Key to traffic roundabout is linkage to proposed inner loop road

Round and round we go, where it stops no one knows.

The town eagerly awaits its first roundabout at the triangular intersection of McDonalds, Wendys, and 7-Eleven. Culpeper will now join other central Virginia metropolises like Gordonsville in using the uber-efficient roundabout to improve traffic patterns.

Geometrically speaking, a circular intersection is far superior to a triangular one. Triangles only have three sides while a circle has an infinite amount — the possibilities are endless. Clearly, Culpeper must have a roundabout at this integral intersection — or does it?

The first question that must be examined is whether this intersection is a serious weakness in the town’s traffic flow or future traffic flow. I travel this intersection to and from work every day at peak times and would say no it is not a serious problem right now. The real issue lies at the intersection of U.S. 522 and Main Street.

The proposed circle, however, would alleviate this with an exit to the planned inner loop. Currently, traffic backs up southbound from this intersection all the way down to the Teen Pregnancy Center billboard. Rarely do you see an excessive backup like this coming southbound into town off Route 229 stopping at the light in front of 7-Eleven.

The key is whether or not the circle will include an exit to the inner loop (or U.S. 522). If not, traffic flow would increase toward the busy intersection of U.S. 522 and Main Street — providing further backup.

What happens if traffic were to get backed up all the way to the circle and innocent civilian drivers where stuck in the circle? What is protocol for such an instance? Should drivers stop and sit and wait for the opportunity to exit the circle or continue to circle the circle as though under caution at Bristol Motor Speedway?

Perhaps 7-Eleven will have a yellow-flag special where circling drivers can make a pit stop for a Slurpee.

I, as well as many drivers, have trouble navigating the up-and-down arrows in the Walmart parking lot on Sunday afternoon — a roundabout at the intersection of three main roads appears worrisome.

The circle will add $1 million to the project involving the widening of Route 229. Will this $1 million cost be outweighed by the supposed benefits of the circle?

The benefits have been identified as fewer injuries and car damages due to a reduction in accidents, minimal savings on gas expenditures, potential reductions in time spent in traffic and easier access to businesses.

If these benefits are large enough to save taxpayers $1 million, then the roundabout is fiscally responsible. However, it has yet to be quantified and shown to the public.

Unfortunately, I doubt Culpeper car insurance premiums will drop in 2014, or whenever the circle is completed, as insurers rejoice in the comfort Culpeper drivers are now safer with their roundabout.

Perhaps the picture will develop more clearly once the updated plans for the inner loop are available in the coming months. Or perhaps the traffic situation will change since construction on the circle would not start until 2014.

Benefits have certainly been identified regarding the circle in the Route 229 expansion at the intersection of 7-Eleven, McDonalds and Wendys. Over time it is likely the savings will be recognized by taxpayers albeit slow and incremental.

One benefit overlooked is the fact we could probably stop teen pregnancy if we moved the billboard across from the intersection into the middle of the new circle so the slower, safer drivers could see it better.

Richardson’s column runs each Wednesday. He is a teacher at Floyd T. Binns Middle School.