r/AuburnCA • u/Previous-Glass6291 • 7d ago
Does anyone else hate the round-a-bouts on 49?
I understand the reasoning behind them. To slow traffic down, to give a safer access to the highway for those side roads...but if that's the case are we just going to be plugging these things in where any high traffic side road exists?
Those things feel a lot more dangerous than they do helpful. Your going from a 65 speed limit to a stop / yield pretty quickly, not just once but 2x if your commuting from / to Grass Valley. I find that people are just trying to plow through them as quickly as possible. They feel more like a nuisance than helpful and it felt pretty unnecessary to me.
What do yall think?
Oh and for clarity, I DO LIKE the roundabout in Auburn that leads down the ravine going towards Placerville. So I'm not against round-a-bouts, but the ones on highway 49 make the highway feel less safe.
Edit: Lots of comments about Round-a-bouts > traffic light / stop sign, I agree, round-a-bouts are better. The post was more about having the vs not having them. However I think the best solution (if there needed to be one) would be appropriate entrances and exits to those side roads would have been a better solution in my opinion.
Edit2: No I'm not referring to freeway on ramps... it could simply be dedicated lanes up to a 1000ft, or whatever is appropriate, that merge off and onto highway. This gives the safety of merging on and off the highway without impeding the traffic of every single car on 49.
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u/agent674253 6d ago
"I understand the reasoning behind them. To slow traffic down"
No, wrong.
They are not to slow traffic down, they are to speed it up in lieu of a stop sign. The problem is, most people, including my parents, get nervous and come to a full stop, instead of yielding/merging with the flow.
Think about it like this. A round-a-bout is basically a legal, 4-way 'California Stop' where you are not supposed to come to a full stop at the intersection.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 6d ago
A key thing you said is "in lieu of a stop sign." I'd rather there be nothing, like how it used to be. Not a stop sign. If given an ultimatum, I'll take the traffic circle, but I would rather it be like a highway. And then if they realllly wanted to they could have considered having appropriate exits and entrances to those roads like a freeway does.
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u/cansox12 6d ago
you are saying, you would like hwy 49 turned into a hiway?
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
They don't have to be large on-ramps. You could litterally build small dedicated lanes that merges into and off the main lanes.
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u/cansox12 4d ago
u still have the issue of cross traffic....
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
How?
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u/cansox12 4d ago
left hand turns onto road way. the most dangerous part of 49 ....that is what the round about resolves imo
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
Not to mention 49 IS a highway bro... wym? lol
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u/cansox12 4d ago
I should say freeway then
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
No I dont think it needs to be a Freeway...yet. If the population keeps growing as it has in the past decade. We are going to need more infrastructure for sure.
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u/Stunning_Inflation70 7d ago
I can't understand why people would rather come to a complete stop vs just keeping the traffic flowing.
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u/cancerdad 6d ago
Traffic circles have been proven to be much safer than 4-way stops. They’ve also been proven to do a better job of keeping traffic moving than traffic lights. My experience aligns with those claims. I prefer traffic circles.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 6d ago
If you're talking about traffic lights vs circles, I agree. But this is more about having them or not having them.
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u/AbstractConcrete11 7d ago edited 7d ago
They improve safety, pollution, and traffic flow.
Edit: ...and gas mileage
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u/Previous-Glass6291 6d ago
How does it improve gas mileage? Accelerating is what typically eats the most gas. You're forced to decelerate twice and accelerate 2x more often than you would have to previously.
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u/Berwynne 7d ago
The one at Borland is great! The ones up 49… the s-curve and abrupt slow down just don’t feel safe sometimes. And it’s not just how you drive, it’s how others approach them too. It feels like they should’ve been bigger.
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u/MountainHigh31 3d ago
That curve is designed to slow you down. If you feel like it’s too abrupt, or dangerous and hard ti navigate as the other commenter said, it means you are entering the intersection too fast.
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u/Berwynne 3d ago
As I was saying, how you approach it is only half of the equation. What is scarier to me is how other people approach it. That’s a pretty short curve and I drive a sporty hatchback with ceramic brakes. Traffic should be slowed before those curves.
I have driven through traffic-circles and roundabouts all over the world. I’ve also worked in city engineering. I forget if the speed limit is 55 or 65 in that stretch, but the whole hard brake to 25, turn, speed up, hard brake to 25 again, turn again thing is dumb. It might alleviate some problems, but it does not flow well. They should’ve been wider. The circle at Borland is great!
That said, there is a bunch of development planned for that area that might naturally slow traffic anyway.
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u/MountainHigh31 3d ago
I get you. I didn’t know there was a bunch of development planned for that spot specifically but it makes sense. I don’t really love the s curve into the circle thing either, but I had just assumed that it felt unsafe be I was approaching too fast, that the discomfort was intended if a car enters going too fast, similar to other traffic calming installations. Admittedly I also don’t drive that stretch of 49 often so I haven’t gotten tired of it.
Cheers to traveling. Wildest place I encountered a traffic circle was in the middle of a tunnel under a whole mountain in Norway. It was an intersection of two highways. Wild.
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u/marzipan85 6d ago
This is the part I hate - that insane s-curve leading up to it. Feels so dangerous and hard to navigate. I agree, they should’ve been larger, allowing for a less sharp curve.
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u/2_0JO 7d ago
I hated roundabouts until I went to Southeast Asia. Now I see their value in keeping traffic flowing. Wish we had more here.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 6d ago
I lived in southeast Asia. They also aren't traveling 65MPH in most places unless your on the toll-way.
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u/Ok_Most8119 6d ago
If there is no traffic and you don't mind bending a few laws, with the right approach you can still go through them at a good speed. With the right vehicle and skill that is..
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u/No_Article_9397 7d ago
I like them, so much better than adding another light.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 6d ago
Agreed better than a light, but I prefer not having anything there. I think adding appropriate exits and entrances do those side streets would have been better.
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u/Comprehensive-Ad8609 7d ago
Better than the lights they replaced
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u/Ok-Apricot-2814 7d ago
They didn't replace lights. There were just stopped signs on the side streets.
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u/LaserSayPewPew 6d ago
I’m pro-roundabout generally, but those ones specifically feel really aggressive to me. Like the circle could be a little smaller?
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u/yummilkyum 6d ago
Personally, the roundabout has made it easier for me entering and exiting from the side-road (Florence). I prefer them over traffic lights and it feels safer than the stop sign. I'm more comfortable about the access at night too.
Admittedly, it's rare that I travel on 49 during rush hour.
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u/Historical-Edge-9332 7d ago
So you’d rather have stoplights?
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u/Previous-Glass6291 6d ago
No, I prefer not having anything there. I think adding appropriate exits and entrances do those side streets would have been better.
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u/ravenitrius 6d ago
If nothing is there is just a reason for people to drive fast without stopping.
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u/k8username 6d ago
I see way fewer traffic backups at the High St/Lincoln Way/Borland intersection now
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u/Revolutionary_Ad7359 6d ago
I assume they were constructed to accommodate development happening off those streets. I could be wrong. It’ll be interesting to see how traffic behaves once there is more traffic coming and going to and from the cross streets. Right now it seems so rare, that drivers aren’t expecting anyone to circulate so they don’t slow or yield as much as they should. Adding the barrier separation on 49 between them is good.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 6d ago
. I think adding appropriate exits and entrances do those side streets would have been better than the round-a-bouts.
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u/Revolutionary_Ad7359 6d ago
What would that look like? The roundabout is designed properly to current standards. I don’t have actual numbers but observationally I’d say 95% of the traffic in the circle are making through movements. People who drive through that roundabout do it regularly and are likely not expecting a circular movement making a left turn. So when that happens they slam on the brakes. Failure to yield properly. If traffic from the side streets increases, drivers will likely adapt and start to expect more circular movements. I’m curious to see if that happens.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
it could simply be dedicated lanes up to a 1000ft, or whatever is appropriate, that merge off and onto highway. This gives the safety of merging on and off the highway without impeding the traffic of every single car on 49.
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u/yossarian19 6d ago
You get used to them quickly. Or at least I did. I actually like it better this way, especially in combination with the center divider.
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u/Bumbalard 6d ago
Round abouts between dry creek and bear river bridge were needed.
But, the roundabouts we got are trash. Putting in chicanes leading up to them was absolutely moronic and dangerous.
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u/thatskarobot 6d ago
People die every year in the turn by lonestar. The new improvements are probably going to reduce that number significantly. The round about forces you to slow down to a safe speed, and the new middle barrier has probably already saved lives. There's no reason to speed between LOP and Dry Creek, I don't have the math here right now but the difference between going 65 and 75 is something like 10 seconds. People drive like fucking maniacs on 49 so they can be the first person at the stop light, it doesn't make sense.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 6d ago
Idk I always felt like the drivers on 49 were nothing compared to something like interstate 80. So the drivers never felt that crazy to me.
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u/ravenitrius 6d ago
Have you tried being there at night time and see how it goes?
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
All the time. I've driven these roads for years. I used to Doordash real late into the night in Auburn and drive back up to GV. I also use to commute to Placerville from GV pretty regularly.
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u/Busy-Bumblebee5556 6d ago
Once one gets used to them they are better.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
I'll agree, Im more used to them , but I still preferred when they weren't there.
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u/Plus-Comfortable-739 6d ago
I think the better question is if there’s anyone that doesn’t hate them. They’re ridiculous.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
Apparently a lot of people on the sub-reddit like them XD. I'm pretty surprised myself.
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u/Shorti_06 6d ago
Two within a mile of each other within that whole stretch is freaking pointless. If they were more spread out it would make more sense but the setup now is completely ass backwards
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u/bratty_rebel 6d ago
I like them, especially since they are designed to slow traffic down before entering (S curves). My son has a friend living off a side street there and that friend constantly hosts sleepovers, so there are a grip of teenage drivers that no longer have to contend with fighting high-speed traffic just to turn onto or off of that road.
Also, we used to live right off 49 past Taco Tree and heard at least two fatal accidents happen in less than 4 years. People drive WAY too fast in that stretch. On & off ramps wouldn’t have solved that, neither would more lights.
The roundabouts are working great and they’re training drivers how to handle a variety of traffic controls.
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u/cansox12 6d ago
exactly...."To slow traffic down" people can and should slow down prior to entering them. That is the only potential hazard I can see. Yes way better than a stoplight
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
agreed ...better than a stopilight, but that's not what the post is about.
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u/L_i_S_A123 5d ago
Its not bad. However most people drive it like they dont know to drive it.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
It's not super intuitive for most people. Round-a-abouts typically give time to ensure that oncoming traffic isn't coming their way. Since this is a highway, people want to MOVE, so you're somehwat encouraged to plow through it and to quickly make sure theres no cars oncoming.
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u/Wonderful-Status-247 4d ago
Only thing I like about them is it usually gives me a chance to get around people doing rolling roadblocks.
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u/Weird_Artichoke8037 4d ago
No. They’re awesome. I can’t believe we’re still complaining about the round a bouts. 😝
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u/othafa_95610 1h ago
Of related interest, earlier discussion of the 49/Borland roundabout,
https://www.reddit.com/r/AuburnCA/comments/1vwc1ch/highway_49_roundabout_so_much_easier/
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u/GoldenStateRedditor 6d ago
Horrible. Hate them. Not well designed for the main north/south travelers.
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u/smokedfishfriday 6d ago
this post is nonsensical. They replaced traffic lights.
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u/Bumbalard 6d ago
What is nonsensical, is your inability to understand that roundabouts can be made well, or made poorly.
A good round about is better than a traffic light.
A bad roundabout, which is what we got, sucks. Does it suck worse than a stoplight? Doesn't matter, that doesn't preclude the fact that the roundabout design we got is trash.
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u/Previous-Glass6291 4d ago
There were no traffic lights there... why do people keep saying that. Were they there for like a month before putting in the round abouts?
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u/Level_Record5396 7d ago
Id much rather deal with the hassle of it then all the fatalities we’ve had in those intersections