In regards to Jim McKiernan’s editorial on the roundabout (“Was roundabout the right decision?” Sept. 12, 2007, page A4), he is correct: it is not going to work.
I live up 415th Way Southeast and have to enter it from the south. On weekends, it is a joke to enter it as there is a continuous line of cars, bumper to bumper, from the eastbound off-ramp entering the roundabout at a high rate of speed. Now, with two lanes, drivers are changing lanes in the middle of the roundabout.
To top that off, drivers coming off the ramp and heading to Forster Woods think they have supreme right of way. For example, I was heading south into the roundabout and was in the right (outside) lane in anticipation to exit on East Ribary Way, when I almost t-boned a silver Mercedes that came flying off the off ramp without the driver even looking my way (as I am all ready in the circle). The Mercedes continued onto Ribary Way and high-tailed it into Forster Woods.
This always happens on Mondays through Fridays around 6 p.m. Some people may not know how to use the roundabout, but the majority intentionally refuse to use it properly. Stoplights would have been better. No matter what is used, there will always be backups on the eastbound Interstate 90 off-ramp.
That whole interchange area is far over capacity on weekends, with Friday evenings being the worst.
Michael Baines
North Bend