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Roundabout at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Will Save Lives, But Resistance Is Expected

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The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 is intended to drastically reduce the number of severe crashes at one of the county's most dangerous intersections. Two other such roundabouts are proposed for other dangerous intersections in Flagler. Click on the image for larger view. (DOT)
The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 is intended to drastically reduce the number of severe crashes at one of the county’s most dangerous intersections. Two other such roundabouts are proposed for other dangerous intersections in Flagler. Click on the image for larger view.
(DOT)

Palm Coast and Flagler County residents are not exactly strangers to roundabouts. There are two of them in Palm Coast’s Town center, and though traffic is low there, neither roundabout has been the scene of a critical or fatal crash for the decade and a half they’ve been there.


That’s saying something significant about the devices’ safety, their chief selling point and the reason Florida’s Department of Transportation is increasingly taking to roundabouts, and why it’s hosting a much-anticipated public hearing this evening at 5:30 p.m. in Bunnell (at the Community Baptist Church, 956 S. Old Dixie Highway) to unveil its plan for a roundabout at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway, one of the most dangerous intersections in the county.

Thanks in large part to Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly’s pressure on state and county officials for some kind of rapid action to improve safety there, that roundabout will be under construction in July or August, according to tonight’s presentation, obtained by FlaglerLive. (See the full presentation below.)

The transportation department is also in the design phase of roundabouts at the intersection of State Road 11 and County Road 304, better known as Cody’s Corner, as well as at U.S. 1 and Matanzas Woods Parkway, both also among the most dangerous, crash-ridden intersections in the county.

The history of the intersection of U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway is written in shards, twisted metal, broken limbs and lost lives. Last year alone, one crash took five lives in a single car, another ended the life of a biker, and several resulted in lost limbs and lives altered forever by injury and trauma. The certainty about that intersection is that unless it changes character, nothing is going to change about its lethality. That’s where the roundabout comes in. Like all roundabouts, it is intended to improve traffic safety, reduce fatalities, and improve traffic flow on U.S. 1. The roundabout will calm traffic by reducing speeds but keep traffic flowing: there are no traffic lights. Landscaping will elevate the central island, thus reducing headlight glare at night.

The transportation department says roundabouts reduce fatalities by 90 percent and injuries by 68 percent. Those aren’t modest numbers. They reflect the drastic reduction of typical points of conflict at intersections—from 32 conflict points at regular intersections, with each of those points a potential point of impact between cars, to just eight conflict points. The numbers beg the question: why aren’t there more roundabouts?

The sort of deadly crashes roundabouts are intended to prevent: last February, five people were killed in one car in a three-vehicle crash at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie. Click on the image for larger view. (© FlaglerLive)
The sort of deadly crashes roundabouts are intended to prevent: last February, five people were killed in one car in a three-vehicle crash at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie. Click on the image for larger view. (© FlaglerLive)
The question isn’t posed as much in the Northeast, where they’re more frequent or in Europe, where they’re everywhere: it’s possible to travel dozens of miles across semi-urban areas in Europe and not once encounter a traffic light. Roundabouts not only improve flow by reducing stop-and-go traffic, but reduce wear and tear on vehicles and help the environment by reducing fuel burning wasted at red lights. Further, roundabouts diminish taxpayers’ costs not just in the deployment of first responders, but in the reduction of intersection maintenance costs for traffic devices and electricity.

Yet roundabouts in the South can trigger much hostility, usually from people not used to them. That hostility is likely to be heard this evening.

“I think that they’re going to hear a mixed response in the community on their planned solution,” Staly said in an interview this morning. He has his own reservations about roundabouts, but he’s not opposed. “I’m a common-sense sheriff, but I’m not a traffic engineer, so while I think the traffic light is the best way to go, and less expensive, I’ll defer to FDOT because they’re the experts on traffic engineering, and I’ll thank them for moving it up from a 20-21 schedule to a 2018 schedule.” The roundabout had originally been slated for development in 2021.

“No telling how many lives will be saved with a solution that didn’t wait another three years,” Staly said. “And I’m glad I was able to use the office of the sheriff to try to push FDOT to take this intersection as a serious problem.”

“It looks like the philosophy is, we know we’re still going to have wrecks, but let’s make them not as severe.”

The problem results from an intersection with four different roads and a bar’s busy parking lot often frequented by bikers all converging on a single intersection: there’s U.S. 1 running north and south with traffic usually blowing well past the 55 mph speed limit, there’s Old Dixie Highway ending at U.S. 1 from the east, there’s County Road 305 ,merging into Old Dixie Highway just a few steps from U.S. 1, creating a situation with two successive stop signs and adding to the confusion, there is the White Eagle Lounge parking lot that stretches within the triangle of U.S. 1, Old Dixie and 325, and, a very short distance to the north, there is Trojan Road, also ending at U.S. 1. If someone was intentionally designing a trick-ridden, dangerous intersection, this would be a textbook example.

The proposed roundabout will no, longer have 325 intersecting with Old Dixie. Rather, both those roads will separately merge into the roundabout, but traffic flowing from either of the smaller roads onto U.S. 1 will no longer T-bone into it. It will instead merge in a curve, and eastbound traffic will be clearly split from westbound traffic by islands and markings. If someone is coming from Old Dixie and looking to make a turn to go south onto U.S. 1, that driver will first have to merge right into the roundabout, circle most of its distance, then flow into the southbound lanes of U.S. 1. There may be some hazardous points of contact, as with traffic emerging from Old Dixie to make a northbound turn onto U.S. 1: there could be some conflict with traffic driving north on U.S. 1 and looking to make a right on 325. And it’s not yet clear from the plan the transportation department provided how the parking lot of the White Eagle Lounge plays into the flows. It appears that the parking lot will no longer have direct access onto U.S. 1, but would have to flow traffic to 325 or to Trojan Road first.

The full median opening at Trojan Road and U.S. 1 will be closed, but a median opening 900 feet north of the intersection will be modified to allow for U-turns, which are safer than direct left turns as the transportation department says they reduce fatalities by 27 percent and crash rates by 18 percent.

“It seems to me that what DOT is focusing more on,” Staly said, “is to lower the likelihood of fatalities, which is obviously good, and lower the number of injuries, so it looks like the philosophy is, we know we’re still going to have wrecks, but let’s make them not as severe. That’s the impression I have.”

The entire project extends half a mile north and south of Old Dixie Highway on U.S. 1. And none of it will need additional right-of-way acquisition, nor will the East Florida Railroad line be affected.

 “It’s like any other things, there’s benefits and there’s disadvantages for anything you do,” says Faith al-Khatib, the Flagler County Engineer. “For me it’s very hard to say, I’m used to these roundabouts, using them in Europe and the Middle East. I feel it’ll work out.” It’ll be a matter of educating drivers, al-Khatib said. “I heard there’s a lot of people against them. I don’t know if it’s change, or if they have some kind of bad experience, maybe it was a wrong design, so it’ll be real interesting to listen to the community tonight.”

It’s all about design, both al-Khatib and Sean Castello, Palm Coast’s traffic engineer, say. Castello has had the experience of the two Town Center roundabouts over the years.

“I do find they’re effective and they do work when they’re designed and built properly,” Castello said this morning. “They work very well. We have a couple here in Town Center, and recently, especially with the increase in traffic throughout the entire city, we know that we have to work on improving the roundabouts we have here in Town Center, so we have begun discussing budgeting improvements.” Those would entail reducing the roundabouts’ lanes from two lanes to one, thus more effectively guiding drivers rather than leaving them to guess which lane they should be in to make a turn. Currently, many a driver takes the inside lane, only to cut across the outside lane to exit. That’s a dangerous maneuver and goes against roundabout etiquette.

“The way a proper roundabout is designed and built is that it’ll channelize traffic to where you want it to go,” Castello said. “If you go to the newer, larger roundabouts that have been built throughout the state of Florida or even in Europe, they do have lanes that channel you where you want to go, so when you enter the roundabout it gives you specific direction as to where to go, and it sends you there.”

Castello said he hasn’t had a chance to give the U.S. 1 roundabout a deeper analysis than a glancing look yet. Asked how drivers could be educated on the use of roundabouts, he said:  “Obviously we’d need to make sure that drivers, when they’re just starting to learn how to drive, that they learn how to use a roundabout. As far as existing drivers and those folks that are not used to roundabouts and don’t know, that’s a harder question. The only thing we could really think of is better signage maybe, maybe getting in contact with local media and local news to kind of maybe give a brief segment or a write-up about the proper way to drive one. But it would be really important I think for new drivers to at least teach them that now.”

Staly remembers the first time he was confronted with a roundabout. He was leaving Logan Airport in Boston to go see his sister in Maine. It turned into that famous scene from Chevy Chase’s “European Vacation,” when the Griswolds get stuck in a London roundabout. “I’m a Florida boy I’ve got my mother in the car,” Staly recalled, “it took me three circles to get into the lane I needed to get into to exit.” He then told his sister he could see why “every car in Massachusetts is banged up.”

Banged up, yes, but still rolling, its occupants still safe: that’s the difference transportation experts are willing to live with, and see everyone else live with, as drivers are taught to merge in and out of roundabouts. After all, there was only comedy in that Chevy Chase scene, no tragedy.

Just as tonight’s hearing was beginning, the Sheriff’s Office was reporting a crash with injuries, with lanes blocked southbound. Injuries were grave enough to call on Flagler County Fire Flight, the emergency helicopter called in only for traumatic, critical injuries. The location: U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway.

The Full Transportation Department Presentation at Tonight’s Public Hearing

Click to access SR_5_Roundabout_FINA_Public_Hearing_Slides.pdf

Reader Interactions

Comments

  7. Donna Haggerty says

    Why are we so stupid? We are not England or Europe! Most people are not even vaguely familiar with the concept of roundabouts. I can see a lot of confusion and a lot of accidents happening.

  17. Really says

    Just put a light in. Geez most dont know how to drive in a rotary. Why complicate something thats so simple smh

  21. Sharon Gail Lambert Raines says

    No, that’s not going to work. Most people here do not know how to use the roundabouts. There will be more fatal accidents. Tractor trailers will have a hard time negotiating a roundabout with locals who have no idea how to drive in them and what lane to be in. It will be a big mistake. A regular traffic light will be much better.

  23. Stephanni Mcdaniel says

    I’m going to assume the speed will drop way before the round a bout… I think it will help only because a traffic light doesn’t ensure people will stop nor will they slow down. I see people run lights here all the time or they drive 60mph to the light! Literally… I know it seems like an unlikely solution but let’s give it a chance… just my 2 cents

  24. HonkeyDude says

    I predict a increase in the number of accidents and fatalities ties. You dont stick round abouts in the middle of no where. If people cant drive…. That doesnt mean fix the roads. If drivers cant drive fix the drivers.

  26. Ramone says

    I love it! A little driver education and an extra minute of travel time is a small price to pay to save some lives.

  28. Heather Heath Williams says

    The people that think this is good idea need to spend a week commuting on US1 during peak hours. I like roundabouts, but on this road, with the way the people treat it like the Daytona 500… terrible idea. It’s going to be like a deadly version of adult bumper cars going through there.

  31. Frank Cianchetta says

    Just put a traffic Light there and stop spending the tax payers money . The speeds that people are traveling there are to fast for a round about . Lower the speed limits and put a traffic light . If you put a round about there people are not going to slow down to to go through the round about and end up driving right into the bar that’s on the corner . A round about will only cause more accidents and deaths on that corner . Any more deaths on that corner , Flagler officials will have more blood on there hands

  35. Tonya Snyder says

    No way it’ll save lives!!! I don’t know why the hell DOT keeps pushing these stupid roundabouts. Let one of those idoits try to drive an 18-wheeler through a roundabout.

  39. Steve Vanne says

    Stupid idea, just put up a stoplight. How simple is that. I drive this road each day. A round about is just going cause more problems. People fly down US 1 and all of a sudden u have to slow down for a round about just going to cause more accidents.

  41. Julie Ann says

    I’ll be at the meeting and I think a traffic light is the fastest, less expensive, safer thing to do. It should have been done years ago and maybe a few people would not have had to die or be seriously injured.

  42. Resident says

    Looking at these plans I actually see even more accidents – cars will still be able to hit you if you need to turn as well as going 60 MPH slowing down will be a challenge. What is wrong with stop lights? Less chance of accidents, slows traffic down to ensure safety and cheaper in the long run. Why complicate things?

  49. Rondon Elie says

    To me those round about are dangerous,people coming around do not use turn signals to warn other where they are going because the treat the rounds like a big old curve in the road,also especially at night are really dangerous ,they do not put lots if lightning around’em ,if your new to the area and you can actually run over the median island

  56. Helen Strickland Woodfin says

    They re-route traffic off It when there has been an accident, how bad will it be with so much traffic including large semi-trucks trying to maneuver in this roundabout. Just give us a traffic light please!!!

  58. Justin Joseph Hickl says

    Angie Camiolo Come to Richmond. They just added circles down some of the busier streets in the city to help with traffic and people are acting like, “WHAT IS THIS BLACK MAGIC?!?!?!” It’s a damn shame. Then again, the whole city shuts down if someone even says the “s” (snow) word under their breath.

  63. Eunice Benoit says

    It’s us1 for goodness sake cars are going 65 miles per hour entering a round about and semis can’t slow down that fast.Who is the idiot that came up with this stupid idea

  66. Gary Nickerson says

    When the first car hits the roundabout at 85+ mph, it will become clear what a lame-brained idea this really is. Roundabouts are fine where traffic is relatively slow (i.e. Town Center) but I know from hearing Sheriff Staly speak that cars have been clocked at 100+ mph on this stretch of U.S. 1. Traffic lights like those at Seminole and Belle Terre are the logical solution that FDOT can’t seem to understand. Also, it would be helpful if patrons of the White Eagle Lounge could not pull directly onto U.S. 1 from the front parking lot. That alone has resulted in biker deaths.

  71. Kim Legg-Spencer says

    A round about at 45mph or less is fine, one at 60-65 not so much. This will kill people. Not to mention how it will effect the flow of traffic when people are going to or coming from work. A stop light with a sensor, make the bar traffic have to pull off onto Old Dixie instead of jumping into 1. This isn’t hard and has to be cheaper.

  72. Stephanni Mcdaniel says

    I actually live in the Reserve off this road ( old Dixie) and go out by us1 daily. So yes I do drive it & still think it’s a good idea. I do see what you are saying which is why i’m hoping speed limits will be dropped in this area… either way, we all hope for a safer road

  74. Nancy Nally says

    You have GOT to be kidding me. Have any of these idiots seen people try to manage the one in the PetSmart parking lot? No one knows how to drive in those things! This is one of those “solutions” by engineers that only works on paper because they aren’t considering the “user fail” factor.

  75. Charlie Morgan says

    I believe it would be less expensive and more practical to just install traffic signals there…….That divided highway is not a round about solution it will only create more deaths…….

  77. Roger Wilson says

    It useless money spent. There’s a kick back going to someone somewhere. I truly believe the Flagler county government does not have our interest at hand. We to have a massive house cleaning there.

  78. Paula Canelli says

    I like them. Had them in Massachusetts (rotaries). But only if people are taught the proper way to use them. It is NOT a stop sign when you enter. It is yield and there is an inner and outer lane
    depending upon your goal.

  81. Jennifer Mendoza says

    Will this be like the meetings held for the bike path in the f-section?? Where we wasted our time going because they’d already signed contracts and had full intentions of doing it regardless of what the public wanted?? Asking before I waste my time again

  84. Heather Heath Williams says

    Oh, I agree. If people would drive correctly, it’d be a great idea. I just dont have faith in some of the drivers that I know will be passing through there daily. The speed limit will most definitely need to drop for this to even have a chance of working. Fingers crossed.

  85. Chris A Pickett says

    If this were Massachusetts a rotary might work. But in Flagler a rotary will be MORE problems than it is worth. If an idiot can’t drive on a roadway, a Rotary WILL make it WORSE. The solution is better trained drivers. I was shocked to learn a recently licensed young lady (17), never learned how to drive in reverse in her drivers training, perhaps the problem is, we have ill trained drivers on the road, and then we have people who are from other countries that want to drive in the USA the way they did in their own “beautiful” country. Which if their countries are soooo great, WHY DO THEY COME HERE?

  87. EJR says

    I definitely like the plan. Now the next step would be to put on a course showing people how to properly drive through a roundabout. My experience watching drivers is that many find it hard to understand what the term ‘yield’ means. There are a lot of unintelligent people out there.

  96. Juli Gemmer-Enache says

    I know nothing about road construction and what is best for that section of road but common sense tells me that going 65 through a round about is even more dangerous. Secondly they would have to considerably drop the speed limit through that area which won’t be followed. I’m confused as to why they don’t put a traffic light. There must be some logistics to as to why they cannot. Confusing!

  97. Taylor Collins says

    You know, after living in Europe and the Middle East. I realize how behind the curve america is. Roundabouts are easy to navigate if you know what you are doing. They keep traffic flowing. They keep you from sitting at red lights for 10 minutes. If you are in the round about you have the right of way. Use the inside lane to get to the other side then merge, use the outside lane if you are exiting. I don’t know why people are so against it and why on earth people can’t figure out roundabouts.

  101. April Donze says

    Are these people stupid? In what world will this solve the issue, you’re slapping a roundabout in the middle of a busy road and you really think that will reduce Accidents? I want what you guys are smoking!

  102. Thomas Loftus says

    This will not work their !! And a traffic light will help buy what they really need to do meaning the D.O.T is straighten that part of the road out ! Just look at that picture? It’s the same way the fair banks curve was in Orlando ! So I repeat my self again this round about will not work !!!!!!!

  129. Mary Murphy-Glenn says

    Omg NO. People won’t be able to handle it. It is not hard to navigate but we all know folks are not that smart anymore. A red light to slow everything and everyone down is best.

  131. Kendra Bright says

    A traffic light is much more practical and safer. Firetruck and semis don’t maneuver well on round abouts. Also the speed limit is too high to throw in a round a bout

  135. Shelly McCarty-Hatzl says

    It’s a 4 lane highway! Common sense is lacking here. Imagine tractor trailer trucks negotiating a roundabout and 4 lanes merging into it. Are you kidding me. This is not in the square of a downtown or a town center it’s a damn highway. I think all the people reading this and commenting need to show up at this meeting because the more support showing up giving these people your opinions the better. And if you read the article you’ll see as you drive further north you will encounter another roundabout on Us1 at matanzas parkway is the other proposed roundabout. 2 in this highway, what are they thinking.

  136. The Truth says

    Based on how people handle the roundabout in Town Center, I suppose this will save lives but increase the number of accidents. At least the accidents will be fender benders instead of major collisions. Many in Palm Coast (and yes many are from ‘the north”) have no Idea how to use a roundabout so I can’t imagine this being all that great.

    Why not simply put a traffic light here?

  137. Hmmm says

    Most people here dont know to navigate a traffic circle/roundabout. If there is another car present when im at one in town center, most of the time i have to avoid a collision because the other driver has no idea what they’re doing. I approach each one here like its about to be an accident.

  138. Diana Faircloth says

    All I can say it will keep the EMT’s and towing companies busy. This is ridiculous. Put a stop light up and you still have people that wont stop before turning right. Just look at Royal Palm and Whiteview. People don’t stop before coming onto US1. Drivers are in to much of a hurry to get to where they’re going and only think of themselves. A light would be better than a roundabout.

  140. Travis Luther says

    Shoot people don’t slow down for the round abouts in town center at 30mph. Nvm Us1 people will be taking the rebound about at 70 and literally be flying into the white eagle

  141. Rick Belhumeur says

    That roundabout looks more confusing that what’s in place now. Why not put up a traffic light 🚦 which everyone is familiar with?

  144. Eric Wilson says

    Against. This is an absurd proposal. FDOT needs to spend the real money necessary to redesign that intersection, and implement real safety solutions.

  145. Rylee Smith says

    This will not save lives. It will cause more accidents. How confusing. Ppl don’t even know how to use the round about in target plaza. Come on flagler

  152. woody says

    No amount of “safety” devices are interchangeable for better drivers.Until people care about other drivers and make ANY cell phone use illegal with severe a penalty you are just wasting time and money.

  155. Anonymous says

    What about Big Semi Trucks getting around and not running over cars at 3:00 am when everybody is tired or impaired. Most of the wrecks that occur at this location are because of the Bar traffic, {whether impaired drivers or not}. It would be cheaper for the state to buy the Bar and tear it down than to build this monstrosity and would in all likely hood save as many lives.

  160. John Day says

    A light wont fix drunk assholes leaving the bar onto the highway and murdering people. I think it is time they shut down that shithole bar.

  161. Laurie Billups says

    People can’t use the ones in parking lot by Target at 5 mph, so what makes them think they can put these things in on roads where approaching traffic is doing 60 mph without causing total bedlam???

  164. Julie Kae says

    FLORIDIANS don’t get how to do roundabouts I was t boned going around ones at town center and nearly t boned several other times at target. If you do a round about there needs to be a cop constantly sitting there and ticketing those who incorrectly go around!!!

  166. Julie Kae says

    I was t boned with Aiden in car by imagine and have nearly been t boned many times ppl don’t get the outside lane is for first to exits and inside lane is for second two exits. Ridiculous down here.

  167. Mark says

    If it saves lives, what’s the question? If it saves lives like red light cameras prevent accidents then there is a problem. Of course slowing down for a roundabout will surely offend some people. But, if it truly saves lives then there should be no question as what to do.

  168. Frank Cianchetta says

    My nephew had a accident there and he was going to work . If the bar had anything to do with the accidents on that corner , they would have done something a long time ago .It’s the speed limit there I think its 65 at that point . Lower the speed limit and put a traffic light . Problem solved

  171. Tesa Danaso says

    Bad idea – the ones they have are not on a major thoroughfare at a high speed – in Jersey they have been taking them out all over the state on major state highways as they are very dangerous in high speed high traffic areas – Jersey was one of the first States to try the roundabouts

  172. Tori Arnold says

    How are you gonna put a roundabout on a road that everyone goes 20 mph over the speed limit and expect it to stop crashes when no one knows how to drive in them properly going 35. Y’all are a bunch of idiots

  173. Ruben Gam says

    Hope it works science and engineering beyond my scope of expertise. Stop light would be more adequate. If you want total control of intersection. Try the circle entering the Target mall and you’ll get my drift.

  178. r&r says

    It looks like it’ll work as long as they install guard rails to keep everyone in the right lane so there’s not a lot of cross over accidents.

  179. Florida voter says

    I’m glad they are doing something about that intersection. I drive by it to and form work each day and have seen the aftermath of several accidents, so I understand how urgent it is to change the traffic pattern there.

    @FL: Roughly halfway through your article you mention that traffic on “U.S. 1 running north and south with traffic usually blowing well past the 55 mph speed limit,” … partly, that’s because the posted speed limit there is 65 mph. It changes from 55 to 65 (or 65 to 55 northbound) between that intersection and Seminole Woods. I do agree, still, that many people drive that road in an extremely aggressive manner.

  180. Leah Gordon says

    I was hit sitting at the stop sign there..totaled side of my truck by someone who had been drinking already at 8am..
    I wonder about the confusion of people coming out of the bar there trying to negotiate roundabout..think it will be a mess

  185. jim says

    R U SERIOUS?????? WTF!!!! A normal traffic light will control the intersection and save lives! This isn’t Europe… people here don’t understand roundabouts… how many crashes still happen at 100 and I 95 where you pass traffic on your right turning left from I 95…they can be very confusing, especially for the many elderly drivers in this county. STOP DRAGGING YOUR FEET and INSTALL A SIGNAL LIGHT CONTROLLED INTERSECTION if u truly want to SAVE LIVES!!! SMH!!!

  189. RickG says

    I’ve driven through many roundabouts in my live but none where the approaching speed limit is over 60 MPH and its located in a semi rural area of US 1. I see trouble ahead and don’t think this is the answer to this confusing and dangerous intersection.

  190. terminus says

    You’re kidding right? No one knows how to use the roundabouts in Target properly let alone on an actual road. I see people on there all the time ignoring the basic rules of a roundabout doing whatever they want. Educating people on how to use a roundabout properly takes money and time, and even then, you can’t teach some people that a shoe goes on their foot and not their hand. This is great, in theory, but it will cause more accidents because the people will not use it the way it is intended for use.

  192. Candy Bradshaw Herod says

    I have traveled for work in the past alot! Always hated roundabouts. It is worse that a flashing 4 way red light. No one knows what to do! Waste of highway funds to me. Locals will learn how to use them – eventually – but, on a major hwy line ( U. S. 1 and old dixie hwy ) – good luck with that.

  195. DOWNTOWN says

    Traffic lights would solve the problem and would be a lot cheaper. The State should use KISS…keep it simple stupid.

  198. Scarey Mary H says

    Why spend a that money, drawing up a round about, when common sense would be a light, and who pays for a round about, and when there is an accident on 95, re-route where, round about, ridiculous!!!!!!

  200. Kristin Newby says

    Omg hell no that’s the last thing this town needs! They already have no idea how to use the 2 we have already! I think I post weekly about how people r so stupid. I almost got hit by 2 people today exiting from the center lane! Omg plz noooooooooooo

  202. Dee Allen says

    People don’t know how to use them properly! I can’t count the number of times I’ve been cut off by a right hand turner from the left lane at Town Center plaza! They don’t even look, they think they have the right of way! Reconsider a traffic light please!

  204. Laura Hottle says

    They have these in Alabama it didn’t work well there it’s not going to work well here. People have to have patience and know which way they’re going.

  205. Jacquie Ireland says

    Stupid stupid idea, there’s a little one in town center that people have a hard time with, and you want to put a bigger one by bigger roads, with more traffic?!?! That’s just ridiculous

  208. Sue Doidge says

    Totally disagree. Roundabouts are dangerous as people are never in the lanes they should be in to turn. Had them in Nj . Bad idea. We have them in town center Palm Coast. Have had near misses twice now.

  210. Mike Firth says

    Comments on a Facebook post does nothing. Goto the public hearing and voice the concern. Same ones on here will be bitching when it gets approved because no one went to the hearing.

  219. George Murphy says

    A complex intersection with three roads with one being on the curve of a high speed four lane highway. Then add in uneven sight lines and a roadhouse on one corner. Too many people have already died. Put in a traffic light, and consider it money well spent.

  220. Joel Baker says

    Bad bad bad bad bad ideal,hell put a ramp on it to fly over it cause it’s going to happen. They did these in New Smyrna on riverside Dr. And end up taking them out

  227. Scooter Smith says

    There is a traffic light there already , A BLINKING LIGHT !!!! Try using a REGULAR traffic light pattern . Needless to say , I’m sure someone making big bucks came up with this STUPID roundabout idea ….GTFOH !!!

  231. Janice Lola Cabrera says

    VERY BAD IDEA!! A roundabout will cause even more confusion and collisions! A traffic light giving clear permission for one side or the other to proceed is the safest course of action for this road!

  233. Joe Medearis says

    They are planning a major roundabout in Jacksonville at the corner of University Boulevard and Merrill Road in front of Jacksonville University. I am planning on bringing my lawn chair and watching the accidents happen.

  239. Brent Lett says

    Diverging diamond interchange: one of these was installed on I-40 and Parkway, leading into Pigeon Forge. I thought “Crazy” but it actually functions quite well. It moves traffic safely and much faster than the traditional exchange.

  241. cjbeagles says

    People in this city have no clue how to negotiate round abouts now at low speed! You dont cross lanes to exit a round aobut for any reason! I’ve been almost hit numerous times and have to slam on brakes to avoid collisions. This will be a disastor for sure as people in this community drive with their heads up their butts as they have one goal to get where they need to go!

  243. Europa says

    Roundabouts are every where in Europe, and they work very well to prevent T-Bone accidents and keep traffic moving! I rather have a roundabout than a red light at any intersection, unless you just want stop and waste time!

  245. joe bagodonuts says

    “Yet roundabouts in the South can trigger much hostility, usually from people not used to them”

    “I’m a Florida boy I’ve got my mother in the car,” Staly recalled, “it took me three circles to get into the lane I needed to get into to exit.”

    those two lines say it all.

  246. BillieJo Boland says

    NO!! Most people are clueless when it comes to roundabouts! Us1 is a busy road used by commuters, out of town travelers and large trucks. Tell me how a huge semi delivering a manufactured home is going to navigate a roundabout?? It makes no sense to put a roundabout in such a high traffic area. This will not save lives. People need to slow down and learn how to drive. Too many people are in a rush and take chances they shouldn’t, because they feel they are more important than anyone else. Unfortunately city planners will do this regardless of the public opinion just like everything else!

  247. mark101 says

    Well, first someone needs to tell people how to obey the rules of the road. Next I’ve seen these roundabouts all over the country and yes people over time have NO clue what yield means. OF course the accidents are not as horrid as say someone dying but plenty of insurance claims have been paid out. A traffic light would have been a better solution’s, but it appears the DOT feels spending a large chunk of money on a muli-lane roundabout vs a simple traffic light and its supporting electronics. It costs the taxpayer $250,000 to $500,000 to purchase and install a traffic signal. Electric bills and routine maintenance amount to about $8,000 a year.

  248. Richard says

    I refrained from posting my opinion until later just to see what others had to say and truthfully I am astonished at the number of people who are so uniformed and uneducated on the advantages of roundabouts versus stop signs and traffic lights. It very obvious to me NOW that most if not ALL of the people objecting to this idea have done NO research on the Internet in regards to roundabouts.

    It has been PROVEN that roundabouts save lives and reduce accidents. Below is a segment from a study done in regards to roundabouts. I’ve included the link to the article below if you care to read the entire article:

    “Studies have shown that roundabouts are safer than traditional stop signs or signal-controlled intersections.

    Roundabouts reduced injury crashes by 75 percent at intersections where stop signs or signals were previously used for traffic control, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Studies by the IIHS and Federal Highway Administration have shown that roundabouts typically achieve:

    A 37 percent reduction in overall collisions
    A 75 percent reduction in injury collisions
    A 90 percent reduction in fatality collisions
    A 40 percent reduction in pedestrian collisions”

    https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Safety/roundabouts/benefits.htm

    Below is another link to an excellent article from the Federal Highway Administration in regards to roundabouts. A long document with diagrams of various roundabouts and an excellent read.

    https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/innovative/roundabouts/fhwasa10006/#s41

    To clear up a LOT of confusion as to the speed entering and exiting a roundabout, if one is traveling 65 mph trust me you won’t survive a roundabout. You will be dead. That’s why they reduce the speed PRIOR to entering the roundabout and resume the speed once you have cleared the roundabout.

    Roundabouts work and there is NO reason why it won’t work at this complex intersection. Since moving to Florida over 2 years ago I quickly realized that this state has some of the worst drivers in the entire country. I have lived in NY, CA, AK and now FL, I now use a HD dash cam to record everything while driving as one day I will need it to prove how terrible the drivers are here in Florida.

  249. PC Resident says

    Last night as the meeting was being held there was an accident. A roundabout is far from the answer. The most logical solution is adjust the speed limit and put in a traffic light not the blinking yellow. It is also the most cost efficient solution.

  250. Trailer Bob says

    I was sitting at the White Eagle just yesterday. The best view of what is going on there. I was talking to some of the other patrons and we were discussing how we could not see one reason that this section was dangerous in and by its design alone. The last accident with the biker had NOTHING to do with the intersection, other than the biker pulled in front of the truck. The accident there last year was caused by a driver who, again, simply didn’t pay attention and pulled out in front of moving traffic. IF you go there and look at the road, there is nothing to improve it other than people looking both ways before enter US 1. Waste of money, and will most likely cause more accidents. Any bet takers?

  251. Todd S. says

    you people are hilarious. you think you have the answers. a roundabout will be successful. better than the alternative which is NOTHING. these stats are PROOF…. Richard has the correct information. DOT knows what they are doing… you all on the other hand… what do you even do for a living?? Nothing with engineering I’m sure!

  252. Marie says

    I think it’s a horrible idea us1 is used by a lot of semi trucks and a major evacuation route. This is deffinetly going to cause congestion in those times of need. I don’t understand why we can’t just reduce the speed add warning flashing lights in that area and put a regular light in.

  253. Widow Maker says

    Let me get this straight… Your going to tell a drunk assed biker first thing he does after throwing a leg over the bike is to negotiate THAT hot mess? Lose the idiotic first of 2 stop signs at Old Dixe, Thats just ‘tarded. Put in a normal light. Get that Shithole bar to pave their lot, theres ball bearing slippery rocks and gravel all over from these clowns peeling out of there wasted, or better yet, put in a guardrail in the channel the bikers into a normal driveway like every other business around instead of the hood ornament wannabes flying out of there every which way along a 70 foot stretch. Problem solved. Rip out sign. put up light. put up guardrail. done.

  254. Born and Raised Here says

    This will be so much safer for us bicyclist. I compete in a lot of Cycle events, that take us up Dixie Hwy to US 1

  255. Born and Raised Here says

    He best yet to call an Uber driver, because if he throws a leg aver his bike intoxicated, and if he causes an accident with me or my love ones, I’ll soon own his bike and the bar that served him that drink.

  256. Anonymous says

    What good is that going to do you Born and Raised Here when your loved one is in the ground? Are you all about the money and wealth or for safety? Do you honestly think that those that leave this BAR haven’t had any alcohol consumption? Of course most, if not all are throwing their leg over their bike and going right out into traffic because there is so a long stretch of road front in front of the BAR….the right of way needs to be guard railed off or parking needs to be moved to the rear of the BAR. Adding a round a bout to the mix for those who have been drinking is just adding more danger to the area. DOT, the Sheriff and the County need to exercise some common sense. For the lives that have already been lost—buy the BAR—and the problem will be solved.

  257. Born and Raised Here says

    Plan and simple roads weren’t built for intoxicated motoeist to be on.. If your drinking and in a BAR, you need to call Uber or the FCSO to take you home. Try to make an intelligent decision for once in your life

  258. capt says

    If a driver cannot understand how to use a round a bout , then they should not be driving. Are people in this area that stupid, hell they run stop signs and stop lights sober. We have drivers that drink and drive, they text and drive, they do not yield, maybe a huge number of drivers need to have a full drivers test again before they get on the road and attempt to figure out how to handle a simple round a bout . Its Arrogance and carelessness that causes accidents not a yield sign or a round a bout.

  259. Phyllis says

    This roundabout will be like suicide circle just like the one in Daytona Beach,Fl at Seabreeze and FDOT remove that one when they build the new bridge. Round about do not help traffic when it busy everyone try to go at the same time and no one stops and causes more accident.

  260. Common Sense Girl says

    The roundabout will work fine. If you can’t figure out how to maneuver in one, then perhaps you shouldn’t be driving at all. The one they put on 44 and Grand Boulevard is working just great. They should have lowered the speed limit on US1 in that area long ago. All those years when there was no traffic on US1, the speed limit was 55, then they raised it to 65 when the traffic increased, which is insane! The bar has been there for longer than the traffic problem and it’s not the bar’s fault people pull out off of Old Dixie highway. While everyone was busy griping and complaining at the meeting, there was yet another accident there.

    By the way, County Road 305 is nowhere near that intersection and I have never heard of Trojan Road. wth?

  261. Tom says

    So FDOT engineers who don’t live in the area, aren’t familiar with commuting that area of road, merely did a site a site inspection and shazam come up with the idea of a round-about. Stupid idea! Round-abouts are meant for slower speed limit areas. Starting at Rossmeyer Harley Davidson and Loves Truck Stop better start changing speed limits to 45 mph and post them every 100 yards going Northbound on US 1. Oh, and don’t forget to get ready to assign FHP and Sheriff’s Deputys daily to enforce new speed limits. What about all the Semi Trucks. Is the circle going to account for all the semi traffic?

    Rick Staly you are the Sheriff. Why just defer to FDOT? It’s your County, your the local guy who knows better. Follow your gut. Follow the gut of the local residents who commute it everyday. The traffic light is the safest, simplest, and cheaper solution. The circle with US 1 65-70 MPH speeds will only add fatalities. Lets face it. law enforcement won’t have the manpower to assign someone there daily to enforce speed.

  262. Tom says

    Richard,

    Those stats you posted on the success of round-abouts might not apply the same to putting a round-about on this area of US 1. Most Round-abouts are installed in areas where speed limits are much slower such as residential areas. Of course they will work in those slower less traveled areas. Of course the stats will be excellent. This rural area of U.S.1 has speeding 65-70 mph traffic coming North from Rossmeyer Harley and Loves Truck Stop. Lots of semi’s, motorcycles, and cars. How much time has anyone, or FDOT, spent in this area on a weekday at 5pm. This area of US 1 is commonly used by local traffic but also a by-pass for I95 at times.

    I challenge someone to point out anywhere else on US1 you can find a round-about in the entire State of Florida. U.S.1 runs from Florida to Maine. I don’t believe there is a round-about anywhere on U.S.1.

    Rick Staly was elected by the voters. He should know this area well. If he doesn’t, then he needs to get out and talk to local residents. He needs to stop defering to non local FDOT and recommend the smart solution- a full service traffic light.

  263. Ryan Devlin says

    so the state can spend 2.5 million to build a round about, when we need housing here in
    Palm Coast that is not 50 +. Then we need our drainage system revamped. It is cheaper to put a stop light and lower the speed from 60 or 65 mph to 45 on the approach of the lights.

  264. Fred says

    they are going to lower it to 25 to 35 mph. you can’t go fast in a roundabout and everyone try to go at the same time too

  265. mark101 says

    Our little US-1 is not the only road in Fla. In south Fl on US 41 a planned roundabout. “” The Florida Department of Transportation is looking at the roundabouts between Tallevast Road and University Parkway along U.S. 41. The entire project with the roundabouts — proposed at U.S. 41’s intersections with University Parkway, College Drive, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee entrance and Braden Avenue — and lane elimination is estimated to cost $33.19 million.

    Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article107493707.html#storylink=cpy

    A traffic light would be a lot cheaper.

  266. Tom says

    Fred

    This area of U.S.1 from Rossmeyer Harley Davidson to the proposed site of the “Round About” is 9 miles. Traffic flows north to the Roundabout proposed area at 65 mph to 70 mph. Lowering the speed limit a half mile to mile out isn’t going to stop this.The sheriff’s office and FHP aren’t going to have the manpower to staff the area for speeders around the clock. You are going to have major crashes with airborne vehicles at this roundabout. A fully operational traffic light is the only answer.

    I can assure you that FDOT wasn’t out evaluating this intersection on a weekday at 5pm. It they had been there to see the heavy speeding 70 mph traffic I can’t imagine that they would suggest a round about. Roundabouts are great for slow moving traffic areas. This stretch of U.S. 1 is comparable speed wise to I-95.

  267. Fred says

    Tom

    I agree with you all the way. This roundabout will be like suicide circle just like the one in Daytona Beach,Fl at Seabreeze and FDOT remove that one when they build the new bridge. Round about do not help traffic when it busy everyone try to go at the same time and no one stops and causes more accident. You have to slow way down to like 25 to 35 mph . I don’t see this happen. When do you put a aroundabout on 3 ln. Where are you going otget the 4 lane.In the railroad track. The most dangerous rode in the United State is I-4 let me see a round about on I-4. This is to funny.

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