{ July 15th, 2010 }
Emory Roundabout Roundup
There’s a great post over on ARC’s Land Matters blog regarding a new roundabout project that’s being pursued in Emory Village. A quick tease:
If you have gone for lunch, shopping or a bike ride in Emory Village in the past you would probably agree that the bones for a great urban village exist, but the automobile dominates the area. While there is a significant pedestrian presence stemming from the Village’s close proximity to Emory University and the Druid Hills Neighborhood, the walking environment is poor. A complicated 5-way signalized intersection and inadequately configured pedestrian crossings result in exasperating traffic congestion, frustrated pedestrians and numerous jaywalkers. In areas of the village where sidewalks do exist, the paths are narrow and riddled with excessive curb cuts.
Not sure what a roundabout is? You’re not alone- you don’t see many of them in metro Atlanta. They’re pretty effective at not only “calming traffic”, but also at transforming an otherwise non-distinctive patch of asphalt in to something so much more. Witness, the roundabout that was installed a few years ago in my hometown:
This intersection- right in front of a college- had previously been nothing more than a massive four-way, divided by nothing more than a traffic light. Trust me, this is a massive improvement on what was there before.
The Relevant Linkage
Read the full article on the new Emory Roundabout
Learn more about the Atlanta Regional Commission
Learn more about the Livable Centers Initiative
