I would not call what they did to WJB an improvement

Thats incredibly unfortunate....

It's a great test of the old sway bars!

TyHolden said:

---

iawhy is there a light on the turnaround? is that normal?

---

I figured they were for pedestrians crossing but haven't read any signage since I am too busy swerving back and forth to look.

TyHolden said:

---

why is there a light on the turnaround? is that normal?

---

One this is designed by Texans for Texans.
Two the roundabouts on WJB are way to small, should be around 60 feet, to give drivers time to react and to handle larger trucks.

I drive through that area several times a week. The bigger trucks like delivery trucks cannot make those turns… I've watched them drive over the bricks almost every time. I make sure I'm never right next to them in that area.
Really poor planning!

But we have 10' wide sidewalks!

doubledog said:

---

TyHolden said:

---

why is there a light on the turnaround? is that normal?

---

One this is designed by Texans for Texans.
Two the roundabouts on WJB are way to small, should be around 60 feet, to give drivers time to react and to handle larger trucks.

---

Not sure what that has to do with the light but I looked at it this morning. It's a pedestrian light for the Dollar General or whatever is over there. I've got a picture if anybody wants to see it. My guess is they're trying to make Bryan more walkable. Kind of a pipe dream if you ask me but I don't spend a lot of time over there. When I do drive by there, I don't see many people walking other than around Christmas with the lights.

And big trucks going through the roundabout with a trailer basically have to take up both lanes going 15-20 mph. Not sure what the logic is there.

TyHolden said:

---

Mathguy64 said:

---

TyHolden said:

---

why is there a light on the turnaround? is that normal?

---

Because everyone coming down WJB can't see anyone in the turnaround or starting the turnaround as it's so short a curve there isn't time to react or yield to them. And everyone using it that I have seen using it was cutting across both lanes to get into June St.

---

I'm talking about the first turnaround heading from 6 to downtown. It's at the end of the turnaround when heading downtown. It makes no sense. You're halfway through the turnaround with a light? Only thing I can think of is pedestrian as mentioned above. Never seen that before though.

---

Drove through there a couple of days ago and saw that pedestrian crossing last second. I was more concerned with watching in my mirrors to make sure my trailer was staying in my lane. Someone's definitely going to get hit there.

Just an awful design. Bryan really knocked it out of the park on this one.

And every damn road in Bryan is 30 mph speed limit. I can run faster than that.

much much worse and it only took 4 years TXDOT

AggiePhil said:

---

Just an awful design. Bryan really knocked it out of the park on this one.

---

TXDOT, not Bryan

And by the way, thanks for making Sam's Boot Repair difficult to get to ... and get out of ... Good grief.

Incorrect

Jetty said:

---

I drive through that area several times a week. The bigger trucks like delivery trucks cannot make those turns… I've watched them drive over the bricks almost every time. I make sure I'm never right next to them in that area.
Really poor planning!

---

Those bricks are called truck aprons. That's what they are there for.

etmydst said:

---

Jetty said:

---

I drive through that area several times a week. The bigger trucks like delivery trucks cannot make those turns… I've watched them drive over the bricks almost every time. I make sure I'm never right next to them in that area.
Really poor planning!

---

Those bricks are called truck aprons. That's what they are there for.

---

FYI : If you need to use a truck apron then the roundabout is too damn small.

Destination Bryan...but we make it as difficult as possible to get to

I just take MLK now

doubledog said:

---

etmydst said:

---

Jetty said:

---

I drive through that area several times a week. The bigger trucks like delivery trucks cannot make those turns… I've watched them drive over the bricks almost every time. I make sure I'm never right next to them in that area.
Really poor planning!

---

Those bricks are called truck aprons. That's what they are there for.

---

FYI : If you need to use a truck apron then the roundabout is too damn small.

---

Your opinion is cute but the entire civil engineering practice disagrees with you. Any other opinions you want to FYI as facts?

etmydst said:

---

doubledog said:

---

etmydst said:

---

Jetty said:

---

I drive through that area several times a week. The bigger trucks like delivery trucks cannot make those turns… I've watched them drive over the bricks almost every time. I make sure I'm never right next to them in that area.
Really poor planning!

---

Those bricks are called truck aprons. That's what they are there for.

---

FYI : If you need to use a truck apron then the roundabout is too damn small.

---

Your opinion is cute but the entire civil engineering practice disagrees with you. Any other opinions you want to FYI as facts?

---

Quote:

---

The minimum inscribed circle diameter (ICD) for a two-lane (multilane) roundabout typically ranges from 150 to 200 feet (45 to 60 meters). While 160-180 feet is a common starting point, the necessary diameter depends on vehicle size and site constraints, often necessitating truck aprons to accommodate large vehicles.

---

Here is a cute quote from the federal highway administration (I am sure they have a few civil engineers working for them).

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/00067/000676.pdf

There should have never been a roundabout installed on WJB. Thats the whole point.

They are doing construction on a couple of the side roads right now.
WJB turnaround is a giant cluster F.
Everybody was using the turnaround to go back because of the construction.
WJB was about a mile long this morning.
I'm guessing it will be the same tomorrow morning.
Nobody knows how to use a turnaround.
This is the worst road in BCS hands down.

Recently, TXDOT published several approaches to changes to Harvey Rd. All but one was a total WJB-type disaster. Harvey Rd is a huge artery in to College Station for commuters and trucks. Roundabouts would be a death knell and lead to diversion of traffic to University Drive.

I saw those. I agree that all options presented were unwise.

WolfCall said:

---

Recently, TXDOT published several approaches to changes to Harvey Rd. All but one was a total WJB-type disaster. Harvey Rd is a huge artery in to College Station for commuters and trucks. Roundabouts would be a death knell and lead to diversion of traffic to University Drive.

---

You're comparing apples to oranges. WJB and Hwy 30 (Harvey) are not the same thing.

Have you ever experienced a bad traffic light that you thought was terrible and then assumed all traffic lights were the same? Not all roundabouts are the same. Hwy 30 has plenty of room for the larger roundabouts. I find it interesting that drivers would rather have 4 or 5 traffic lights all the way down Hwy 30 instead of properly, well designed roundabouts.

Do some research on roundabouts. They are much safer and keep traffic moving. It's the safety factor that you can't over look, its incredible compared to all the other traffic devices out there.

MelvinUdall said:

---

I fully agree, roundabouts are great and traffic keeps moving.

---

If they are properly designed (+80 feet diameter on a busy highway)

Size matters........when it comes to round-a-bouts. If you have the space to make one big enough they work great. When you make these mini ones like they put on WJB and other roads around town, it just slows traffic and pisses everyone off. WJB now feels like a narrow, F1 road course with mulitple zigs and zags instead of the gently curving roadway that was there previously.