Common Ground

Summit and University roads has received attention lately. There has been a steady increase in accidents and some believe it is time to control that intersection where the right of way is on Summit and by golly, most people on it insist on that right!

The usual solution for such increase in cross traffic is either a four way stop or stop lights. Four way stops force everyone to stop regardless if there is any other traffic. When people want to squeeze the most miles per gallon from their vehicles, stop and go is not the way to go. Stop signs are cheap but traffic lights are a better solution. Unfortunately, you may wait an even longer time stopped while there is no traffic to stop for. Worse, these lights will likely be set for flashing yellow or red at night as they do downtown. Then driving though them becomes a game of chicken, having to guess if the cross traffic has a red or yellow flashing light.

It has been proposed that the intersection be made into a roundabout. Anyone who has watched movies through the years have probably seen them in movies on location in London, Paris and elsewhere. It solves several problems. Little if any stopping (good for the fuel economy) and any accidents are minor compared to conventional intersections. No worry about power going out and maintenance is reduced.

Roundabouts were proposed in Brookfield at intersections where I often drive. Voters, afraid of change, caused the conventional answer, four way stop signs. Unfortunate. The only drawback I see from roundabouts is that the intersection must be reconstructed and the more traffic, the larger it must be to allow moving traffic to merge and cross over. There is also the land within the roundabout. I suspect that is for the boulevard people to handle. Just don't plant anything obstructing the view of traffic!

I hope the neighbors in the area give the proposal good consideration. It is worth looking into.