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Twice around for Five Corners [video]
Study finished on Rotterdam’s inefficient intersection, costly roundabouts suggested



Dual roundabouts are proposed as a way to improve traffic flow at Five Corners in Rotterdam. As seen here, the roundabouts would fall on top of existing gas stations, and the town would have to purchase the property.
By John Purcell As of Friday, January 20, 2012

#Rotterdam — A plan has been solidified to install dual roundabouts at the congested Five Corners intersection, but a high price tag means it probably won’t be realized anytime soon.

#The Rotterdam Town Board on Wednesday, Jan. 11, heard the findings of the Five Corners Transportation and Land Use Linkage Study undertaken by BFJ Planning, based out of New York City. The goal of the study was to develop a plan to revitalize the town center so it could become “healthy and vibrant.”

#Areas around the Five Corners were also evaluated in hopes of increasing traffic flow efficiency and pedestrian safety. Two alternatives were presented to achieve this goal, but both require obtaining the property of two existing gas stations.

#Town Planner Peter Comenzo said residents are more than familiar with the frustrations associated with the busy intersection.

#“Everybody that lives in the Town of Rotterdam is aware of the issues that we have with transportation in the Five Corners,” Comenzo said. “It is a very difficult area to traverse, both with vehicles and bicycles, and also pedestrians, so we embarked on this study … to look at this area and get a professional planning outfit in to get a fresh set of eyes and take a look at this area.”

#The double roundabout concept was cited as the best alternative. The second alternative was for the town to widen the adjoining roadways while creating sidewalks, bicycle lanes and landscaping. Both projects were estimated to cost from $5 to $10 million, with right of way acquisition and possible soil clean up at gas stations being the largest expenses.

#Traffic issues at the Five Corners have remained largely unchanged for over 40 years. There are six approaches to the intersection.......................>>>>..................>>>>.................http://www.spotlightnews.com/news/2012/jan/20/twice-around-five-corners/

wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

FUBAR

Holy cow man, job creation...
and only 5 to 10 million LoL
quite a price range there.
And with all the boom goin on in the town center it is certainly needed.
I mean the cops are tired after a long day of chasing their tales they should be able to get back to HQ without the frustration of that pesky set up now.
It will be good for the late night street racers too.

wonder how that's gonna work with all the big rigs that go thru there

oh details details
who cares  
its money in theri bank

and if a perfect figure 8 was not performed what would be the 'judges rating'...????

it's like an ice skating rink....although I bet it works.....the tractor trailers just use the curbs like they do at Hamburg and Curry....I was tempted but didn't.....

I really don't care...

interesting why they need 2. and not one,
who owns what property and which property is up for the taking is a question.

The report explains why 2 smaller circles are needed instead of 1 larger one.   There is not enough room to build 1 larger one without having to take (at greater cost) more surrounding land.  
This intersection is complicated by the fact that it is really MORE than just "5 corners"  It is the intersection of Princetown Road, Mariaville Rd (Route 159), Duanesburg Rd (Route 7), Broadway, Curry Rd (Route 7) and Wallace Avenue  --- and has a number of curb-cuts to access already established local businesses.
Other options were considered  -- adding additional turning lanes -- reworking some of the major roads BEFORE their arrival at the intersection to reduce number of roads intersecting, etc.
While I had some misgivings with a dual rotary plan when it was first suggested, I (and I have attended every study meeting and read/studied all of the various materials presented) have come to agree with the study that it is simply the least expensive and most effective way to resolve the problems at that intersection.
Folks should be reminded of two things ---
#1) this intersection is one of the oldest in the town dating to BEFORE the American Civil War in pretty much the same configuration as it is now  (although now it is paved and has traffic lights and has been widened slightly over the years - and
#2) that the town and the state have been aware of the traffic problems at this intersection since the 1950's. and a number of studies have been conducted -- all of which conclude that the intersection deserves a failing grade as it is currently constructed and that SOMETHING must be done to fix the problems at this intersection.
NOW - is the time to stop studying and talking and complaining -- and take real concrete steps to implementing this proposal to fix this long neglected problem intersection.

are we fixing it for us or the tractor trailors?

The Town Planning should have thought about all this with "BIG PICTURE" thoughts......long range planning has never been

done with any Administration....letting businesses keep building .... trailer trucks and the like passing through this corrider

may be horrendous.....but it's downright obvious the Town can't afford this....

What needs to be in the planning stages ...is building business at the WEST end....

Allowing Golub to dominate with their warehouse and truck route down Dunnsville RD....was a mistake...

Where did they put the Corporate HQ ???

Build and plan for the WEST end.....near I-88 and Thruway.....would start to eliminate the traffic at the 5 corners.

And is this being planned/considered because the Police Station will be on Hamburg St ??? therefore, eliminating traffic back

through the 5 corners any time of the day/night???

A roundabout will not resolve a problem that isn't a problem. Traffic flows quite smoothly through the 5 corners. Even at rush hour. However, it is badly in need of repaving and possibly added sidewalks.

The problem with rotterdam is that the entire town is nothing more than 2 lane streets!!!!!! It is a patchwork quilt of residential and businesses. A clear picture of decades of poor planning and development.

There should be a moratorium in rotterdam for any new developments until the infrastructure is addressed.

By the way.........great story and coverage by the spotlight!!!

Quoted from bumblethru

A roundabout will not resolve a problem that isn't a problem. Traffic flows quite smoothly through the 5 corners. Even at rush hour. However, it is badly in need of repaving and possibly added sidewalks.

The problem with rotterdam is that the entire town is nothing more than 2 lane streets!!!!!! It is a patchwork quilt of residential and businesses. A clear picture of decades of poor planning and development.

There should be a moratorium in rotterdam for any new developments until the infrastructure is addressed.

By the way.........great story and coverage by the spotlight!!!

Your response does not make any sense --- you say there isn't a problem and then propose a moratorium to address the problem which you just said doesn't exist.

The FACT is that there traffic studies which prove that traffic is NOT flowing smoothly through 5 corners -- and especially NOT at rush hour. So you apparently aren't aware of all of the facts surrounding the issue.

Furthermore, a moratorium on development will NOT solve the traffic problem -- finding the funding for and building the dual roundabouts will solve the problem.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Your response does not make any sense --- you say there isn't a problem and then propose a moratorium to address the problem which you just said doesn't exist.

The FACT is that there traffic studies which prove that traffic is NOT flowing smoothly through 5 corners -- and especially NOT at rush hour. So you apparently aren't aware of all of the facts surrounding the issue.

Furthermore, a moratorium on development will NOT solve the traffic problem -- finding the funding for and building the dual roundabouts will solve the problem.

You're just an idiot.  There, I said what everybody else is just too kind to say.  The fact is that Bumblethru (truthfully) stated that there is no issue AT 5 CORNERS.  The fact is that there are many other places where traffic issues need to be addressed.  I drive Rotterdam's Rush Hour every day (unlike someone who wakes up at 2 PM and turns on his computer in auntie's basement to chat on the local blog).  I sit in the long line of cars that essentially runs the entire length that is Curry Road in Rotterdam from the I-890 bridge all the way to 5 Corners.  

I know, you know better than all of us from sitting on your butt at home all day.  The best way to build up the town is to destroy businesses, which I guess sort of makes sense, considering your constant approval of the Metroplex.  Tell you what, we'll look at this more when and if you find the funding for the double circle and bring in that local business you said was going to be coming in... what did you say it was?  Some high-class barbecue joint (if that's not an oxymoron, you're the second half of it...)?

BT is right, you're wrong, simple enough, sort of like your mind.