Road Warrior: Is Lomas and Carlisle due for a traffic circle?

After a hiatus to cover the state Legislature (which included passing a whopping $1.2 billion budget for the New Mexico Department of Transportation) my wheels are turning on a couple of unanswered Road Warrior questions.

Tim Peterson asks if there’s a chance the intersection of Lomas, Carlisle and Monte Vista — the snarling intersection near Jubilation Wine & Spirits — might be upgraded into a traffic circle.

“I know many drivers oppose traffic circles, just as they opposed double left-turn lanes when they were first introduced,” Peterson wrote.

But to Peterson, the benefits are clear: “They improve safety, decrease waiting times, and reduce pollution.”

Department of Municipal Development spokesperson Dan Mayfield agreed with the benefits. For those reasons, he added, the city typically prefers to build roundabouts instead of traffic signals to control traffic at new intersections.

“The City is aware of the primary benefits of roundabouts, including reduced crashes and less delay time while drivers are sitting at red lights,” Mayfield said in an email to the Journal.

In the past five years, the city has built three roundabouts, said Mayfield: one at Candelaria and Rio Grande, another at Menaul and 12th, and one developer-funded project at Holly and Ventura.

Two others are on the way. But Lomas and Carlisle isn’t one of them.

Why?

Right-of-way and cost.

To convert the intersection into a roundabout, Lomas would need to be reduced to two lanes in both directions, Mayfield said in an email to the Journal. The city would also need to buy a significant amount of property from businesses on the west side of the intersection.

“Retrofitting a roundabout at a location with an existing signal is extremely costly and may require too big a property take to make it feasible,” Mayfield said.

AND SPEAKING OF CIRCULAR TRAFFIC CONTROLS: David Casas wants to give a reminder to Albuquerque drivers about how to navigate a roundabout with good manners.

“ABQ drivers are not well-educated on the proper etiquette and legal responsibilities when negotiating a roundabout,” Casas wrote.

He recommends signs throughout traffic circles reading: “Vehicle to your RIGHT has the right-of-way,” “Be courteous: ZIPPER mingle traffic flow” and “Please use your turn signal” along with pictures and diagrams.