Thursday, April 9, 2009

More on the Loudoun County Roundabouts from Dr. Gridlock

From the Washington Post's Dr. Gridlock comes an article about the roundabouts in Loudoun County.

Dr. Gridlock asks, "What's the best way to move traffic through an intersection? It may not be the way we're used to, with red and green lights denying or approving access. As the signal moves through its cycle there are many precious seconds when the intersection isn't doing its job: No vehicles are in it."

"Kenny Robinson of the Virginia Department of Transportation says there's a better way to move vehicles through certain junctions. He's working on such a project in Loudoun County: Constructing four roundabouts along Routes 50 and 15 in the Gilbert's Corner area."

Route 15 is closed between Route 50 and the newly built connector road called Howsers Branch Drive, about a quarter-mile south of Gilbert's Corner. Drivers are now using Howsers Branch Drive and a new roundabout on Route 50. That detour will be in place through May. This is likely to add five minutes to trips at off-peak times and up to 10 at rush hour. As the project unfolds over the next few months, more detours are planned for Route 50 and Watson Road.

For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.



1 comment:

  1. I can understand why a roundabout is a good idea at Gilbert's Corner the intersection of 50 and 15 but why are the other roundabouts necessary?

    ReplyDelete