Five Points, East End Market, & Raleigh Iron Works

Ah was thinking it was lower than that but then again I’ve not been there during a normal peak rush hour.
Just goes back to our access issues in and out of downtown. In many cities, roads like this wouldn’t have to be relied on for commuting.

agreed!! The parking actually slows this dumbasses down.

Idiots are flying down Glenwood in the morning before you can park @ 9:00. Even after 9:00 the morons who blow their horns at the cars parked even though they are allowed to do so is baffling. I regularly watch cars running 60+ while people are enjoying their coffees or pizza. This dipshit would have killed several people had Lilly’s been open.

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I don’t drive that stretch of Glenwood very often, but my recollection is that cars are often (illegally) left in place during the peak periods which causes backups too. Just make it permanent so that nobody counts on the two lanes being open, and can plan their daily commutes accordingly.

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I’m never there during the AM or PM peaks but I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case at times.

That person was very, very smart

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Thanks! I posted this sketch I made into the 2019 Fairview thread. (I sent it to COR back in 2018, but never heard anything back).

I’d LOVE to see at least some variation of this. I’m no traffic engineer, so I know there are holes to be poked in the concept. However, as someone who lives on WM and uses this intersection several times a day, it’s a problem, and not just because of the crazies (plural) who have crashed into Lilly’s patio. Having six different approaches with six different sets of rules creates lots of confusion for people who aren’t familiar with it.

A roundabout would slow drivers down, create ONE set of rules for all approaches, reduce confusion, beautify the area with elimination of power poles and lights, reduce impervious surface with planted hub (with fountain? :wink:), make it easier to walk the actual neighborhood with refuge islands (the red R’s), etc.

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The diameter of a two lane roundabout is around 150 feet FYI - not at my computer so not sure how a roundabout that size would lay out at that intersection

Here’s 150’ in diameter. Seems huge.

I know I’ve done some with 40’ inner radius.
Here’s a very draft conceptual level one with a 40’ inner radius. Obviously, much would need to be refined. Bottom line, it’s maybe possible but would be very difficult.

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What kind of design vehicle was the 40’ one?

Also that roundabout definitely looks like 150’ in radius not diameter haha

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Yes please! As someone who lives near this intersection, I can’t understand why this interchange is essentially a highway on/off ramp.

Can we also talk about the 4 lane wade ave speedway? :grimacing: Would love for a median to be added with turn lanes where needed.

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WB-67. The 40’ is just the measurement of the inner most circle where the grass is.

Here’s a 50’ inner radius / 150’ total diameter example in GA next to my old apartment.


Haha definitely just multiplied by 2 instead of dividing been that kind of day!

And to your point, @dtseabar my guess is that Wade Ave freeway portion way back in the day was supposed to connect at a freeway level from I-40 to Capital Blvd but couldn’t get the ROW to make it happen. I think I read up a little on this but they started building it as a highway from Capital Blvd to Oberlin. It’s a really weird experience as it is right now. You have a couple of freeway standard intersections but no shoulder, 35 speed, and St. Mary’s traditional light sandwiched in between. I’d just demolish both interchanges and make big gateway type roundabouts at those lights and maybe even Dixie Trl to spruce this approach up.
A median, Two-way left turn lanes or even right turn lanes would be virtually impossible without significant ROW unfortunately.

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what does the Hillsborough and Pullen roundabout look like overlaid onto 5 points? Who with the skill and tools can put one that size onto an aerial?

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Let me see what I can do real quick

Hillsborough @ Pullen
30’ inner grass radius
50’ truck apron
150’ outer diameter

Using those same measurements at Five Points would yield something like this.


But, you have more approaches, so you’d likely need something larger to really make things work.
These measurements are pretty similar to the sketch I posted above.

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Per an N&O article today: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article252595933.html

(City Transportation Dir) Moore says the study will look at crash reports and the volume and movements of cars and pedestrians. It will also evaluate the consequences of turning the six-way intersection into a roundabout. He said any significant changes would need the cooperation of the N.C. Department of Transportation, which owns and manages Glenwood Avenue.

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City must have been reading the site again!

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Haha they’ve been internally talking about a roundabout for a while now. I’m curious how bad the average delays will be with a roundabout - it’s certain to be over capacity with the volumes out there.

I personally like the idea of just reducing a lane on Glenwood in each direction and seeing if that helps things out (and converting the outside lane to a bus/right turn lane).

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I think the biggest issue with the roundabout idea would be the church. It looks like it could work from this thread, but I imagine that church is very untouchable.

I’d love for this to become a roundabout. I purposely avoid left turns at that light at Whitaker Mill & Glenwood. I’d rather go down to Harvey and get on Glenwood there.

Also, what’s the official name for these? Why are they roundabouts in the south and up north they are rotaries?

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Rotaries have a minimum diameter of something like 500’. Basically they’re giant roundabouts.

Yep two completely different things - rotaries are much larger in diameter and higher speed. Roundabouts are tighter and slower speed.

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And let’s not forget the Yes song about Roundabouts:

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