Editorial: Roundabout at the intersection of Route 5 and Route 106 in Charles City? Not for me

A roundabout at the intersection of Route 5 (John Tyler Memorial Highway) and Route 106 (Roxbury Road) in Charles City? Not the way to go.

At Tuesday night’s board meeting, a resolution was passed to support the Smart Scale Application. The Smart Scale is essentially used to provide a point system to address problems on roadways. According to Charles City assistant zoning administrator Myles Busching, one of the proposals currently topping the list is a roundabout at that intersection. Busching commented that a roundabout at that intersection will slow traffic down and assist with pedestrians and cyclists who use the Virginia Capital Trail at that intersection.

Now let’s get a few things out the way first. That intersection IS a dangerous one. Whenever I am coming from Hopewell and entering Charles City (that’s if the Benjamin Harrison Bridge tells me that I’m not allowed to pass), I have to pull my vehicle over the bike crossing intersection in order to see traffic on Route 5. To add to that, at times I have encountered cyclists who aren’t paying attention and they ride out in front of me just as I am about to accelerate across the intersection.

Moving to a roundabout though? I just don’t see it. Yes, roundabouts are safer statistically, but they do not account for the behavior of drivers. Ask New Kent about their roundabouts and see how those people are enjoying them. They will admit they are safer, but they have had a fair share of incidents on them, including a semi-truck running over the center of it and tipping on its side.

Ultimately, safety is the issue but it’s ultimately up to the driver to be able to navigate it. Can you imagine a driver who has driven down Route 5 all their life at 55-60 miles per hour and then having to slow down for a roundabout? It does take a toll mentally and takes a while to get adjusted. Personally, I’m still trying to get adjusted to the intersection of Lott Cary and Barnetts Road in front of Holmes Auto Center.

In the end, the intention is good, but it’s the driver who needs to be accountable for navigating that area behind the wheel. If a person pays more attention and has better visual cues, then the blinking lights currently their can suffice. I just don’t think a roundabout will be the way to resolve the issues. It may slow down traffic in the intersection, but it can’t stop an irresponsible driver.