creek and Sawmill Branch are part of the Palm Coast Park Development of Regional Impact, a sprawling development plan that encompasses 4,700 acres and several planned subdivision going up west of U.S. 1, from Palm Coast Parkway to Old Kings Road. Saw Mill will have over 1,000 homes at build-out. The developer is required to build a “spine road” that runs the length of he subdivisions, up to U.S. 1. The Palm Coast planning board approved a plan that includes that spine road this week.
“Phase 1 of the roundabout will be put in place,” said Alliant Engineering Southeast Region Vice President Curt Wimpée. “Notification signs have been up for a couple of weeks.
U.S. 1 in Flagler County has roundabouts at Matanzas Woods Parkway and at Old Dixie Highway, both of which have vastly improved traffic safety. Both locations were among the most prone to be the site of crashes with fatalities. Since the roundabouts have been built, only one fatality has been recorded–at the Old Dixie roundabout–and was attributed to a speeder who failed to negotiate a turn.
TR says
Roundabouts that have been installed are the dumbest ones I have ever seen. First of all they (the rocket scientists) that BS whoever they had to to get approval on them haven’t got a clue on the way they are to be used. They could have gotten the same results by putting in a traffic signal which would have cost a lot less and wouldn’t disrupt traffic during the installation. But instead they used a bunch of BS to allow them to install roundabout which costs thousands more. Does anyone know exactly how to use a roundabout? Most people do not. The number one reason I say they are dumb is because they are way to small in order to be used the proper way.
I remember way back when there was a major uproar about the US-1 and Seminole Woods Pkwy intersection. Accidents all the time and pedestrians on bikes getting hit and the solution was to install a traffic signal. Guess what it worked out great ever since they installed the traffic light and was a lot cheaper and took less time. So now there will be two dumb roundabouts withing what 1 1 /2 miles of each other? Wonder who’s getting a major kickback on this deal? Also why is this the first time we’re hearing about it? Three days before construction is to start. Not everyone travels that stretch of US1 all the time.
Reneé Schneider says
TR I totally agree with you!
RS says
I disagree with TS. Traffic circles are great and keep traffic moving. Very glad to hear they are installing more vs lights which slow everything down for no good reason and lead to more accidents.
dave says
Roundabouts/traffic circles an accident waiting to happen. The traffic circle US-1 and Old Dixie. Nobody yields, it’s whomever has the guts to just try. I’ve seen so many near misses,and those on a motorcycle ( crotch rockets) some think its a road race course and buzz on through. Big trucks almost come to a stop, yeah, others just keep driving hoping you ( who has the right of way) let them through before you. Where are the local sheriff’s, forget marked police cars, get out there and hide and watch. Sure traffic circles can work, but first people the actual drivers need to understand how to use them.
Crystal Lang says
TR I agree with you. Where I came from some of the roundabouts were taken out and street lights were put in, I believe the reason was too many accidents. What is happening? Prior to moving here permanently on our visits I could not wait, there was hardly any traffic. Our friends took us on PCP during the day and he was complaining about the traffic, my husband and I looked at each other, if this is traffic then we are 100% in. Didn’t take long for us to regret that statement. Now I don’t want to leave my house half the time so sad… As for the roundabout I don’t know why you need one to get to the other side of the road. I believe the roundabout at Matanzas Woods was built before Sawmill Creek so how can they say this roundabout helped with traffic? WHAT TRAFFIC????? I agree traffic lights work better and are safer and traffic lights can be timed for perhaps during overnight when there are only a few cars on the road (ROUNDABOUTS ARE NOT SAFE PERIOD) they do not belong in Palm Coast perhaps bigger cities but not Palm Coast give me a break. What we really need on this side of town are more stores and more restaurants Domino’s just don’t cut it for me. We do not need more houses. I hope and pray that all these houses that are being built sit there and rot out and the builders along with their leader go broke. And TR, I’m sorry but the number one reason you say they are dumb is because of the size, no that is not it they are dumb because they are UNSAFE and I’m a taxpayer like everyone else and I for one do not want another roundabout..
TR says
The DOT doesn’t care about the safety of a roundabout or how many accidents there will be. They only care about who many people die in those accidents. So this leads me to another thought. If you think that the roundabouts are unsafe (as I do as well) then the DOT is helping the insurance companies because there will be more accidents with a roundabout then with a traffic signal.
BTW, I also lived in a state up north that spent Billions butting roundabouts on a road just like US1 and 5 years after the last one was finished (there were 4 total) they took them all out and put in traffic signals. What a waste of time and money and maybe the rocket scientists from up north that pushed then through up there, moved down here and is doing the same thing. Wonder how much money the powers to be are getting in the form of a kick back?
Crystal Lang says
RS, I totally disagree with you. Roundabouts are dangerous. Maybe they work and keep traffic moving in Europe where they originated from but here in the US or let me say Palm Coast they are a danger to everyone driving. When Sawmill in completed the folks who will be living in the community are working folks all leaving around the same time. Do you honestly think a roundabout is going to keep that line coming out of the community moving. I don’t think so….. Will a traffic light keep traffic moving? I would say yes and as an added bonus they are much more safer and CHEAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RS says
They are safer and cheaper in the long term but yes have more upfront costs – I know facts are difficult to accept but dems the brakes. We need more of them not lights. This is a good thing for our city.
https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/issues/magazine-issue/article/2021/03/modern-roundabouts-boost-traffic-safety-and-efficiency
dave says
Just wanted to add, for those people that do not understand how to navigate a roundabout / traffic circle and who has the right of way. FDOT: Drivers entering a roundabout must yield to traffic already in the roundabout. If there are no vehicles in the roundabout you may enter without yielding. Do not change lanes in a roundabout. Use your turn signal to indicate you are exiting a roundabout, do not stop in the roundabout; do not pass other vehicles; use turn signal to exit the roundabout to the right; yield to pedestrians crossing the exit lane; allow emergency vehicles to pass. IMPORTANT : vehicles within the roundabout have the RIGHT OF WAY,
Crystal Lang says
It’s been a while since I took a driving test and or written test I don’t remember anything about roundabouts. Does the driving schools teach you how to navigate the roundabout, is it on the written test I honestly don’t remember. The young folks getting their drivers license are they taught how to use roundabouts and who has the right a way. All I see is yield signs that don’t mean anything. I actually go miles out of my way to avoid that deadly encounter. About two months ago I went to the gas station store on the other side of the roundabout, I went when it was my turn and all I have to say is thank God I’m a cautious driver and actually stopped , as I was in my lane going around a very small pick up truck was coming in the opposite direction and blew pass me without yielding and I’m not going to say what the sign on the truck said but down the road to the left on the right side where all the new KB Homes are going that is where he put his turning signal on. Need I say more. My guess is getting to that construction site was more important than the safety of the other drivers. That was the last time I used the roundabout.
Tom Thumb says
Get over yourself.