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What are the most dangerous roundabouts in Michigan?

https://www.michiganautolaw.com/blog/20 ... igan-2018/

There are already so many accidents on many roundabouts that they are putting traffic lights on the roundabouts. The whole idea was supposed to be to eliminate traffic lights. Part of the problem is the cars are like toys that blow apart when they collide. There is now no such thing as a fender bender. Little accidents cost thousands of dollars to repair.

If everyone wasn't in such a hurry through the intersections the rate would drop drastically. I used to drive through a roundy 4 times a day and would see tailgating and speeding with the hope of passing just one more car before the lane merged.
There will always be the timid driver who does not feel comfortable but when people tailgate the car the car in front of them, then the other feeding roads cannot move in easily and cause a back-up on that entry area.
The Lee Rd. one in Brighton is too small a circle for the amount of traffic that has to flow thru. Not to mention trucks. Add the lack of good markings and signage and there you go.

Just get rid of them.

They are nothing but a MDOT sponsored Bump N' Run, except nobody wins.

I wonder who profits most from these. Big Roundabout? Insurance companies from rising rates?

You would think they would have tested it more before building so many. The only place they seem to work well is in new residential areas where they replace four way stops. Except they can't really be retrofitted for older subs. The less the traffic flow, the better.

The concept of Round abouts works well IF people follow the simple rules. But the overall learning curve is bigger than I imagined.

I remember the very first time I was confronted with a roundabout, a complete and utter surprise at the time. I saw signage I couldn't properly interpret. Once in the roundabout, the road markings leading in multiple directions confused the hell outta me! I figured I could swerve across in front of the vehicle next to and just behind me to my right so I could access the direction I wanted to go, but he wasn't gonna stop and let me do it! I just kept going round and round and round! "How the hell do I get off this thing!" It must've been funny to any pedestrians observing.

Now, I love 'em! I guess the main thing is getting into the proper lane before entering a roundabout, something that comes with experience, and NOT change lanes once in the roundabout. However, I do see people changing lanes once in awhile, a big no-no.

#2 on the link's list, Van Dyke at 18½ Mile Rd., is one I use often. Others are the back-to-back roundabouts on 26 Mile Road east of Van Dyke, the one at the eastern terminus of Hall Rd. at Jefferson Ave. (a great improvement!), and the one at Dodge Park & Utica Road. That last one does necessitate a lane change if one wants to access westbound Utica Rd. from northbound Dodge Park, somewhat poorly designed and quite busy during afternoon rush.

IMHO roundabouts should only be used at irregular intersections, not at the standard "T", not at a normal crossroad, not in high volume traffic, and certainly not at freeway ramps (as I mentioned in another thread). An example of an irregular intersection would be a 5-point one, where you have a standard crossroad with another one coming in on a 45-degree angle. Traffic lights don't work with these as efficiently as a roundabout does.

Some comments about the ones listed in the article:

1. Orchard Lake Rd @ W 14 Mile Rd: I went through this one last night and almost nailed someone that pulled out in front of me.

3. Martin Pkwy / Pontaic Trl / M-5: I avoid this during rush hour as I've had too many near misses. An overpass should be constructed here.

4. State Rd @ Ellsworth Rd: I read somewhere traffic accidents increased 1000% after this roundabout was put in.

10. Lee Rd @ Whitmore Lake Rd: the first time you go through these, you don't want to do so in the dark like I did. Trying to figure out what lane you want to be in as you transition from one to the other is a nightmare and the map on the signs does not help at all.

I went through MSU campus a few months ago and noticed the ones I grew up with along Wilson Road and Shaw Lane are gone. They have been replaced with normal intersections with traffic lights.

I think a new one that will soon be recognized as a problem is the one at the I-75 Bristol Rd. Exit, used by a lot of out of the area travelers heading for Bishop Airport. Like many have said, unfamiliarity with the peculiarities of a particular roundabout are problematic.

The reason they use them is that it (supposedly) reduces fatal or severe accidents. Non-fatal and non-severe accidents do increase quite significantly though. The idea is that vehicles hit at oblique angles and not head on or at right angles.

Well then, put traffic lights up too, and that will reduce side collisions.

The one at I-75 and Bristol Rd. is a joke, especially when the GM plant gets out at 2:30. Not to mention the score of trucking companies in that area adding to the mess.

Willie108 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 13, 2019 5:29 pm

The one at I-75 and Bristol Rd. is a joke, especially when the GM plant gets out at 2:30. Not to mention the score of trucking companies in that area adding to the mess.

Long ago, when things were still going well at GM, they should have put some more overpasses over I-75, like Torrey Rd./12th St., to Bristol Rd. and the originally planned Hammerberg Rd. section from Atherton Rd. to Torrey Rd./12th St. That would have solved a lot of traffic flow problems near the GM complex. If you look at really old maps, Atherton extended beyond VanSlyke and met Torrey Rd. You have to go miles out of the way in many cases.

The one at Lee Rd. & US-23 in Brighton is by far the worst!

Martin Pkwy / Pontiac Trl / M-5: I bet that one is just awful during afternoon rush hour.

I'm glad moldyoldie mentioned the one in front of Sterling Heights City Hall; that one used to be terrible from a navigational standpoint prior to Utica Rd. being widened.

Oakland County wins the award for confusing intersections. The Woodward Ave., Main St., 11 Mile Rd, I-696 clusterscrew by the Detroit Zoo is bad enough (not a roundabout, just a f*cked up intersection). The 14 Mile Rd. / Orchard Lake / Northwestern Hwy intersection is arguably worse. It's like a damn maze. If I drove through there regularly, I'd probably get used to it.

On the U.S. 10 & M -30 exit (Sanford & West Branch) there is a roundabout & there were 3 accidents so far!!