LETTERS

Roundabout at Apponaug

Posted 9/19/17

To the Editor: In a recent Beacon, Mr. Jim Morgan took issue with my article on the Apponaug Roundabout, asking where did I get my information, as he states his history of living in France and England argue against the differences. Well, I did get this

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LETTERS

Roundabout at Apponaug

Posted

To the Editor:

In a recent Beacon, Mr. Jim Morgan took issue with my article on the Apponaug Roundabout, asking where did I get my information, as he states his history of living in France and England argue against the differences.

Well, I did get this information from the RIDOT when they first reported about the project in the newspaper. The engineering of the roundabout was explained; he must have missed that.

I recommend he also look up on the web an article by the Herald Tribune dated June 21, 2009 on a roundabout in Florida, or on the site Word Difference, or an exhaustive article on the world’s roundabouts on Wikipedia.

I will give some facts that you will find:

1. Roundabouts are more modern and efficient than rotaries.

2. A gridlock is more common in a rotary style circular intersection.

3. Rotaries have bigger diameters, 300 to 600 feet. They also have an accident rate of 3.5 to 6.5. They also have typically higher speeds from 30 to 50 miles per mph.

4. Intersecting streets in roundabouts are usually narrower.

5. Roundabouts are designed with diameters from 16 to 180 feet. They have an accident rate of 2.5 to 3.5 with speeds of 15 to 25 mph.

Mr. Morgan was correct on the problem of timidity and aggression as much of the problem, and I did state so, but not in those words. He said he’s tired of these comments about roundabouts, but I believe that maybe an informed public is better off no matter how they get informed.

Richard Russell

Warwick

Comments

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  • Thecaptain

    Richard,

    There have been 155 accidents in 5 months at the new "round about". 10 times higher than the previous traffic pattern. Why? Not withstanding the code violations throughout the entire project for months on end. Also, the ridiculous structure in front of Cumberland Farms, and the 1 lane in front of city hall now causes a bottle neck jam up all the way south to Chelo's. That structure is the fatal flaw to the system.

    Tuesday, September 19, 2017 Report this

  • wwkvoter

    I believe it was Director of DOT Peter Amorigi who said that there may be more accidents but that they are less severe. You can't have everything!

    Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Let's look at the logistics. The roundabouts and the newly-widened sidewalks have reduced the amount of road square footage by "a lot".

    We still have the same amount of cars. Therefore, we have the same amount of cars driving on much less road.

    Conclusion: We HAVE to have more congestion, more accidents, and more delays.

    This was a colossal waste of taxpayers money.

    I did not support it and if elected at the time I would have voted against it without hesitation.

    Happy Autumn everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Let's look at the logistics. The roundabouts and the newly-widened sidewalks have reduced the amount of road square footage by "a lot".

    We still have the same amount of cars. Therefore, we have the same amount of cars driving on much less road.

    Conclusion: We HAVE to have more congestion, more accidents, and more delays.

    This was a colossal waste of taxpayers money.

    I did not support it and if elected at the time I would have voted against it without hesitation.

    Happy Autumn everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Report this

  • davebarry109

    The roundabouts work great. It is the people who stop in the roundabouts that make the system insane. The other day, I had a woman IN the roundabout stop as I approached. There is no reason for this timidity. Keep the flow going.

    Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear Davebarry109,

    The roundabouts do NOT work great. The first comment stated "155 accidents in 5 months". Does that sound "great" to you?

    That woman who stopped IN the roundabout was just being cautious when she saw you. You say there is "no reason for this timidity". There were 155 reasons in the last 5 months alone Davebarry! When you say "keep the flow going", are you referring to the tow truck business?

    Happy Autumn Davebarry.

    Happy Autumn everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Report this

  • CrickeeRaven

    Posting claims with no proof, scolding other commenters, and still claiming the title "mayor" despite losing an election -- just the latest example of the fake "mayor's" complete unfitness for office.

    The roundabouts in Apponaug have slowed the speed of traffic and allowed for a direct path from Veteran's Parkway to Rte. 117, bypassing the village completely -- the two stated goals of this project.

    As the roundabouts are still relatively new, it was also expected that it would take time for drivers to learn how to navigate them. In time, these complaints will diminish.

    Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Corrente with more foolish comments once again showing his complete lack of knowledge of subject matter. "I did not support it and if elected at the time I would have voted against it without hesitation."

    There was no vote that any Warwick official took on this project. This was a state mandated project. No mayor, no council, no delegation. Just more proof of your dumbness.

    Now that the final surface coat of asphalt has been installed in front of city hall, everyone should take a drive by and see how they screwed up the elevations of the handicap ramps on the right hand side. Left side is ok, right side is 2 - 4 inches off elevation. Wait til someone tries to access the ramp and either falls off the curb or gets stuck in the traffic trying to cross.

    Now they need to go back and saw cut the new pavement out and reset the curb and the ramps. Look at the ramps across from the museum and the church. Pitiful disaster.

    Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Report this

  • Kammy

    I drive through the roundabouts in Warwick every single day during the evening rush hour. I am coming from Quonset and I need to avoid the beach traffic, the bottleneck that occurs at Rt. 4 and 95N as well as the absolutely ridiculous congestion that happens when exiting Rt. 37 onto Post Road. Before the roundabouts I would go Rt. 4 to 95N and get off at the Airport Exit. Now I have a very leisurely and dare I say quicker drive home when going through Apponaug.

    I HAVE NOT WITNESS NOR DRIVEN BY A SINGLE ACCIDENT IN MY 3 MONTHS OF TRAVELING THROUGH IT!

    My commute is quicker and honestly, less stressful. The problem does not lie on the roundabouts, it is firmly on the lack of understanding of the drivers. As others have stated, timidity and aggression are the main issues with these roads. Once the construction is completed even the problems at Cumberland Farms will lessen.

    Doesn't anyone remember the length of time it took from getting off of 95 at Centerville Road and the intersection at Tollgate? God forbid someone was turning left onto Tollgate. You would have to wait for the next light. Then the long wait up to Greenwich Ave and Post Road. Forget about trying to bear left headed towards Jefferson Blvd. You took your life in your hands trying to navigate all the way over to the Post Road Extension before finally being able to breath again. I avoided it at all costs because it took me 10 minutes just to get onto Post Road headed towards the Airport. Now....3 minutes tops.

    The roundabouts are not going to suddenly be removed because people don't know how to drive. The money has been spent, the accidents will lessen as drivers become more familiar with what up until now has been a one way road. If you don't like it, don't drive through it. I like that idea because that means less knuckleheads getting in the way of the rest of the drivers that know how to navigate it.

    Thursday, September 21, 2017 Report this

  • JohnStark

    As a frequent critic of municipal or government...anything, the roundabout system shortens my commute from the eastern part of the city to Rt. 95S considerably. No, the engineers that designed the system could not have anticipated the relative inability of Warwick drivers to adapt. But from my perspective, it's well thought out and reasonably well executed. Follow the rules of a rotary, people! It's not that hard. Now, let's hope downtown Appanoug can be invigorated.

    Thursday, September 21, 2017 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear CrickeeRaven,

    I didn't "post claims with no proof". I referenced that stats in TheCaptain's comment.

    I wasn't "scolding the other commentors". In fact I didn't even mention any.

    And finally, I have never once "claimed the title Mayor". His name is Scott Avedisian. I call myself "the Taxpayers Mayor" because I consider myself a servant of the taxpayers. Get it right CrickeeRavenm, you coward who hides in anonymity. Mayor Avedisian is the Mayor and I am the Taxpayers Mayor...for now.

    Happy Autumn everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Wednesday, September 27, 2017 Report this