WSDOT continues to tell us several things that are either misleading or just plain lies:

“Studies have shown that roundabouts are safer than a traditional stop sign or signal-controlled intersection.”

This should only be a comparison with a properly designed traffic signal.

“Roundabouts force drivers to slow down and allow them to safely continue on their journey with less delay when compared to a signal”

How can any person who has completed 9th grade math believe that going through a circle at 15 mph all of the time is quicker than going through a traffic signal at perhaps 30 mph 85% of the time!

“They are designed to accommodate the largest legal loads, including semis.”

The 104 is the only access to our area and it has 100’ cranes and other permit loads, my estimate for these loads are about 2-5 mph to pass through these small roundabouts.

A 75’ truck and trailer should be able to go through at about 7 mph. A 45’ school bus should be able to pass through a traffic signal at perhaps 10 mph. The average vehicle should pass through about 15 mph and 104 now is overloaded with traffic.

“They reduce the potential for head-on or T-bone type accidents!”

This is also true for traffic signals if designed and operated properly.

“They promote a continuous flow of traffic.”

If you support “continuous” to mean 2 to 15 mph and the waste of 500-plus hours per day for the two roundabouts. I do not accept this as continuous, I call it a waste of our hours.

“They have lower maintenance costs on average of $10,000 annually over traffic signals.”

This may be true but since the two roundabouts are projected at about $9 million cost and two great professional traffic signals could be installed with great ramps, advance warnings, emergency vehicle preemption and power backup systems for less than $1 million, it would take 800 years to break even!

The first thing that WSDOT should do is fix their snafu on the other side of the Hood Canal Bridge by constructing by-pass lanes for NB traffic and SB traffic when traffic is blocked for the 104 WB due to marine traffic and it should not involve another roundabout!

If you look at their drawing 20190820-155042 A 0821 you can see they have not provided adequate sight distances for vehicles on Paradise Road or Shine Road to see the traffic coming downhill from the West on 104. A properly designed roundabout must have proper sight distance and no traffic signals as part of it per Federal Guidelines.

If the recent passing of the limitation on vehicle tags does not stop this stupid “improvement” on 104 the public should stop it and have proper traffic signals installed on all of 104.

The Perez/ Wynand group has said they do not give a damn about traffic flow or traffic jams; their only concern is safety.

Harlin Cheatwood
Retired Superintendent of Public Works
Port Ludlow