Thanks, Kathy. If you have time, could you go into some detail about how
this specific design addresses Carson's concerns, and that of the PPH
letter writer?
On Tue, Nov 28, 2017 at 1:55 PM, Clarrage, Katherine C. <
Katherine.C.Clarrage@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Just to let you all know probably three or four years ago myself and
several other instructors sat with the Portland traffic engineers and a
national consultant for pedestrian design for blind and visually impaired
people and we spent many hours discussing the design of that particular
intersection and indeed did come up with the best possible solutions that
were known at that time. Please know that a lot of time and experts (beyond
myself!) Went into this project. With proper design they are more
negotiable even for people who are blind or visually impaired and
pedestrians in general. We have come along way since the original
roundabouts. All this brings us full circle to the discussion This morning
I love Westbrooks project on Wayside Drive down to new Gorham Road… Now is
the time to get involved and be in the know and have input… When it’s in
paper!
Kathy Clarrage, orientation mobility specialist division for the blind and
visually impaired
Get Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
------------------------------
*From:* wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf
of Carson Wood <cwood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*Sent:* Tuesday, November 28, 2017 1:47:19 PM
*To:* wsmac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Subject:* [wsmac] Re: Roundabouts and Rotaries
For blind and visually impaired people, round abouts do not work.
The reason they do not work is because there is no predictability of
where the traffic is going to go. Also, the traffic is nearly in constant
motion not creating a point to start from safely.
Even though the intersection near the law school is a big complicated
star, it is predictable. It has crosswalks and signals that direct traffic
in a given pattern.
Of course people try and beat given systems because they are human and
human nature is a constant. It never changes.
In my humble or not so humble opinion roundabouts are about moving
traffic more quickly to avoid testing patience which is the real problem.
Maybe the focus needs to shift from moving traffic quickly to finding a
different way to access the Cities that do not require the compression of
so many vehicles into an ever decreasing space.
This is all really common sense.
As a well traveled blind pedestrian I understand the gap between what
is supposed to be the traffic pattern and what it can be when driver’s are
going rogue.
With driver distraction and rogue driver’s the gap has become much
wider.
*From:* wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On
Behalf Of *Dennis Marrotte
*Sent:* Tuesday, November 28, 2017 1:29 PM
*To:* wsmac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Subject:* [wsmac] Roundabouts and Rotaries
Hello, Today's Portland Press Herald' a " Opinion and Voice of the People
has a Letter from a Citizen questioning the proposed Roundabout at the USM
Portland Campus. How USM and King MS Students will safely make their way to
and from their respective Schools across the Roundabout with no Traffic
Signals, a lack of Pedestrian Crosswalks. The latter's closing paragraph
mentions a Study conducted by the MN. DOT that questions the walkability
and pedestrian safety on Roundabouts, as well as Bicylist's Safety
therein.
I will always have to look up the Definitions of a Roundabout and a
Rotary. One moves Vehicular Traffic from one road to another at a fast
rate of speed, while the other is designed to slow Vehicular Traffic down
to a much slower safer but still moving rate of speed. I believe the
proposed design at the USM Portland Campus is to Slow the Vehicular Traffic
down for the Safety of Students from both USM Portland and King MS, and
Pedestrians and Bicyclists. The only way to see that become a reality is
for concerned Citizens to form a Committee like we have done here in
Westbrook.
Several years ago when I was still at CMP, I was asked to escort two young
Electrical Engineers from the lead Designer of the company involved in the
5 Year MPRP Project. We visited several sites in York County. I had an
orange and white CMP truck. They had a white rental Chevy Equinox SUV.
The scariest part of our way was the new Rotary near Sanford for Rtes. 4
and 109. Finding a gap in the Traffic that was zipping around like the
Formula One Grand Prix in Monaco was downright scary. We had come north
from North Berwick. We made it thru safely but I really had my doubts.
Dennis Marrotte
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