The Crittenden Automotive Library

First roundabout - $2,100,000...

First roundabout - $2,100,000...

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
June 18, 2012

Route 176 and Mt. Thabor/Haligus Rd. is the location being chosen for McHenry County's first roundabout. What's a roundabout?

Notice in the diagram that there is no conflicting traffic.

The traffic-crash history at 176/Haligus/Mt. Thabor is

2004-2009 = 6 years
30 crashes in 6 years. Average of 5 per year.
No fatalities in those years

So, spend $2.1 MILLION...?

Buried in the article about all the reasons that roundabouts will be good for us is this: "However, they can be confusing to drivers unfamiliar with them." And drivers in the U.S.A., including Illinois, are very unfamiliar with roundabouts!

Now, picture in your mind that Route 176 is the east-west road in the diagram. Imagine traffic flying low along Route 176. Now imagine you are northbound on Haligus and want to "turn left" to go west on Route 176.

This diagram doesn't quite cut it because it depicts a roundabout for two intersecting four-lane roads, whereas the roads at this McHenry County intersection are presently two-lane roads. First you have to fight your way into the circle ("roundabout"), watching for a break in east found traffic. Then you have to watch for westbound and then southbound traffic, apparently all entering the roundabout without having to stop. And you've got a car behind you that is no longer going to required to stop before following you into the intersection?

You think this is better?

What does confusion while driving cause? Duhhh... more crashes.