Apparently the Region of Waterloo Council is still under the impression that the area is located smack dab in the middle of France. Another roundabout has been informally approved, this time much closer to the core of the city than any of the previous efforts.
Just down the street from me, the new installation at Union St. and Margaret Ave. apparently will serve the maybe 2 hours a day it is at all difficult to get through the intersection, and at that, the only real problem posed is a little bit of a wait to turn left from Union onto Margaret.
Again those in favour tout the slowing of traffic, and the diminished severity of accidents. But they are still neglecting the fact that this is not Europe, and drivers around here have not grown up with roundabouts, and that we here in North America still tend to follow a persuasion of driving over-sized vehicles. Combine that with a relatively poor explanation on the MTO website of how to properly navigate the intersection, and you've created an intersection that many older drivers are going to avoid, funneling more traffic down side-streets like the gonged up Ellis Cres. project of last year.
On top of this, the roundabout is immediately adjacent to one of the larger bush lot park and trail areas in the region, and that it is frequently used by pedestrians, including children. As soon as a steady flow of traffic is created through that corridor, the park will become much more inaccessible to people living nearby on the west side of the park.
The severity of accidents may decrease, but I guarantee there will be a higher incidence. Hopefully council does the right thing and does not formally pass the installation of this roundabout. Give it time at least and let people better acclimate to the slew of roundabouts already constructed at just about every boundary of the Region.