Branson Plans Diverging Diamond at 248/65

[ggh]

Originally Posted by MelanieHamilton

Not in Branson! Day before yesterday, I was entering the Round-About. A mini-van was coming around...in the left lane. I thought, "Okay...I'll pull into the right lane". Well, I didn't realize the mini-van was going to turn right, onto a side street...making a right turn from the left lane! I slammed on my brakes and I swear, I missed him by an inch. I should have known better! Every day, I see people making right turns from the left lane, or left turns from the right lane, in that Round-About. They think they will miss their turn. All they have to do is go around another time, and get in the correct lane.

I do not understand why they made that particular round about 2 lane, it's not big enough around to accomodate lane changes in traffic.

[rjw1991A1]

Originally Posted by Disneycrazymom

Oh MY! I hate these things! I have to use the one at 270/dorsett all the time and every time I think I am going the wrong way.

Yep, had to use that one a couple weeks ago. I thought "this is the dumbest thing a bunch of over educated engineers have ever designed."
I'm surprised it hasent caused a head-on yet when someone thinks they are being routed to 270, and crosses that little turn lane to get into the "right" lane!!!

[MelanieHamilton]

Originally Posted by ggh

I do not understand why they made that particular round about 2 lane, it's not big enough around to accomodate lane changes in traffic.

Well, you're not supposed to change lanes, once you get in it...but, they do.

[bransonframer]

Originally Posted by MelanieHamilton

Well, you're not supposed to change lanes, once you get in it...but, they do.

You HAVE to change lanes from time to time because of the design of the thing. It's not a ONE lane roundabout. It's not a TWO lane roundabout. It's a hybrid of the two and that alone is the problem.

Suppose you are leaving the Belk parking lot and want to go to the ER entrance at Skaggs. So you get in the inside lane as you enter the roundabout (so you don't have to change lanes to the inside, and only, lane that connects the circle from the east and west sides of Branson Landing Boulevard, or 248, or whatever you want to call it coming down the hill between Bank of America and the Hospital. Then, immediately after you cross that entry point, you have to change lanes to the outside lane to take the exit right out of the circle to the ER entrance. So, in this case you have no choice but to change lanes while in the circle.

When I was in the Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco, Kennewick)area of Washington State recently, I ran into LOTS of roundabouts. They love them out there apparently. One noticeable difference on these is that the lanes were clearly marked with bright paint, ours are not. Another, and more important difference is that for the traffic approaching the circle, in addition to the Yield sign, there is an additional sign below it that says. "Entering vehicles must yield to BOTH lanes of traffic circle." Ours doesn't say that, so you get the impression you only have to yield to the outer lane, but the inner lane will just exit the circle with no turn signal and cut you off sure as the world, and it's YOUR fault because THEY didn't use their turn signal to indicate they were exiting the circle.

So, really, with that circle I believe there are two issues.

#1) The hybrid ONE/TWO lane circle is a design flaw.
#2) Drivers, as a general rule, don't use turn signals any more. And this causes major problems with, shall we say, less conventional traffic solutions.

[MelanieHamilton]

Well, that mini-van was actually making a right-hand turn...not changing lanes. But, I see what you're saying. They are supposed to be in the correct lane when they enter the traffic circle, but most people don't know what lane they're supposed to be in, until they get there...which further adds to the confusion. If I had hit that mini-van, I would have felt partially responsible because I know better than to assume a car is going to stay in their lane...they NEVER do.

[bransonframer]

I'm not sure when they were added, but some of the Yield signs now have the white sign below saying "To Both Lanes". So, I can't blame things on that now.

[JackPurvis]

In a roundabout all traffic is always moving. In the Diamond, one lane is always stopped. Roundabouts make more sense to move more traffic.
MAKE it a great day.

[ggh]

Originally Posted by JackPurvis

In a roundabout all traffic is always moving. In the Diamond, one lane is always stopped. Roundabouts make more sense to move more traffic.
MAKE it a great day.

In my experience, it seems that in the diamond, the volume of traffic that can move through during a green light is increased significantly.

[MelanieHamilton]

I can't wait for this thing to open! I just cannot figure it out. I'm anxious to see how it works.

[biscuitcreek]

According to MoDOT, the Diverging Diamond at 248/65 will be open before Thanksgiving. However, sometime within the next couple of weeks, the 248 bridge over 65 will be closed for a few days to complete the work. More in this article from the Springfield News Leader.

http://www.news-leader.com/article/2...mpletion-nears

[OkieAnon]

Originally Posted by MelanieHamilton

I can't wait for this thing to open! I just cannot figure it out. I'm anxious to see how it works.

Originally Posted by biscuitcreek

According to MoDOT, the Diverging Diamond at 248/65 will be open before Thanksgiving. However, sometime within the next couple of weeks, the 248 bridge over 65 will be closed for a few days to complete the work. More in this article from the Springfield News Leader.

http://www.news-leader.com/article/2...mpletion-nears

oh good.... let's open it up at a busy time of the year and confuse both the tourists and the locals. this should be fun.

[ggh]

Originally Posted by OkieAnon

oh good.... let's open it up at a busy time of the year and confuse both the tourists and the locals. this should be fun.

I don't find the ones in Springfield to be confusing IF YOU PAY ATTENTION to the road signs - follow the lines on the road, stay in your lane, obey the traffic lights, you'll get to where you want to go w/o distress.

[OkieAnon]

I dunno... i've been reading where they think they might need to kill another one.

[MelanieHamilton]

It's a MESS, right now. I go out of my way to avoid it, for the time being. Traffic is always backed-up a mile long because they are closing lanes...working on it.

A long time ago, I heard the old portion of the Taneycomo Bridge is supposed to be open by Thanksgiving, too. I haven't heard anything in a long time, though. It looks like the paving is almost done.

[Zach7777]

the dd is actually very easy to use and traffic flows very smoothly...or smooth or whatever. you can do an internet search aboout dd and get some really good info and see how it works.