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| Photo by David Carlos |
By Diane Hettrick
This photo of the 145th roundabouts was taken April 19, 2026.
There's so much going on in this shot. Two roundabouts replacing traffic signals and turn lanes. New landscaping. New apartment buildings east of I-5. It doesn't show it but there are multiple blocks of six story apartment buildings beyond what you can see in the photo.
The completed, raised track for the light rail shows a train headed north. Aren't we lucky to have been in the first phase of the light rail project?
In early June, crews will apply permanent striping and open both roundabouts in the final two-lane configuration.
There's a lot of angst being expressed about roundabouts. I think that we need to finish them and then get used to driving on them. This mid-construction phase is challenging. I drove the 145th route not too long after it opened - and it was nerve-wracking.
We were stacked up in a line approaching the bridge from the east - just as the cars are in the photo. When we got to the head of the line there were oncoming cars from two directions. Those already on 145th were moving at a pretty good clip. Those from the southbound freeway exit were stacked up just like we were and merging when they could, taking the best open spaces.
The problem was that there was no way to tell whether the oncoming traffic was going straight onto 145th (and thus leaving us a clear path) or planning to go around the circle and collide with us if we pulled out.
A second, marked lane should resolve that issue.
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| 10-12 unmarked lanes circle the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Photo courtesy Britannica |
The big difference in Paris is that vehicles entering the roundabout have priority over vehicles already in the circle.
Hopefully we can learn to handle a couple of circles.
Thank you for this. It helps a lot when drivers use their turn signals when moving lanes or exiting the roundabout!
ReplyDeletethanks for the update. i've been avoiding 145th until the project is complete.
ReplyDeletenow, if only we could get people to signal when they are leaving the roundabouts - these, the one at 185th and 5th, future ones - that would help a lot in keeping traffic moving and safe.
This 145th St roundabout continues to cause dangerous backups on I-5 both North and Southbound. There needs to be better signing re right of ways. The flow here is impossible North. South, East and West! I have lived in many cities with circles or roundabouts and I have never experienced such a mess. Now it seems the mess will be recreated at Greenwood and Innis Arden.
ReplyDeleteI've yet to see a plausible explanation as to why all of the expense and the inconvenience was necessary. The design of this roundabout is such that it's never going to increase traffic flow from that when we just had stop lights. And as another commentator notes the backups on I5 are dangerous.
ReplyDeleteI suggested to Karen at a traffic circle on a side street that if she used her signal I would not have been in her way as I was crossing the street. She firmly told me people DO NOT use signals in circles or roundabouts. Sigh. I expect the back ups on 145th and I-5 to reduce significantly when the stoplight at 5th is removed.
ReplyDeleteI think backups will also reduce when both lanes of the roundabouts are open.
ReplyDelete