I was wondering what they were doing at NW 10th and Shartel. Found this info on koco's website.

City Council Considers Adding More Roundabouts

POSTED: 12:38 pm CDT July 31, 2007
UPDATED: 12:56 pm CDT July 31, 2007


OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma City drivers could soon be going around in circles as City Council members are discussing plans to add more roundabouts.

With the addition of a roundabout at 11th Street and Walker Avenue downtown, the number of crashes was reduced from 11 in 2003 to two in 2006.

Officials said traffic circles allow more vehicles to move through intersections quicker.


"These are very good. I would like to see more of these, and then it beautifies the place at the same time," said driver Phyllis Fairley.

City officials said roundabouts also reduce delays and pollution because cars don't have to idle at stoplights.

http://www.koco.com/2007/0731/13786933_240X180.jpg

Or you can watch the video here:

City Looks Into Adding Roundabouts - Video - KOCO Oklahoma City (http://www.koco.com/video/13786952/index.html)

I like roundabouts for all the above reasons. Once you get used to them, they're as easy to use as a four way stop, without having to stop.

Was the Classen Circle a roundabout?

I love roundabouts. I'm at work and not able to watch the video. Did they say where they were looking at installing them?

It's kind of humorous that the city went through all the trouble of removing all of the city's round-abouts a few years ago, even claiming they were doing it for safety reasons because round-abouts are so much more prone to generate accidents, and now they are putting them back in around various parts of the city.

Dig a hole, fill it up. Dig a hole, fill it up....

haha dismayed, so true. Luke scroll up to my original post, at 10th and Shartel (on the other side of St. Anthony's) is the one currently under construction. So now there will be two within 2 blocks. One on each side of St. Anthony's at 10th street. The others they didn't mention location.

Classen Circle was more of a 'traffic circle' than a roundabout, meaning it was a lot bigger and not necessarily just an intersection. Plus, it was at a very busy spot unlike these two new roundabouts.

Traffic Circles vs. Roundabouts (http://www.alaskaroundabouts.com/mythfact1.html)

Luke scroll up to my original post, at 10th and Shartel (on the other side of St. Anthony's) is the one currently under construction

Ah, must have scanned right past that.

Thanks!

Wonder what a traffic circle would look like at entrance to Penn Square Mall/Belle Isle Station/NW Expressway/I-44. Thats a crazy intersection as it is... I wonder if a traffic circle would help?

I doubt they'd put one there luke. Mostly, we'll probably see them in the inner city density areas where the streets aren't quite so wide.

what they need to add is some texas turnarounds @ penn & memorial

what they need to add is some texas turnarounds @ penn & memorial

That's in the plans, as well as a May Ave. exit from Kilpatrick E bound...

Anyone know what the delay is with the roundabout at 10th and Shartel? I haven't seen anyone working on it in about a month. Sure makes my day more hectic trying to go to and from work and home. I'm sure St. Anthony's isn't too happy either with the main road to their hospital being torn up.

The contractor was finally back out there the week before Christmas and did some more grading and poured part of the base asphalt layer and poured curbs on part of NW 10th until about Shartel. Looks like they poured sidewalks on the north side of the road today and are working on the south side sidewalks. Hopefully they'll pour the rest of the street this week so we can see Shartel open in the next few weeks. Fingers crossed. I'm sure St. Anthony's is hating all this mess.

Here's the latest on the 10th and Shartel roundabout. I took these pics today:

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/St_Anthony_roundabout1.JPG

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/St_Anthony_roundabout2.JPG

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/St_Anthony_roundabout3.JPG

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/St_Anthony_roundabout4.JPG

I was parked on top of that garage just two days ago and never thought about walking over there to look.

The difference between a traffic circle and a roundabout, I've been told, is how the traffic flow is managed. In a roundabout, cars entering the circle yield to cars already in the circle. In a traffic circle (such as the old Classen Circle, frequently cited in the sixties and seventies as the most dangerous intersection in Oklahoma), cars already in the circle must yield to those entering

cars already in the circle must yield to those entering

That's like putting a kink in a bicycle chain, it's ridiculous.

I was traveling up and down the East Coast about a year ago and they are roundabout crazy there. Roundabouts are everywhere!

Once you get used to them, they are very efficient. I wonder how many minor fender benders we'll see here until everyone gets the used to the rhythm of the roundabouts?

We've already got the roundabout at 10th and Walker, just in front of Brown's bakery and the Grateful Bean Cafe. It seems to be doing just swimmingly. I love it. If no one is in the circle, and no one is in entering to your left, you can just go right on through after the briefest of pauses.

love the overhead shots thanks for posting!

We've already got the roundabout at 10th and Walker, just in front of Brown's bakery and the Grateful Bean Cafe. It seems to be doing just swimmingly. I love it. If no one is in the circle, and no one is in entering to your left, you can just go right on through after the briefest of pauses.

I want to see the 10th & Walker roundabout in action after a night of a packed out Midtown and partygoers leaving McNellies (once it opens in 2031). On a busy night with hundreds of cars pouring through there, we'll see how it works. I have my doubts. I like them - it will just take getting a whole new generation of drivers used to them.

I have occasionally seen drivers enter the roundabout with just enough hesitation to suggest that they're wondering "WTF is this?" They got through it, though, just fine.

One problem that I notice is that people forget to signal when they go to exit the round about. I'm guilty of this every so often. It causes problems when you are stopped waiting to enter and someone is exiting on a road just to the right of you on the round about (passing in front of you to do so). Often someone who fails to signal will slow down only just before exiting, when you think they will continue around the circle. I've had some close calls when I was a bit too eager to get through, the circling driver failed to signal and slowed to exit just as I was timing my entrance thinking they would continue around. Hard to describe, so I hope you know what I mean.

Does anyone else remember seeing how many times they could circle the old Classen Circle..?

I've seen people enter round-abouts and then they just stop because they are confused. I understand it's a little different, but it's not rocket science.

We have a lot of roundabouts here. They use a lot of them in residential areas. They also have a few in Washington DC. I absolutely hate them. They are an annoyance in low traffic areas and a major pain in the neck when traffic increases. At least half the drivers don't know how to work them and it is aggravating to have to deal with dipsticks who hit the brake, excellerate, wave in new drivers, rush to cut them off and otherwise don't understand the rules. You're right, it isn't rocket science but that doesn't mean much given the caliber of drivers.

Where was Classen Circle?

Where was Classen Circle?

Northwest Highway and Classen, roughly where the current intersection is today.

They finally paved the 10th & Shartel roundabout and NW 10th 2 days ago with asphalt. They still have some finishing touches and have to stripe the road. Not sure how long this will take considering I didn't see them do any work the last few weeks to prepare for the asphalt pouring. From what I can tell, good ole boy Rudy Construction Co could have poured this thing months ago. I'm not sure why it takes nearly a year to make a roundabout. Our transporation departments have serious issues in this state.

Absolutely metro . . . I don't know what all the hold ups were either . . . unfortunately OKC like government in general does things in a linear manner rather than thinking globally. They just deal with each problem as it arises rather than trying to determine what the issues will be and developing a plan . . . your tax dollars at work, but not terribly efficiently at work.

As far as using the roundabout at 10th and Walker; I go through it at least four or more times a day and very seldom encounter a problem. Perhaps OKC drivers are just more accustomed to getting around in a car and would have real problems getting on and off a subway train.

i was told the hold ups allow the contractors to charge more for materials (that i guess they already have) as they increase in price (however, this was in regard to highway construction).

The 10th & Shartel Roundabout opened up again for traffic yesterday. It is working in 3 of the 4 directions. You can now head east on NW 10th all the way until Shartel (roundabout). You can head north or south on Shartel, however you cannot continue to go east through the St. Anthony's hospital complex just yet. Looks like they are finishing up some minor things (sidewalks, landscaping, etc.). I'll try to post pics soon. Glad some traffic can finally be relieved. Francis was getting to be a nightmare.

Does anyone else remember seeing how many times they could circle the old Classen Circle..?

Yes, back in high school in the 60's, that was a favorite thing to do for the guys...load up the car and head to the Classen Circle and go round and round. (Wasn't much to do back in those days!!) :kicking:

Sid: That might actually help! Also, do they typically have the "one way" markings? I have seen folks go the wrong way before...

Probably the same folks that turn right from a left hand turn lane (or vise-versa). Have seen it a couple of times, fortunately late at night when thee wasn't any traffic. Don't know if theyhad just left the bars or decided it was too much trouble to drive all the way around the circle...LOL

We have a lot of roundabouts here. They use a lot of them in residential areas. They also have a few in Washington DC. I absolutely hate them. They are an annoyance in low traffic areas and a major pain in the neck when traffic increases. At least half the drivers don't know how to work them and it is aggravating to have to deal with dipsticks who hit the brake, excellerate, wave in new drivers, rush to cut them off and otherwise don't understand the rules. You're right, it isn't rocket science but that doesn't mean much given the caliber of drivers.

I have never, not once, had a bad (or shocking) experience at a traffic circle or roundabout.

There have been a few times where I've had to honk at a car in front of me for stopping at the entrance with no other cars in the roundabout, but other than that, I don't get where this angst is coming from. I guarantee you that a lot of these people who have had horrific experiences are just people that I honked at because I didn't have time for them to figure it out before they worked up the nerve to give it some gas...

I'm guessing you are spot on. In other words, probably not the kind of people that will obey painted arrows on a road. :)

Painted arrows, I have seen a few not get the clue when the paint, road and curbs all turn simultaneously that they are suppose to follow it.

Also it seems like it is now the majority of people are making left turns at stoplights too shallow, most of the time it is not really an issue but like one in twenty go so shallow have to make an correction to not hit a car in the turn land of the road they are switching too.

I have never, not once, had a bad (or shocking) experience at a traffic circle or roundabout.
...

I have, and more than once. However, given the dim bulb look of the other motorists, I was reasonably certain navigating simply straight roads presented them some challenges as well.