Scenic 30A and 395 Intersection in Seagrove Beach

The roundabout at Scenic 30A and 395 is on the agenda for the next Walton BCC meeting on Thursday (moved from Tuesday due to Isaac). The proposed project extends 230 feet to the west, 230 feet to the north and 1,000 feet to the east. Apparently the vacant lot on the northeast corner will provide room for a great deal of the project.

Engineering is set to begin next month with construction in the spring.

http://www.co.walton.fl.us/DocumentCenter/View/6474

Interesting. I always thought the intersection was too small for a roundabout, but I didn't know they had that much land available.
In general I am a fan of roundabouts, but I can't recall seeing one with a bike path incorporated into it. Sounds like an engineering challenge, and an educational challenge for drivers unfamiliar with them. So many drivers around here can't seem to grasp the function of a three-way stop.
I agree the bike path makes more sense on the south side, but then you have to get them back across to the north side west of the intersection.
Looking forward to seeing the actual plans.

Okay, so I used Google Earth and measured 230 feet to the west and 1000 feet to the east. I'm not understanding how the roundabout that big is gonna work without tearing down a bunch of houses and the V. Maybe I am just having a brain freeze.

I take it to mean that the roundabout itself will be built mostly on the lot on the northeast corner, which looks big enough in the aerial, although we can't tell what the lot dimensions are. I take the "proposed project will extend etc.' to mean the approach and the bike path will be re-engineered for that distance. The county has more right of way along 30A than you would think - adjacent properties have encroached on it with landscaping - this is evident in the aerial. They won't be happy, probably.

Square feet?

I am having a hard time understanding how this would work without rerouting 395 and 30a and severely changing the surrounding houses and businesses.

Seems like a lot of trouble and expense for something that doesn't actually solve the problem.

Making traffic go in a big circle will not reduce the amount of traffic.

..and since we have a new wave of visitors each week in season, they will have to be educated anew until they are comfortable with it. I can guarantee it will slow traffic thru the intersection more than improving it, in spite of what so-called experts say.. I grew up at the Jersey shore and would routinely use the "circles", which were much larger than anything possible at this intersection. You could always tell the tourists from the locals, and I don't mean by their plates.

The Walton County BCC approved this project today.

Traffic Circle at 395 and 30A.

What do you think of the approved traffic circle at 30A and 395? Seems like our county thinks it will keep traffic moving and it will help prevent traffic from backing up at that intersection. Oh, I don't think so!!!

I don't get traffic circles or how they help in any situation.

I really can't see how it will work, especially if the bike path is incorporated into it. One bunch of bicyclers will completely screw up the entire flow of traffic. The only solution, to me, is to detour the bike path sufficiently far away, to Grove Street, to allow vehicular traffic to flow as it should.

Hope they incorporate some spectator seating. We will have some fun watching cars, bikes, and pedestrians try and share a roundabout. The tailgating will be a blast!

I am really looking forward to the construction process - we have traffic issues now, wait until we take away that north/south option!

I have seen some good circles. They have to be big enough so that people can easily keep moving without fear of pulling out while still moving.

The county is considering buying the lots on the northeast corner of 30A and 393 for added Ed Walline access parking. They should go ahead and add a circle there if they get the lot.

I really wish they would work on the intersection of 395 & 98 instead... I get anxiety when I pull up to that intersection...

In addition to the 30-A traffic, the 395 traffic, and the bicycle traffic, it looks, to me, like there will be traffic coming out of, at least, two or three driveways entering the circle. Let's hope these homeowners aren't backing out...

You forgot the pedestrian traffic from the beach access.

I did a recount: It looks to be four driveways that will be using the circle in addition to 395, 30-A east, and 30-A west. On the roundabouts that I have used in Destin, the traffic is usually coming in at 25MPH or more. That is really the point of roundabouts. You don't stop, you simply yield. I would really like to feel that the people who are designing this thing are really very versed in multiple entries (7?) and I'd really like someone to explain how it will work interfacing the bike path. Does anybody know?

Sure would love to see a sketch of how the engineering firm thinks this will work. Sounds like quite a challenge.

According to this graphic, all the negative and really negative attitudes pre-traffic circle are going to be positive after construction.



Source: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/roundabouts/presentations/safety_aspects/short.cfm

Question: Has the Walton County Road Department ever designed and constructed a roundabout? I guess there is always a chance of beginner's luck.

From what I saw on the many roundabouts in Australia, the rule is that the vehicles in the circle have priority. All others yield to those already in the circle. So not everyone is moving. If you're not already in the roundabout, you have to wait.

Sure would love to see a sketch of how the engineering firm thinks this will work. Sounds like quite a challenge.

According to this graphic, all the negative and really negative attitudes pre-traffic circle are going to be positive after construction.

View attachment 28739

Source: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/roundabouts/presentations/safety_aspects/short.cfm

According to the graphic, there is not a single negative opinion post construction. That is just not realistic.

I can guarantee my opinion will not suddenly become positive once it is built. I hate driving in traffic circles.
More of them will not change my opinion of them and putting one where I have to negotiate it by bike or foot certainly won't.

Yes, the vehicles in the circle have the right of way, and hopefully keep moving to allow more cars to enter and exit. Can you imagine what happens when momma, on her second time on a bicycle, tries to herd her six children through the intersection, with "junior" pumping away, through the tears... as a long line of cars stack up on all three arteries, and a couple of homeowners try to back their SUV's out into the mix... I'm like Jdarg, I hope there's spectator seating with beer and popcorn.

Lake View and Jdarg, I think we are in for a spectacle for sure. Lake View, you painted a great picture of a moment in the future. I can see it now.

According to the graphic, there is not a single negative opinion post construction. That is just not realistic.

Yeah, I thought that was pretty funny. It's like invasion of the body snatchers.

Question: Has the Walton County Road Department ever designed and constructed a roundabout? I guess there is always a chance of beginner's luck.

There are specific guidelines from FDOT about how to build a roundabout - http://www.dot.state.fl.us/TrafficOperations/Doc_Library/PDF/roundabout_guide8_07.pdf
Professional engineers will design and oversee construction.

Here are your choices:
1. do nothing, traffic at the intersection gets worse every year.
2. add traffic light, delay during heavy traffic would increase.
3. build a roundabout.
4. reduce number of cars and traffic.

A roundabout may not be a perfect solution. A high volume of pedestrian and bike traffic requires special attention to design. The current intersection is plenty dangerous now for people on bike and on foot. The current intersection is also difficult for folks trying to get out of driveways, and pulling in and out from parking across from Seagrove Market.

I have used good roundabouts. The key is to make it large enough, and place crossovers for pedestrians well away from the circle. Having only three roads there is much better than having to deal with 4, and should mean the circle can be smaller.

Normally all bikes would share the circle but since we have our awesome bike path we'll route it around. Having it cross as far away from the circle as possible will be key.

Some circles can be elongated in one or more sections if there is room. We are lucky that it is a relatively safe, low-speed intersection. If it wasn't then we'd likely need a stoplight which would back traffic up further. Seagrove Market and V Seagrove make it extra challenging.