https://twitter.com/ShadQadri/status/631826151040765953
EDITOR’S NOTE: Several readers have asked us why the City of Ottawa didn’t install a roundabout at the intersection of Huntmar and Maple Grove. We asked councillor Shad Qadri to clarify, and here’s his response:
The intersection of Huntmar Drive at Maple Grove Road met 100% of the warrants for the installation of a traffic control signal. City Council directed staff to consider a roundabout as one of the possible alternative traffic control measures at newly warranted intersections. As such, a roundabout feasibility screening tool was conducted at this intersection. One of the criteria to consider for a single lane roundabout is that it requires at least 44 metres diameter of property at the intersection.
As a result of the development of three of the four quadrants (NW, SW and SE) of this intersection, it was not possible to meet this threshold as the diagonal between the southeast and northwest corners is below this number. The City would have to purchase property and potentially demolish some homes to construct the roundabout, which is not feasible to do at this location. Therefore, the decision was made to move forward with the installation of the traffic control signal.
(Another question might be: “Why wasn’t a roundabout included in the plans for the Fairwinds neighbourhood in the first place?” But I don’t expect we’ll get an answer to that any time soon from city staff.)