First there was one at Travellers Rest, which was never designed properly to accommodate large vehicles, then the second one was proposed for the Mount Edward Rd-Allen St. intersection, which many people don't see a NEED for. Yet, the City planners won't share the design plan with the local business owners and their appeal to IRAC has been turned down. NOW Ronnie McKinley is planning on adding another two more at Riverside Drive and increase it to four lanes. One is supposed to be installed at Exhibition Drive and the other one further up closer to Wastewatch.

I would LOVE to see a functional working Roundabout, but I THINK it first requires proper planning and sufficient land and to take into consideration the needs of the business and people who will be impacted by this major change. Mr. McKinley states the Roundabout will SLOW traffic down, as that is what is required at Riverside Drive. So, consider this, you are in an ambulance on the way to the QEH by way of Riverside Drive and you are suffering a heart attack. Oh wait, first we have to go through the maze of TWO roundabouts before we get to the traffic lights at the QEH. Will the cars in the Roundabout all pull over to let the ambulance by, will there be enough room in these new Roundabouts to allow the ambulance to pass?

I am not against roundabouts, I am just trying to visualize how they would be designed and how they will work. If it slows traffic down on Riverside Drive, will that be good or will it impact on people trying to get in and out of the local stores?

I think the reason the City gave for delaying the Roundabout at Mount Edward & Allen Street is a load of crap. They want Islanders to practice first before they build one. How many Islanders have traveled off Island and through roundabouts and traffic circles and survived. It's not that we are too dumb or against change, just build it right in the first place and select a proper intersection that needs one a lot more then the proposed one at Mt. Edward Rd. All they need there is an extra turning lane in the east-west roads and it should alleviate most of the problems. The intersection at Brackley Pt Rd-St. Peter's Rd & Belvedere is a nightmare and is in need of an update for sure. Try a Roundabout here and let us see if it works. Just my opinion.

I hear all these people slam the Travellers Rest roundabout. What are the problems? When are these problems happening? And some sort of proof of them as I travel through here daily at all different hours and have yet to see any major problems to warrant all the negative attitudes. Maybe it is just these people that don't understand the way it works and feel the need to slam it!!! Change isn't always a bad thing, just a thought!!!

Have you ever asked a driver about it. I have and most have no issues at all with it. They will tell you if the car drivers would learn how it works they would find it even easier. At first yes it was an adjustment for them, same as anything new. I have yet to see any not get around it, or stop in it and get out to figure out how they will ever manage it.

The province is only considering adding two roundabouts on Riverside drive. Folks in O'Leary are also lobbying for a roundabout or a set of traffic lights. I don't necessarily think a roundabout is necessary on Riverside drive, but I wouldn't be against it if they went ahead with it. Yes it will slow traffic down, but it's not going to mean life or death for someone going to the hospital. That's a bit of a stretch.

I personally don't understand the issue of how local businesses will somehow be negatively affected by a roundabout. It wouldn't prevent me from going to a business just because I have to slow down and turn right.

Sensationalism at best.

I think your arguments are inaccurate for a few reasons:
- the presence of lighted intersections makes the bypass more of a stop-and-wait affair than an express route around Charlottetown.
- when coming to a red light, the standard practice for ambulances is to come to nearly a complete stop before proceeding through it. If anything, it should be faster to go through a roundabout than a full lighted intersection with a red light.

Sensationalism at best.

I think your arguments are inaccurate for a few reasons:
- the presence of lighted intersections makes the bypass more of a stop-and-wait affair than an express route around Charlottetown.
- when coming to a red light, the standard practice for ambulances is to come to nearly a complete stop before proceeding through it. If anything, it should be faster to go through a roundabout than a full lighted intersection with a red light.[/quote]

I appreciate your response. Granted I portrayed a worse case scenario, but in my mind I am just trying to picture how these two Roundabouts in such a short space would work, guess we will have to wait and see.

Charlottetown just needs to use other cities as a model and stop trying to pretend to be so innovative. The by pass needs to lose the lights and to have a 4 line divided highway (2 eastbound, 2 West) with overpassess and on/off ramps. Its not rocket science, Moncton and Halifax (and every city in between) seems to get the point. The bypass is nothing more then a typical boulevard anywhere else in the country...a congested one at that. Roundabouts? Why they would announce they are building 2 more roundabouts without even evaluating the first one boggles my mind. If one fails, they all do. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

No saga, bring them on !