The Main Avenue roundabout pilot project learning curve is ongoing, but council heard last week that motorists are for the most part slowly but surely getting accustomed to navigating the new traffic calming measures.
The discussion came up during council’s April 9 meeting when Sgt. Jim Lank presented the Sundre RCMP detachment’s annual performance plan, which includes a focus on promoting traffic safety.
“So completely unrelated but related — for when we talk about traffic, I have to ask about the circles,” said Coun. Todd Dalke.
“There have been requests for more policing on the circles,” Dalke told the sergeant, wondering when the educational grace period will be replaced by enforcement efforts and traffic citations.
“And do you have numbers on actual incidents or accidents that have happened on those circles?”
“Very good questions,” answered Lank, adding that there have only been a couple of fairly minor collisions since the roundabouts were deployed last fall.
As for enforcement, he said the local police detachment decided to give drivers time to get used to the new design.
“There’s still some disagreement on how to negotiate these traffic circles and what is the right-of-way.”
Regardless, the Sundre RCMP planned to have a grace period followed by an educational period, he said, adding the rules have been advertised.
“Just so you know, it is yielding to the vehicle on your right, no matter what. (But) if there’s someone in the traffic circle and they’re to your left, you yield to them because they’re already in the circle.”
Otherwise, when two vehicles approach a roundabout at the same time, the motorist on the right has priority, “period,” he said.
Following the grace and educational window, police will eventually spend some time on enforcement, primarily by issuing written warnings at first, he said, adding that stopping motorists at the time of an offence would be more effective in terms of being able to explain the proper procedure in person.
“We want to make sure people actually have a clear understanding of how to properly negotiate these before just writing out violation tickets,” he said.
That all being said, the sergeant does not believe the roundabouts have been a particularly big problem.
“I’ve seen a big improvement. When the circles first came out, it was terrible,” he said, adding many motorists heading east and west on Main Avenue were under the erroneous impression that they still had the right of way while drivers attempting to turn onto the road from a side street remained stuck a while as they waited for a chance to proceed safely.
“Now I’m seeing a lot less of that, a lot more proper negotiating.”
While police still intend for the time being to prioritize the path of education and awareness, an officer still might write a ticket if there is a flagrant or dangerous infraction, he said.
“If there’s some very clear violation like not even slowing down and blowing through” the intersection, a driver could be given a citation, he said, adding motorist attitudes also play a big part.
Coun. Paul Isaac seemed to agree that Sundre drivers are getting used to the roundabouts. However, as summer approaches and more and more people come through from out of town, the dynamics could well change, he said.
“My only advice would be to probably start doing some education before it gets a little bit busier.”
