Another “Endurance” cyclist statue bites the dust. Is it a freak occurrence, or is there a problem with the design of the traffic circle?
I drive through that circle daily. Here’s what I see.
In the past, Florida Road had no circle, so people simply passed by Chapman Hill heading toward town. People still do that. From the north, they do not yield to drivers already in the circle, as they should. They just drive straight through.
The road does not veer much, so it still appears possible to continue straight ahead. If a driver is distracted or intoxicated, they can end up in the middle of the cyclists. The statues are directly in their path.
If you look at the pavement within the concrete circle, you can see tire tracks in both directions. People are driving right over the circle.
What’s the solution?
I see two things that need to be done:
1. A much larger yield sign for traffic heading toward town, along with occasional enforcement warnings.
2. A much higher curb or small wall around the circle. This would slow drivers down and keep them on the road instead of driving over the pavement inside the circle. Small circular walls are common and effective, especially if they are high enough.
These simple changes would not cost much, but they would slow traffic in the circle, which is one of the purposes of a roundabout in the first place.
Let’s protect the last cyclist!
James Forleo
Durango
