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CAUTION Macon
Macon-Bibb.com
Macon, Georgia |
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| Subject: Roundabout the Mall - published in Telegraph on Sunday, Dec 18, 2011 Right Roundabout I encourage everyone to go see and drive the new roundabout at the Macon Mall. Private investors there have, in a few months time, both: Built a standard modern roundabout and downsized (right-sized) the Macon Mall. Please note that those two accomplishments by private enterprise have done exactly what the citizens have been asking from our road officials for many years: Modify the project at Forest Hill Road (right-size it) and use modern roundabouts. Could the “renewed” Macon Mall redesign team take over the Forest Hill project management and get the job done better, in half the time, for half the money? -- Lindsay D Holliday Macon Bibb County Commissioner, Joe Allen yucked it up about "stupid Roundabouts" with fellow commissioners at their last regular meeting on 1-3-12. Allen was trying to make a joke about how easily he drove "straight thru and over the new Roundabout" at the Macon Mall when he was distracted by "looking straight ahead" at something other than the road in front of his vehicle. It is possible to drive straight thru a 4-way-stop, and never realize you've done something wrong, if you never saw the signs, and did not hit opposing traffic. But Roundabouts are different. There are videos on the internet that show what happens to cars driving straight thru a Roundabout. Circular concrete curbs will toss a car up and down if lanes are violated. That is how Allen discovered he had driven straight over the Roundabout. This is what is so neat about Roundabouts --- They will get your attention by beating-up any car whose driver is distracted. They can bust your tires, rims and shock absorbers if you go fast enough. Allen will not soon forget what that felt like, and he is unlikely to repeat his error. Allen tried to blame the roundabout for his error. He said "Holliday, your Roundabouts are not safe". Compared to a "traditional" signalized intersection, Roundabouts have 40% fewer accidents, 70% fewer injuries, 90% fewer fatalities. The only reason that Roundabouts are not 100% foolproof and safer is that most cars are driven by people who are quite clever at doing stupid stuff. The safety comparisons were determined by numerous studies complied by the FHWA and the IIHS. Whether you like Roundabouts or not, you have to enjoy the satisfaction of knowing of the immediate justice of a beat-up car for drivers who dangerously distracted. ------- Lindsay D. Holliday
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| From: BIBBCOMMISH@aol.com Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 Subject: Re: Roundabout Not Straight- Reply. To: teeth@mindspring.com, letters@macon.com, crichardson@macon.com CC: joeallen@co.bibb.ga.us, shart@co.bibb.ga.us, r.reichert@macon.ga.us, bbivins@co.bibb.ga.us, erichardson@co.bibb.ga.us, ledwards@co.bibb.ga.us, tonyr@maconwater.org, gerwig-moor_s@law.mercer.edu, rick@rickhutto.com, llbenedict@bostonlawmacon.com, teeger@cox.net, steve.luxenberg@dot.gov, Christy.Poon-Atkins@dot.gov, Chetna.Dixon@dot.gov, Katy.Allen@dot.gov, Ann-Marie.Day@dot.gov, cford@dot.ga.gov, gross@dot.ga.gov, jcole@dot.ga.gov, rmcmurry@dot.ga.gov, rmsceo@aol.com To Doctor Holliday Doc I am so Happy we live in America. In this Country we do not all have to have the same OPINION on a issue. We can agree to disagree. Sir you are right on some of your issues, I just take issue with certain locations you are referring to. I hope your letter next time will be addressed to me as a friend and not trying to be a media focus on the roundabout issue, if I am the only party you talk about. Joe Allen Dist 4 Bibb County Commissioner.
From: "LEE BALLARD" <lee31216@gmail.com> To: <BIBBCOMMISH@aol.com> Subject: Re: Roundabout Not Straight- reply. back at you my friend. Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 Joe, I gathered from Holliday's e-mail referencing your comments, "stupid roundabouts" and "roundabouts are not safe", that you are against roundabouts. Guess I misinterpreted the negative words. If you are referencing TIA projects, the only Bibb County roundabout project to make the final list is at Walnut and Seventh Street. The Thomaston Rd/SR 74 @ Lamar Rd roundabout project was moved to the "not selected list" on 8/10/11. Lee From: BIBBCOMMISH@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 8:12 PM To: lee31216@gmail.com Subject: Re: Roundabout Not Straight- reply. back at you my friend. Lee I am not against Roundabout's They are going to place 3 on US 80. I was the one asking for them. since my other Commissioners as well as the State would not install Lights. It was JOE ALLEN that pushed the one on Thomaston rd that would tie into Johnson road heading toward Toby. So who ever said I was against it I have no clue. But I did have a problem at the Mall, I was not expecting a roundabout there. The issue is Forest Hill. I think it is a over kill. I wanted 3 lanesand turn lanes. but again I am only one commissioner. and also take out the bad curves close to the prado. OH the roundabout at US80 and Fulton mill its 4 lane there. I am against that one. That is a road I travel everyday. to my home. It needs lights. The DOT will not do that either. In a message dated 1/10/2012 7:14:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, lee31216@gmail.com writes: Joe, My comment was not directed at your misfortune; it was directed at your stance on roundabouts. I’ve driven in several states and three foreign countries where roundabouts are abundant. I must admit I was apprehensive during initial drives; but that soon wore off. The 2010 Transportation Investment Act states that Safety and Traffic projects may include intersection improvements to address safety concerns. Your contemporaries in Monroe County are seeking T-SPLOST money to construct roundabouts at the SR 74/42 and SR 83/87 intersections. Lee From: BIBBCOMMISH@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 4:50 PM To: lee31216@gmail.com Subject: Re: Roundabout Not Straight- reply. Lee my friend we all make mistakes sometime do we not. I still consider you my friend. even if we do not agree on where the roundabouts should go. In a message dated 1/10/2012 9:05:20 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, lee31216@gmail.com writes: "..people who are quite clever at doing stupid stuff" can't be deterred by facts. |
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Letter to Macon.com - Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 To: letters@macon.com From: Holliday Dental <teeth@mindspring.com> Subject: Joe Allen - Roundabout apology Cc: mstucka@macon.com,crichardson@macon.com [note - The Telegraph never published this letter] Editors: Bibb County Commissioner, Joe Allen apologized to me recently before a citizen audience and his fellow commissioners at their last regular meeting 1-17-12. Allen and I had published two contradictory letters in the Telegraph on 1-12-12, concerning Roundabout intersections Allen later said, that after checking with more sources, he had decided that he was wrong and that I was right. I admire the ability of a leader to admit they are wrong. Roundabouts can save the local and state taxpayers up to one million dollars per intersection during construction. This is due to a special federal funding mechanism used to promote highway safety thru better and safer intersections. Local taxpayers can save additional multi-thousands of dollars each following year because Roundabouts do not have the high yearly maintenance cost of traffic signal lights, and the computers and sensors and programming required to operate the lights at traditionally signalized intersections. Transportation experts say that at least 3 intersections along Forest Hill Road could use Roundabouts during the proposed redesign of the road. This would save taxpayer dollars as mentioned above and it could help preserve the neighborhood beauty. It would increase safety there by slowing the speeders. - Lindsay D Holliday |