Roundabout Planned for Highway 50 & Pioneer Trail
The intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and Pioneer Trail will be the site of a new roundabout in an attempt by El Dorado County officials to control traffic and increase safety in the area. This project, which is in its early stages, was being considered by the county prior to the completion of the roundabout at Highway 50 and 89. Officials have been encouraged by the perceived success of that roundabout.
Many Agencies Involved in Traffic Study
The intersection of Highway 50 and Pioneer Trail is located within the community of Meyers, and it was identified as an area in need of safety updates in a 2016 study on road safety conducted by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), El Dorado County, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Meyers Community Foundation.
Safety and Traffic Efficiency Goals
The goal of the roundabout is to increase safety as well as traffic efficiency. More people can pass through a roundabout than through a traffic signal. The community of Meyers sees around 300 bicyclists and pedestrians every day during the peak summer months. Vehicle speeds in the area average around 43 miles per hour. At that speed, only one out of every ten bicyclists or pedestrians would survive a collision.
The study found that during the five years prior to completion of the 2016 study, 18 accidents had occurred at or near that intersection, which was the largest number of accidents within the Meyers study area, according to the CHP.
The roundabout will allow the county to connect several paths for bicycles and pedestrians that are currently disjointed.
Funding for the Second Roundabout
El Dorado County received a Highway Safety Improvement Program grant of $3 million from the state as well as additional monies from TRPA.
Stages of the Second Roundabout Project
Engineers are currently working on the planning report and environmental review, which will need to be approved by Caltrans District Three. After approval by Caltrans, a period of public comment will begin, followed by review and approval by county supervisors. If everything goes according to plan, construction on the roundabout would likely begin in the spring or summer of 2024.
More information about the project can be found here.
Tips for Navigating Roundabouts
Caltrans offers tips for motorists who are unfamiliar with how to navigate a traffic roundabout:
- Slow down upon your approach to the intersection.
- Be on the lookout for signage and/or road markings that with help guide you or instruct on prohibited movements.
- Always yield to bicyclists and pedestrians.
- Wait to enter the roundabout until there is a safe gap in traffic.
- Drive counterclockwise. Do not stop your vehicle within the roundabout. Do not pass other vehicles.
- Remember to use turn signals when changing lanes and as you exit the roundabout.
- If you happen to miss the exit you intended to take, continue around again until you get back to it.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below discusses Americans’ resistance to the traffic roundabout.
South Lake Tahoe Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello, and thanks for reading. I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury lawyer serving the residents of South Lake Tahoe. Tahoe is skyrocketing in popularity, and as such, the traffic volumes continue to increase. Traffic control devices such as roundabouts help foster safe travel, but there are still a number of auto accidents every year. Visitors to the area may not be familiar with the roads, and that unfamiliarity coupled with distraction can lead to a collision. If you or a family member sustained injuries as a result of another motorist’s carelessness or negligence, the experienced injury lawyers at our firm are here to help. We have been legal advocates for injured Northern Californians for close to four decades. If you would like our free and friendly advice following a car accident, call us at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/roundabout-traffic-traffic-circle-384616/
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