Is the landscaping as bad in Woodbury as it is in the one we have? The visibility if there is on coming traffic is horrible. I understand they will reduce the speed limit when approaching the intersection on Hwy 15 but I do not see how this will help cars coming from North High Drive. They will NEVER be able to get on w/o pushing the limits and that will cause accidents. I do not see the advantage of these on well driven roads. The one we have rarely has more than one car on it at a time so one doesn't have to stop needlessly, which is great, but on a busy street? It is illogical this will work. I wonder if anyone timed how long a car sat on N High Drive trying to get across, and I wonder how long it will take now, We know how long it would take with a light.

The round about at Montana and 5th is very small in my estimation. I prefer to see if there is anyone coming from across it because it feels to me like a car if just entering, would have the right away over me and I would be only half way in when it gets to me. If cars in the circle stop because some one is in the way rear ends will abound. I have watched the video that is posted, the cars seem to be going much slower than our roads and add about 20 more cars to the mix and see how many end up stopping. Never have I been through N High drive and 15 and found it as little traveled as the video streets.
It is all mute at this point. Only time will tell.

It would be nice to see across. Otherwise that is a blind spot. The reason I always look across is to determine the speed the other vehicle or car or motorcycle is coming towards you. Some people will take a roundabout real slow, Some will go as fast as their tires can handle. So seeing who is coming around. You know if you can get on the roundabout or not. Otherwise it's a guessing game.

There is alot of people from canada and other states that will be driving on highway 15 that have never seen a roundabout before. Those are the people who will have most of the trouble.

People towing. Will have to distance themselves to get on the roundabout. Semi's as well. If a semi breaks down in the roundabout. I sure hope they can get someone to tow it out of the way quickly. The roundabouts I know are two lanes. Those are more tricky then a single lane. Because not only do you need to get in the roundabout, But you'll also need to navigate lanes. I don't know what kind of roundabout they are putting in here. I'm hoping a single lane. Less chance of people hitting each other or getting cut off by a trailer. Trailers don't follow the vehicle in a curve. They either are more left or right of the towing vehicle. What determines that towing angle will be the size of the roundabout. If you have a huge roundabout then the turn angle is more gradual and probably won't take up alot of space or two lanes. If it's a small roundabout. The truck or vehicle has to turn sharper which means the trailer may ride in the second lane. So thats something to keep in mind if you are driving behind a vehicle towing something. Semi's and campers you'll see that the most being they are longer.

For hutchinson people they will just need to take their time and learn how to use it. Maybe go there at a time when traffic is not at full swing.

So it is the City Engineers' plan that everyone suppress any and all driving instructions and instincts they have honed and NOT look all directions, not anticipate any and all possibilities before entering an intersection? Great plan. No wonder Woodbury is having accidents. Today at the intersection of Golf Course Road and N High Drive a gentlemen put on his left hand turn signal but remained in the right lane. A car from behind pulled into the left hand turn lane. They both did as the engineer suggests and proceeded assuming they were clear to both turn left. It is fortunate there was not a collision.

We have been using the roundabout on the Golf Course Road since the detour has been put in place. It seems to be working okay but I also noted that the speed limit is reduced to 15 MPH when entering the roundabout. It is MnDOT's intention to reduce the speeds on Highway 15 and North High Drive to 15 MPH so that all traffic will be able to negotiate the intersection? If so, I think this will work okay; however, if the speed limit will remain at 45 MPH I think there will be problems. And, keep the landscaping out - a clearer vision will definitely help this "new" way of navigating an intersection and our older drivers will definitely need some time and practice getting used to this one!!

I don't think anyone ever said a roundabout eliminates all stopping. In higher traffic situations, of course someone is going to have to yield to someone already in the intersection. In lower traffic times, motorists may only have to slow to the 20 to 30 mph range.

The Highway 15 roundabout will be a larger diameter to handle the greater volume of traffic and larger vehicles it typically gets compared to Fifth Avenue/Golf Course Road/Montana Street.

The success of the newest roundabout will be whether over time we see a reduction in the number of fatal and near fatal crashes at Hwy. 15/North High Drive. In my 23 1/2 years here at the Leader, it is somewhat amazing the number of crashes there when you consider the sight-lines are clear for a long ways in each direction. Engineers, unfortunately, are left engineering to make things safe for all of us, including the good drivers to protect us from the not so good drivers.

But with so many people having one hand to their ear and another holding a cup of coffee, maybe it isn't so surprising we have so many collisions. What next, steering columns with inboard screens so we can play video games while we drive, too?

(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)

I re-read all the comments here and see where Terry did not say car will NEVER have to stop. It is interesting what one reads and what one understands. I remember "hearing" one of the #1 reasons for the round about vs. lights on Hwy 15 was that traffic would always flow with no stopping... I must have misunderstood.
I guess the bottom line for me is given the round about we have and the boon doggle it appears to be, I don't trust the money being spend is justified nor do I trust anyones word over my own experience on how wonderful these round abouts are.

I thought the LEADER should be open-minded on things but it sounds like Terry is riding in Kents back pocket. I think this is one of the better screw ups Hutchinson has pulled off in a while. The Leader did a survey and most of the people didn't want it, so much for voting. Anyone who has lived in the area knows there are plenty of ways to stay away from this area just like everyone knows to stay away from Main Street on Friday nights after 4PM unless you go to a stoplight intersection. Oh I'm sorry they don't work i forgot.

Mr. Davis
Why don't you take sometime and tell the people how to drive in a roundabout. Tell them how to enter coming from all directions and how to get out of the roundabout. Don't tell them to look at a 30 sec. movie take some of the unknown and fear away from the people so they know how to deal with it. Print the things you should and not do. Maybe this would help people understand. Show pages from the MN. Drivers Manual things like that and put it in the paper and shopper so people see it.

Come on! Are the doubters saying that people in Hutchinson are too dumb to figure out how to use a roundabout? People here can figure out how to use computers, cell phones, ipods and complex machinery, but they're too dumb to figure out a roundabout?

This makes me laugh and should make Hutchinson's residents offended at how stupid some of the comments here paint them. Yeah, I guess we should do everything the same way forever because we're just too set in our ways and too stupid to learn. After all, Hutchinson is only a hick town full of stupid farmers, right?

Wrong.

Miller62: What's wrong with giving people instructions? Many people have never driven in a roundabout. We've driven all over the U.S. and have yet to drive in one, including large cities. Don't tell me you sat down in front of a computer and knew what to do for the first time without some sort of instructions. Why not issue proper and safe procedures for driving in a roundabout? There wiil be campers, boats, semis and all sorts of vehicles that may get backed up in one. I think the Hutch Police Dept. should publish procedures for roundabouts. I worked in a factory for 36 years and never met anyone who didn't have to be shown or instructed at least once for different situations. People in Hutch are not dumb but everyone needs help sometime!!!!!! And this is all new to most people.
P.S. I'm one of those hick farm kids!!!!!!!

I've written many times about navigating roundabouts on the Leader's Web site and in the print edition. It is pretty simple, really, and to get practice, use the one at Montana and Golf Course Road.

You approach the intersection. The speed limit will be about 30 mph on State Highway 15, I believe. As you come to the intersection, look to your left, since all traffic should be coming from that direction. That's not to say it isn't a good quick glance to the right to see if someone is totally out of it and driving the wrong way.

If someone is in the intersection and nearing the leg you are in, you must yield. If there isn't anyone there, you can proceed to the right, without coming to a complete stop. Signal your right turn when you near the leg you wish to get off on. For example, if you are southbound on Hwy. 15 and want to go east on North High Drive Northeast to Burns Manor, proceed to the right and follow the roundabout around to the left past North High Drive Northeast, past Highway 15 on the opposite side of where you entered and exit right onto North High Drive Northeast. You would have gone three-fourths of the way around the roundabout.

If you were just continuing south to downtown on 15, get off at the second leg, after passing North Highway Drive Northwest.

Try Montana's roundabout. It is even simpler with only three legs for now, perhaps a fourth in the future if Montana is extended north.

(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)

Garagemonkey I already do drive the "ROTARY" successfully EVERY DAY in fact. It is because I drive it I know its issues. Today in fact I watched two cars approach it on Montana headed for Hwy 15. They stopped before entering, one after the other. There were no cars except we three headed toward Hwy.15. I am sure I freaked the one driver out by not stopping and coming up behind him. Eventually any one using it regularly COULD get the hang of it (even people like me who have never had a driving ticket, have never passed anyone on the right, or have never used left turn lanes wrong) BUT as stated above many of the drivers on Hwy. 15 will be just passing through. So it will be an EXPENSIVE, four way stop. Or like Woodbury we too will be experiencing a few fender benders. Sorry if you interpret my experiences and observations as complaints. They are still valid.

I can't believe all the "this-and-that" about the roundabouts. It doesn't seem that hard to drive through one. Ever been through a revolving door? I assume you caught on that you need to get off without going round and round and round... you get my drift? Now we are in debate about what to call them... good grief, I miss the days when the simple folks of this fine village fought over who should attend McWest and where the high school should be located. I'ts just a matter of time when McWester's will want one of those magic circle shaped twirlers that you drive through. Just wait until two tractors meet at the same time... the gravel will really fly then!