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Adjustments being made to Walker roundabout

5 years 10 months 4 weeks ago Friday, April 20 2018 Apr 20, 2018 April 20, 2018 10:10 PM April 20, 2018 in News
Source: WBRZ

WALKER - The Walker roundabouts have had their share of controversy, but DOTD is hoping to ease some of the traffic flow by moving things around.

"We're finding that the people, the way it's aligned, they're kind of timid when it comes to yielding," explained Rodney Mallett. "So by realigning and moving the entrance a little further to the south, it will give the folks yielding a little more gap from the folks entering in the other entrances."

Traffic tends to back up on to I-12 at the Walker exit since people entering the roundabout have to yield to oncoming traffic.

DOTD says moving the entrance point will help, but Walker Police disagree.

"The problem is not where the ramp comes in to the roundabout," said Captain John Sharp.

Sharp says the issue is not with the cars coming off the interstate, but with southbound traffic since it rarely has to yield.

"The other alternative, it seems to me, would be to put a ramp meter light, and it would basically stop traffic for five seconds and then let it go through," said Sharp.

DOTD, though, says no way.

"The whole point of a roundabout is to have traffic continuously flow. That's why roundabouts work. If you have any kind of stoppage then that defeats the whole purpose," said Mallett.

But Sharp says it doesn't work that way when traffic is heavy.

"The reality is, people are stopping. You have to stop when there's traffic in the roundabout."

DOTD says it plans to have the relocation of the entrance completed by June or July.

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