Why a light there?

Wait a minute, What?

UDOT is going to install permanent traffic signal at Marsac roundabout? 

That flashing light on a post, which was too high to see, was a legitimate Pilot study? What else did they ‘study?’

Did they study three-way intersections?

Did they study to see if a smaller roundabout would have been safer?

Or a roundabout with three lanes so cars could transition from the outer (entry) lane to a center (crossing) lane? 

Or exclusive outer lanes for those making (essentially) a right-hand turn?

Or a roundabout with softer than hard 90degree turns from Deer Valley westbound to Deer Valley northbound?

Or a roundabout without a power box at the northeast corner so the curve can be softened there?

Or a roundabout with better pedestrian crossings?

Or a roundabout without a sign to the left of the southbound (uphill) Deer Valley Drive cars which blocks the driver’s visibility?

Or better signage approaching the roundabout clearly indicating which lane goes where?

Or better lanes approaching the roundabout which align the drivers?

Or even painting the roads every six months to let drivers know where their lane is? This is difficult in the winter and with all of the snow plowing needed, but necessary in a snow town.

The roundabout is not just the 360 degree circle. It is the approaches and the pedestrian crossings and the safe stop locations for cars approaching the circle. 

Park City only has five four-way intersections (excluding subdivision) in the whole city. 

Study after study shows that roundabouts are safer, less expensive, easier to maintain, better for pedestrians and wildlife and better at slowing traffic. 

Roundabouts are the best answer for three-way intersections by far, why make cars sit idle when there is no other car around?

Let’s not let UDOT make this mistake. Let’s make Park City the example of great intersections which move traffic. 

Rise up, email UDOT (udot.utah.gov/connect/public/contact-udot/) and Park City Planning (https://parkcity.org/departments/planning) and stop them before they make a huge, costly, night-skies impacting change.

We need a real study of all of the intersections in Park City. 

Charlotte O’Connell

Park City