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manny_santos
Jun 24, 2009, 3:48 PM
I am not sure why there has been a steady stream of Londoners complaining about the plans for the Hale/Trafalgar overpass. Letters to the Editor in the Free Press keep referring to it as an overpass for Hale Street, without even mentioning Trafalgar - even though the plans specifically call for the intersection to be located above the tracks, thereby providing an overpass for Trafalgar.
Now think about it, what major thoroughfare runs parallel to Trafalgar? I am sure an overpass on Trafalgar will take pressure off Dundas, which I know has very high traffic volumes east of Highbury.
I believe the City should hold off on grade separations on both Richmond and Adelaide. The CP Rail corridor would be ideal for a mass transportation corridor such as a monorail or a dedicated bus road, and it may cost less to build such a corridor to pass over both streets. I would like to see CN and CP have amalgamated tracks through London, and it could be done easily with an rail interchange in the Komoka area and another one near Woodstock, both locations where the tracks run close to each other.
ldoto
Jun 24, 2009, 10:23 PM
:previous:
Update!!!
Wed, June 24, 2009
The last piece of the Hale-Trafalgar overpass puzzle appears to be in place with CN bringing nearly $2 million to the table for the project.
But London taxpayers may be on the hook for more than that if the project goes over budget.
In a report to board of control, city staff noted that construction costs are still going up and the project isn't expected to begin until next year.
But Coun. Roger Caranci, who has pushed the project for nine years, said he's confident with the city's numbers.
"It's a difficult thing to do any type of estimate on the bridge but the city has done their best on trying to get a final costing," he said. "CN has to know what they're limited to."
The $16.3-million overpass was one of the most costly projects approved for stimulus funding from senior governments.
Caranci said this is the only project with four partners at the table, making it a great deal for the city.
Board of control will vote on a staff recommendation today to approve the shared cost with CN, with the railway's share capped at $1.975 million.
It then goes to city council next Monday.
Caranci said he's confident the overpass at the rail crossing at Hale and Trafalgar streets will be built.
"To back down from something we put in for stimulus funding is not the right thing to do. CN is at the table," said Caranci. "The residents of east London deserve this. The residents of east London deserve good traffic flows and deserve to have industry remain in London and be serviced by CN."
The city and CN have already put in $1.25 million each in the project's first phase. The federal and provincial governments have each committed $3.95 million to the second phase, with the city and CN chipping in another $1.975 million each.
While the overpass would benefit Londoners, it would also reduce costs for CN by allowing the railway to form and disassemble trains more quickly, because its rail yard is just to the west of the crossing.
The overpass, at a crossing where long train tie-ups have infuriated drivers for years, has been controversial, with some on council saying the money earmarked for the bridge could have been used for other projects that would have had a greater benefit to all Londoners.
Caranci said council deserves credit for advancing the project after talking about it for several years.
"Council has finally understood it's a good thing," he said.
manny_santos
Jun 24, 2009, 11:07 PM
:previous:
Update!!!
That's what prompted me to post my thought :cool:
JrUrbanDesigner
Dec 16, 2009, 11:31 AM
I think this is an very intersting and innovative idea for London.. Im from Europe were large arterial-arterial roundabouts exist and I think they work great and can definately look great too, if they do a decent job landscaping the middle or placing some sort of public art. Its about time London looks into a roundabout project other than in a suburban context - were in my opinion they dont really belong..
Heres the LFP article-
Traffic roundabout pulls out all the stops
OVERPASS PROJECT: A circular intersection is expected to save money and headaches
By GEOFF TURNER, SPECIAL TO THE FREE PRESS
Last Updated: 16th December 2009, 4:32am
Email StoryPrintSize A A AReport TypoShare with:
FacebookDiggDel.icio.usGoogleStumble UponNewsvineRedditTechnoratiFeed MeYahooSimpySquidooSpurlBlogmarksNetvouzScuttleSitejot+ What are these? .When the dust finally settles on London's new Hale-Trafalgar overpass, the headache of railway bottlenecks will be replaced with a surprise to many drivers -- the city's first major traffic roundabout.
The novel feature has been included in the $17-million project to help solve congestion at the east-end intersection.
Common in Europe but not so much in Canada, roundabouts are big, circular intersections where traffic converges without signals or stop signs, allowing continuous vehicle movement. That efficiency also means less environmentally harmful stop-and-go driving.
At the site of the future overpass, Trafalgar St. isn't in alignment: The westbound lanes connect with Hale St. north of the tracks, while the eastbound lanes connect with Hale south of the tracks.
The roundabout will solve problems, city transport planner John Lucas said.
"Instead of just a simple north-south or east-west crossing, it's both," he says. A regular, conventional intersection would have required a more expensive solution.
To many Canadians, accustomed to the strict order of green, yellow and red lights, roundabouts can seem like anarchy -- the idea, that thousands of vehicles can merge and flow seamlessly without stopping, simply preposterous.
That fear is one reason North American cities have been slower to embrace roundabouts.
While London has a few one-lane suburban traffic circles, Lucas doesn't think we're ready yet for the high-volume roundabouts found around the world.
"Canadians are just getting used to one-lane roundabouts, let alone three," he said. "You've got to let them grow into it. We're certainly not going to take a huge intersection and replace it with a multi-lane roundabout."
Stephen Sargeant has heard that argument before but he dismisses it outright. As a traffic engineer with AECOM Engineering in Kingston, he's worked on the design and construction of roundabouts for more than a decade. He cites examples where large roundabouts have been installed to great success, despite no previous local experience.
"In Clearwater, Florida, they installed a roundabout that has six approaches," he said. "Everyone said it would be a problem, and now they love it."
Just up the road from London, Waterloo Region has embraced roundabouts big-time.
The region built its first in 2004 and now has 15. Another 20 are planned, including a corridor between Kitchener and Cambridge that would have eight in a row, said Steve VanderKeere of the Waterloo Region transportation department.
He said while there was an adjustment period for drivers, the evidence has already shown significant gains in safety. There's been a reduction in crashes, but -- more importantly -- the crashes are less severe, he said.
"We know for certain that we've prevented a lot of trips to the hospital," he said. "It's nice to be able to say that."
The region has backed up the roundabout policy with a public awareness campaign, including a whimsical music video for The Roundabout Dance, a song that explains roundabout etiquette.
While London has a few one-lane suburban traffic circles, Lucas doesn't think we're ready yet for the high-volume roundabouts found around the world.
"Canadians are just getting used to one-lane roundabouts, let alone three," he said. "We're certainly not going to take a huge intersection and replace it with a multi-lane roundabout."
Stephen Sargeant has heard that argument before, but dismisses it outright. As a traffic engineer with AECOM Engineering in Kingston, he's worked on the design and construction of roundabouts for more than a decade. He cites examples where large roundabouts have been installed to great success, despite no previous local experience.
"In Clearwater, Florida, they installed a roundabout that has six approaches," he said. "Everyone said it would be a problem, and now they love it."
Waterloo Region has embraced roundabouts big-time.
The region built its first in 2004 and now has 15. Another 20 are planned, including a corridor between Kitchener and Cambridge that would have eight in a row, said Steve VanderKeere of the Waterloo Region transportation department.
He said while there was an adjustment period for drivers, the evidence has already shown significant gains in safety. There's been a reduction in crashes, but -- more importantly -- the crashes are less severe.
"We know for certain that we've prevented a lot of trips to the hospital," he said. "It's nice to be able to say that."
VanderKeere also points to potential environmental benefits of replacing signalled intersections.
The environmental logic of roundabouts is simple: The circles allow traffic to flow continuously, reducing stops and starts and wasteful idling. Cars can cover more ground in less time, at lower speeds. The results are quieter roads, lighter fuel consumption and lower emissions.
Lucas doesn't believe the environmental benefits of roundabouts are significant enough to put at the centre of London's carbon reduction plans, however.
"There are much bigger gains to be made from federal emission reductions than we can accomplish by building roundabouts," he said.
Tony Redington, a former policy analyst with the Vermont Agency of Transportation, disagrees. He conducted a survey of emissions reduction from roundabout projects around the U.S. He concluded that by replacing 25 busy signalled intersections, Burlington, Vt., could achieve 25% of its ambitious emissions reduction targets.
Having visited London, he thinks the city would be ideal for some refits.
"It has those big, wide thoroughfares that are just perfect for roundabouts," he said.
manny_santos
Dec 17, 2009, 3:59 AM
I think it's a good idea. I've seen roundabouts in action in Hamilton and K-W as well as in several cities in Mexico, and they work well.
I saw plans presented at a planning committee meeting in 2007 that included a roundabout at Hamilton and Commissioners Roads. Whatever happened to that?
ldoto
Jan 28, 2010, 1:47 AM
Update!!!!
Our break from dealing with major construction spots in the city may be coming to an end in just a few weeks.
:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:
If Council gives it the green light on Monday, construction to build an overpass over the Hale-Trafalgar railway crossing could start in less than a month.
It will take about a year to complete the multi-million dollar project which will feature the city's first traffic round-about on a major road.
If Council gives the $16.3m project the final OK at their meeting on February 1st, work could begin as early as February 15th.
City Staff have already sent out warnings about potential severe traffic delays to schools, their buses, waste and recycling collecters, snow plows, the LTC, and Canada Post.
Right now, plans call for traffic to be detoured onto nearby Highbury Ave., Brydges St. and Hamilton Rd. About 30 property owners had to sell their land so the overpass could be built.
The City needs to get the asphalt laid by November so the project can wrap up by March of next year which is the deadline for federal infrastructure money.
MolsonExport
Jan 28, 2010, 4:30 AM
what a shitload of moolah for just an overpass. oh well, after shelling out millions over the years for orchestra london, who gives two shits about the taxpayers?
Snark (Timothy Worst)? Snaa-arrk? Was you dere, mein herrein?
Snark
Jan 29, 2010, 12:10 AM
what a shitload of moolah for just an overpass. oh well, after shelling out millions over the years for orchestra london, who gives two shits about the taxpayers?
Snark (Timothy Worst)? Snaa-arrk? Was you dere, mein herrein?
I never left, I just grew tired of arguing. I deal with far more heat professionally every day than is here - so, no temper tantrums, it's just that life is far too short. You guys really don't seem to understand the way things actually work, and seem to have no willingness to learn or accept reality if it contradicts your worldview. There is little dialogue here that is meaningful or remotely professional (as exemplified in your obscenity-laden, completely factually incorrect post above). Hence, little point in continuing for me. I'm sure that you shall mock me or something or other for my comments, but I really don't care. Mock away.....
As for the overpass, I actually do this sort of thing for a living (nope, I'm not Tim Best - I'm a hell of a lot smarter than that guy), and $16M is not at all out of line for that project. A good deal of it will be paid for with federal stimulus money and the railroad as well. I'm sure you won't accept this, but this is actually a great deal for the City for a project long overdue. The engineering solution itself is imaginative and novel as well. For the City, this is a great engineering project with excellent financial arrangements. The City is showing excellent stewardship by executing this project in the manner it is - despite what you think.
MolsonExport
Jan 29, 2010, 5:16 PM
I would assume that since you "deal with far more heat professionally every day than is here" that you would therefore be able to consistently respond methodically and calmly to what you perceive as ill-informed posts. In fact, given your involvement in urban development, you could make some enlightening contributions. But instead, you get extremely personal, presumptuous and downright mean-directly to forumers which is not at all the same thing as criticizing elected officials and/or public servants.
I will admit, that your most recent post is a step in the right direction.
haljackey
Oct 2, 2010, 9:49 PM
Took some photos of the overpass for a site analysis. May as well post them here:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/5044828203_20578b8b63_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5044825357_6c6e929be2_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5045448298_c93700ae92_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5045501922_546a3f4281_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5044879547_258c8d1930_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5044879073_37d0910834_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5044878729_deca43b53f_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5044878409_d972eafe06_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/5045499766_10cf7b9fb2_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5045449656_a1b06f711f_b.jpg
go_leafs_go02
Oct 2, 2010, 9:56 PM
nice pictures...will be interested to see how it turns out..
kinda thought this project would be further ahead than what it is right now.
haljackey
Oct 2, 2010, 10:03 PM
nice pictures...will be interested to see how it turns out..
kinda thought this project would be further ahead than what it is right now.
The overpass has run both behind schedule and over budget.
However, for a project as unique as this one, it doesn't surprise me. Whoever thought of building a roundabout on top of a rail line was either a genius or nuts. Only way to know for sure is how cars behave when this thing opens.
Kokkei Mizu
Nov 10, 2010, 6:15 PM
The late Charley Fox, a decorated Second World War fighter pilot, may soon have his name enshrined on a special new London landmark.
Board of control is being asked to name the $16.3-million Hale-Trafalgar overpass project in east London after the Spitfire pilot who died in a car crash near Tillsonburg in 2008.
“The Charley Fox Bridge” would be part of the combined bridge and traffic roundabout that’s expected to ease road congestion at the CN Rail crossing.
The idea, proposed by Coun. Roger Caranci after consulting members of Fox’s family, is being recommended by administration.
Fox, a D-Day veteran and a double recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, is credited with strafing the staff car of German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel in occupied France in 1944.
During the attack, Rommel was injured, sidelining the wily commander known as the Desert Fox for his earlier successes in North Africa.
In his later years, Fox, whose family lived on Clarke Rd., was active in helping school children learn about veterans. He was also active in the Canadian Harvard Association. He died in a car crash after attending a meeting of the association, dedicated to the venerable training aircraft.
Caranci said he wanted to honour Fox for some time and waited until he located the Fox family and they agreed. Now that he’s about to leave local office, Caranci said this was a bit of unfinished business.
“We have never done enough to honour our veterans,” he said. He termed it “coincidence” his request went to board of control on the eve of Remembrance Day.
Jim Fox, son of the war hero, said the family was honoured but his father “would have wanted to see some recognition for all veterans.”
Caranci said he hopes some sort of memorial for all veterans can eventually be included in the roundabout.
Fox, of Kitchener, said his family owned the house on Clarke Rd. just south of Dundas St. for nearly 50 years.
Charley Fox, 88, who cheated death many times during his military career, was made an honorary colonel and was saluted with a memorial service in Ottawa after he died.
The Hale-Trafalgar overpass is expected to be completed early next year.
Simpseatles
Nov 11, 2010, 12:02 AM
Is there any real need for this overpass?
Hale is only a couple of blocks away from Highbury, and Trafalgar is a secondary main road, that passes through mostly residential areas. I think the city should've used the money to build a new bridge for the Sarnia Road rail overpass or something.
manny_santos
Nov 11, 2010, 1:55 AM
Is there any real need for this overpass?
Hale is only a couple of blocks away from Highbury, and Trafalgar is a secondary main road, that passes through mostly residential areas. I think the city should've used the money to build a new bridge for the Sarnia Road rail overpass or something.
Trafalgar is classified as an arterial, the same level as Dundas - the only difference is that part of Trafalgar is not a 24-hour truck route.
With the amount of traffic on Dundas, I think this is very much needed to divert traffic off Dundas.
Sarnia Road will get its bridge soon enough.
haljackey
Nov 11, 2010, 2:06 AM
Is there any real need for this overpass?
Hale is only a couple of blocks away from Highbury
To add, Highbury is already at-capacity and is getting quite congested. Adding relief nearby (mostly Hale Street, but Trafalgar will help as well) will help distribute traffic flow over the CN rail line.
Simpseatles
Nov 11, 2010, 11:03 PM
^ I guess it is a pretty important project. The fact that the City decided to go with something so other-worldly to Londoners as a traffic circle is quite cool. Hopefully this leads to more traffic circles being built at places like the Hamilton, Commisioners, and Old Victoia intersection.
MolsonExport
Nov 12, 2010, 2:24 AM
Is there some reason why London abhors thru-roads? Highbury and Wonderland are the only complete North-South Roads (and the latter does not connect yet to 401); Oxford and Fanshawe Park the only complete East-West Roads.
manny_santos
Nov 12, 2010, 2:55 AM
Is there some reason why London abhors thru-roads? Highbury and Wonderland are the only complete North-South Roads (and the latter does not connect yet to 401); Oxford and Fanshawe Park the only complete East-West Roads.
It's all environmental issues that have come up over the years - proposed connections betwen Huron/Sarnia and Kilally/Windermere/Gainsborough have been on the books for decades.
I don't think there's too many cities that have many true thru-roads anyways, aside from major highways. Even Ottawa's Hunt Club Road isn't yet complete on the east end.
Simpseatles
Nov 12, 2010, 4:08 AM
Is there some reason why London abhors thru-roads? Highbury and Wonderland are the only complete North-South Roads (and the latter does not connect yet to 401); Oxford and Fanshawe Park the only complete East-West Roads.
What about Commissioners? It goes from the east end to the west.
Kokkei Mizu
Nov 12, 2010, 5:05 AM
What about Commissioners? It goes from the east end to the west.
Commissioners technically ends at Oxford within the city limits, but it definitely is a road that goes all the way through London.
And here's a photo from City of London's website on progress on the road! They're paving the approaches!! :cheers:
http://www.commutebyrail.org/stuff/hale.jpg
MolsonExport
Nov 12, 2010, 3:53 PM
What about Commissioners? It goes from the east end to the west.
Up and dies past Adelaide Street.
haljackey
Nov 12, 2010, 4:19 PM
I'd count Commissioners as a true through street. Although it meets up with Oxford just before the city limits, that's in Byron, and wasn't included in London's original limits. It goes on long enough to count it.
-And it also ends at Hamilton in the east, but Hamilton continues on the same path to consider it the same road until it reaches the VMP.
Does Sunningdale count? Wonderland has a discontinuity point at a major junction. Bradley can be counted once it's extended. Once extended to Clarke, the VMP could be counted as well.. the section of Clarke between Fanshawe and VMP could also be renamed the VMP.
Speaking of the VMP, has anyone seen the new monuments erected along it's route? I think the flag poles and the stone monument greeting those coming off the 401 are nice, but I gotta say I don't like the others. No offense to our veterans.
All I know is that once this roundabout's done I'm gonna drive in circles many times and confuse the hell outa other drivers. :jester:
Kokkei Mizu
Nov 24, 2010, 7:16 AM
The overpass is actually looking like an overpass!
http://www.commutebyrail.org/stuff/hale2.jpg
haljackey
Dec 14, 2010, 7:14 PM
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/2803/clipboard05.png
The London Free Press
Londoners are about to find out driving around in circles really can get you somewhere.
The green flag will be lifted for drivers Friday on the city’s first major traffic roundabout, the $16-million Hale-Trafalgar overpass, after an opening ceremony.
Routine in Europe, the circular intersections are starting to pop up in Canadian cites. The Waterloo Region has about a dozen and London has a few small ones scattered in new subdivisions.
But even proponents of roundabouts concede some drivers will be wide-eyed and whiteknuckled when they enter the Hale-Trafalgar overpass for the first time.
Dave Leckie, London’s director of roads and transportation, says he has faith London drivers will adapt and won’t end up doing endless loops.
“I think people will err on the side of caution.”
But there are skeptics, such as the man who approached Leckie at one of the project’s public meetings.
“He told me Londoners are too stupid to drive on a roundabout. Well, if Waterloo drivers can handle them I think Londoners can,” Leckie said.
A video camera will be installed at the overpass so the road staff can monitor the flow of traffic, What: A circular intersection that channels vehicles in one direction around a central island. Right of way: Drivers in the roundabout have it. Entering/leaving: Drivers entering make a right turn and go around the circle to their exit. Speed limit: 50 km/h Benefits: No signals or stops; cuts fuel use, increases safety. he said.
Roundabouts take some getting used to, but are safer in the long run, said Steve Clark, who operates the Young Drivers of Canada driving school in London.
“You don’t have left-hand turns in front of speeding traffic. You don’t have traffic coming from different directions, (vehicles) are flowing around the roundabout.”
ROUNDABOUT Letters explaining the roundabout will be delivered to homes near the overpass, Leckie said. A pamphlet was also distributed in The Londoner Dec. 3.
Information will also be posted on the city’s website, he said, but there are no plans for an informational video — something Waterloo Region did.
The Hale-Trafalgar overpass will solve a chronic traffic problem in the area — cursed by drivers for years — caused by a CN Rail line crossing the streets at an odd angle.
CN Rail will benefit because the overpass will ease operations in its rail-marshalling yards.
Former city councillor Roger Caranci said the Hale-Trafalgar overpass was one of the first issues he tackled when he came on council in 2000. Pulling together the funding from the city, provincial and federal governments, and CN Rail was a tough fight.
“I found out it took 10 years to get a bridge built in the city of London,” Caranci said.
It’s closer to 20. At the project’s ground-breaking in February, Caranci’s colleague Bud Polhill found a city council document on the issue dating back to 1992.
The overpass will be named for the late Second World War fighter pilot Charley Fox, who lived in east London. A plaque honouring Fox will be installed.
The first time I drive on this, I'm going in circles. I don't care if I confuse other drivers, I want to celebrate. :jester:
Kokkei Mizu
Dec 15, 2010, 10:44 AM
It looks better than I imagined! And the snow makes it even more beautiful! I think this unique project will do wonders for London. Even from a tourist point of view -- "Come see a roundabout on top of a bridge... over tracks...!"
ForestryW
Dec 15, 2010, 4:41 PM
Haha, outside of a couple hundred UW planning students I don't think it will have much tourism potential.
haljackey
Dec 15, 2010, 4:50 PM
Although it's a very unique junction, I doubt this will attract a lot of tourism. Roundabouts are not a new technology and they have been in Southwest Ontario for some time... with most of them in Waterloo Region as indicated in the article above.
The radius of this roundabout is extraordinary narrow compared to most other roundabouts, but remember this is an overpass too. A much larger structure would be required to increase the roundabout's circumference, and would cost a lot more money to build.
I welcome roundabouts. Hopefully it will make London feel more like her big sister which has the highest number of roundabouts in the world.
haljackey
Dec 17, 2010, 1:15 AM
The project no longer appears on the city's Road Construction page.
http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Road_Construction/default.htm
I'm assuming it's done! :cheers:
haljackey
Dec 17, 2010, 6:10 PM
The junction opens at 4 today.
In celebration of the event, I whipped up a couple mock-ups of the roundabout in Simcity 4:
I couldn't build the roundabout on top of the rail line, so I put it to the side and hooked it up with road overpasses:
-I had to convert rail to ground light rail to make the diagonal overpass for Trafalgar Street.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/7133/haltonoct9011292608614.jpg
In this example, I used a rail tunnel rather than making overpasses.
http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/3255/haltonfeb24021292609039.jpg
Despite the limitations of the game, I think they turned out ok. :rolleyes:
MolsonExport
Dec 17, 2010, 7:10 PM
^say, that's pretty good stuff. I am a recovering SimCity4 addict.
haljackey
Dec 17, 2010, 9:19 PM
SimCity 4 is one of those games I can never put down.
http://external.ak.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=3c2694706349d448c8736f9a27f6a386&w=90&h=90&url=http%3A%2F%2Fstorage.canoe.ca%2Fv1%2Fdynamic_resize%2F%3Fsrc%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fbrightcove.canoe.com.edgesuite.net%2Fmedia%2F1749345207%2F1749345207_714595776001_round-raw.jpg%3FpubId%3D1749345207%26size%3D148x111
Cars collide on unopened roundabout
London Free Press
Three hours before its officially opening, London's new roundabout claimed its first collision victims.
Full story here:
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/12/17/16592266.html#/news/london/2010/12/17/pf-16592441.html
Haha we suck.
We really suck.
MolsonExport
Dec 17, 2010, 9:26 PM
What a way to inaugurate the roundabout.
haljackey
Dec 17, 2010, 9:29 PM
I know eh? The roundabout just opened at 4 today.
The city just released this media which I call "Roundabouts for Dummies". Hopefully this will reverse this premature accident.
http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Transportation/roundabout.htm
Way to go City of London drivers!
haljackey
Dec 18, 2010, 6:05 PM
Londoners can now drive in circles
London Free Press
Some honked their horns while others rolled down their windows and cheered at the chance Friday afternoon to drive on London’s first major roundabout.
There was even a small crowd of spectators waiting for workers to remove the barriers and let the lineups of vehicles onto the $16-million Hale-Trafalgar overpass.
“I can’t wait to use it. I’m very, very excited” said Nemesio Goulart, a nearby resident who waited in his pickup truck for the barriers to be removed.
Goulart said the roundabout will mean better traffic flow in the area and he predicted Londoners will get used to the concept.
That appeared to be the case as drivers zipped around the circle, entering and exiting without incident.
Full story and video here http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/12/17/16598126.html#/news/london/2010/12/17/pf-16595371.html
----
Also, according to FM96 (AM980) the roundabout will be named after Charley Fox, a WWII war hero from east London.
More on that here: http://www.fm96.com/channels/newsinfo/localnews/Story.aspx?ID=1330209
-----
So let's welcome the opening of the Charley Fox Roundabout and Rail Overpass!
MrSlippery519
Jan 13, 2011, 9:03 PM
I am loving the roundabout, I use it at least twice a day. However they is a huge issue with lack of knowledge about how to actually use a round about....primarily virtually no one signals when exiting the roundabout which in turn causes slow down in traffic flow.
Over the past week or so I have noticed some people signalling so hoping it gets passed along to the other drivers as well.
haljackey
Jun 8, 2012, 3:49 AM
Found some great aerial photos of the roundabout. Have a look!
http://www.mckaycocker.com/uploads/project-gallery/large/mckaycocker09.2011127.jpg
http://www.mckaycocker.com/uploads/project-gallery/large/circle.jpg
http://www.mckaycocker.com/uploads/project-gallery/large/mckaycocker09.2011130.jpg
http://www.mckaycocker.com/uploads/project-gallery/large/mckaycocker09.2011136.jpg
From http://www.mckaycocker.com/our-projects/139
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