The Oriskany Street round-about

[Clipper]

Has anyone driven through that area since they opened the new round about? I will be interested to do so when we are in Utica the next time, having walked across Oriskany Street to the garage and lot where we kept the OD delivery vans almost daily. I can't quite envision what it must look like now.

We have several round abouts here and I actually have no problem with them. I think they move traffic much faster, safer, and more efficiently. I think the only drawback would be the dangers of traversing one as a pedestrian.

I grew familiar with them while delivering trailers to the Walmart stores in New Jersey and in the Boston area. Traffic circles are very popular in South Jersey. I DO have to say that they are a bit more difficult with a tractor and 53 foot trailer than they are with an automobile though.

[clarencebunsen]

I think they can be very efficient as long as I am driving in an area I am familiar with. I have had trouble driving in an unfamiliar area when the exit is labeled with a Route # and I am looking for a street name. The biggest problem in Utica is people who don't understand the difference between a "Yield" sign and a "Stop" sign.

[Deleted]

I have driven around it several times since it opened while on Bleecker St Bus. That Bus goes to and from the train station every other trip. It is a double lane round a bout ( the one on upper Genesee St in South Utica is single lane) and it is important to stay in your lane once your in it. Everything I think is very well labeled so so far there hasn't been any mishaps. I have been walking down there on all the new sidewalks placed on both side of the new highway. I really like the new pedestrian crosswalks with a way to press a button to cause the light to change. Everything is also very well lighted. On both sides of street all the way to the Utica Aud are two dedicated pedestrian walk lane and next to it a bike lane. They haven't finished stamping the concrete but the walk way is tinted green and I think the bike lane will be tinted red. I can now walk the entire length from my apartment right to the Proctor park system. That is nice. And it is safe. Well at least if no one decided to shoot a gun at ya from there car! They still have work to do like putting down bricks in various area's which so far looks nice. They are still placing dirt along the roadway where various trees and bushes etc have yet to be placed. Today I saw one crew wiring the new crossing lights. In this cold I can't figure out how they manage to hook up electrical wires!!! Bleecker St and John Street just had the new lighting system placed and now they have to do the pedestrian traffic signaling system in place and finish up the sidewalks that have been all ripped up. Now only have they been building a new roadway but the are redoing the underground system for the city: storm sewers with everything else, all new electrical and other communication systems and new sidewalks. If you are driving on it watch out for this guy:

[Clipper]

You are safe from that guy for now. He is down here. I just had him pass me on a double line coming home from Kingsport.

[Clipper]

I love that graphic. It seems that we have more jackass drivers here in Tennessee than in NY. That kid yesterday passed me over a double solid on a fairly curvy road. I had to hit my brakes and let the moron back over because we were coming to a blind hill. He was driving one of the little four cylinder Honda's with the loud mufflers that make it sound like a chain saw with no muffler.

Loud mufflers, left lane drivers, lack of use of turn signals. It leaves this NY driver just shaking my head. Traffic enforcement here is next to nil.

[Deleted]

I see a lot of traffic violations. The dangerous ones are people who think they can always speed pass a Bus and cut it off.

[strikeslip]

I thought it works pretty well, but traffic was rather light. However, yesterday we yielded to someone in the circle (which is the law) and we practically got rear-ended.

[Deleted]

I am looking forward to the landscaping of the project and in the future who/ are taking care of it.

[Clipper]

Jan 11, 2021 10:18:08 GMT -5 strikeslip said:

I thought it works pretty well, but traffic was rather light. However, yesterday we yielded to someone in the circle (which is the law) and we practically got rear-ended.

Obviously someone wasn't properly slowing to enter the roundabout. I have had the experience of having someone come flying onto a roundabout with no regard for those already on it too. They think it is a high speed merry go round that they need to jump onto at 50mph. They take getting used to and it will be a learning process for the Utica area. Hopefully without too many wrecks.