‘Part Yield, Part Merge, Part Merry-Go-Round’ – Roundabout Opens In Escambia County

November 27, 2020

A roundabout in Escambia County opened Wednesday at Langley Drive and Hilltop Drive in Pensacola.

“If you’ve never cruised the boulevards of Rome, Berlin, or Oxford, Mississippi, a roundabout can be intimidating at first. Think of it as part yield, part merge, and part merry-go-round,” the Pensacola Police Department said in a Facebook post.

“Before you get too worked up about this new-fangled thing foisted upon us by the Europeans, let’s see if it solves some of the speeding and crash problems on Langley. We’ll all be wearing berets and sipping tiny coffees in no time,” the post continued.

Comments

27 Responses to “‘Part Yield, Part Merge, Part Merry-Go-Round’ – Roundabout Opens In Escambia County”

  1. Doug Goar on October 27th, 2021 4:54 pm

    I’ve driven on these in many different states. The larger the diameter the safer they are and easier to navigate. Wait until you get into one with two or three big rigs. You’ll need to change more than lanes.

  2. Joy on May 28th, 2021 1:11 pm

    People can’t even drive on Avalon Bridge in a straight line without getting killed. Can’t wait to see 17th and the 3 mile bridge. 17th should be completely closed, no a nice park and boat ramp placed. Once the 3 mile bridge comes to a stop, which it will, we will have traffic backed up to Scenic Hwy. Pensacola better hire more policeman, they are going to need it!

  3. Natalie on November 29th, 2020 12:00 am

    There are no LEFT turns in a roundabout.

  4. Steve on November 28th, 2020 9:16 am

    They are the Apple of intersections. There is one in Portsmouth, NH that people approach at highway speed at I-95 and US1 and a state road. Never once did I have to stop at that intersection. It was known locally as the Circle of Death. But very few accidents even though the speed there averaged 45-50 mph. Relax.

  5. WM on November 28th, 2020 2:11 am

    I want a camera installed high above the roundabout. Would love to see people pull a Dukes of Hazard over the center. We all know there are going to be some epic ones.

  6. Jw on November 28th, 2020 1:28 am

    I’ve used it 3 times. Once southbound turning left onto hilltop. Twice turning from hilltop right.

    With the holiday and probably most not knowing it’s open there’s been little to zero traffic.
    However, the second right turn onto Langley i witnesses a southbound not even slowing down. We would have had the right of way had we been turning southbound. We would have absolutely been hit on the side.

    This is just plain stupid.

  7. Janice on November 27th, 2020 9:13 pm

    In a roundabout way, this is going to cause more accidents and nonsense than we’re already dealing with.

  8. New is good on November 27th, 2020 8:22 pm

    There are a number of round-a-bouts in Okaloosa County. They always work great. Just do what the signs say to do and follow the lines. Reduces street speeding.

  9. Ashley on November 27th, 2020 5:58 pm

    People cant even use a 4 way stop properly!!!

  10. Drew Miller on November 27th, 2020 4:24 pm

    I don’t see why they’re necessary when Mayor Robinson says that the new soccer fields (that no one in Scenic Heights asked for) won’t increase traffic to our area!

  11. Bill on November 27th, 2020 1:31 pm

    This would be a great idea if people around here knew how to use them but they don’t. Therefore, it’s a stupid idea.

  12. Shirle on November 27th, 2020 1:22 pm

    I personally love roundabouts, but we live in a county with lots of older people and they don’t adapt to change real well, especially if they already have memory problems. Those individuals sit without moving and the back up begins. I know people driving around with dementia and their confusion will show up at these intersections.
    The price you pay for cheaper intersection cost.

  13. Lebojr on November 27th, 2020 11:20 am

    Roundabouts are great unless a traffic light is too close and then they block up. First rule: keep your eye on any car already in the roundabout to your left. The car entering from your left can and will enter before you, so be wary of that one too. Very few reasons to stop before entering.

    The smaller they are, the harder they are to negotiate.

  14. Alan on November 27th, 2020 11:08 am

    Light traffic with the majority of traffic going north/south or east/west, It might work. But all you need to do is drive I-10/I-110 to realize the majority of the people driving have no clue how to merge. A lot of them are scared to death.

    One of the easiest places to merge in Escambia county is where east bound Scenic Highway merges into Davis Highway (in front of Mugs and Jugs). From the top of the hill on Scenic, you can see the entire intersection and have time to adjust speed to easily merge. But it never fails people just stop in the merge lane and wait for the traffic to clear before proceeding.

    When and if they install roundabouts on Pensacola Beach as they have been discussing for a few years, they need to include an observation deck and sell tickets. That is going to be entertaining.

    And Happy Thanksgiving William!

  15. Mike J. on November 27th, 2020 10:57 am

    I’ve seen them in Port Charlotte, FL, Slidell, LA, and Grand Cayman. They were introduced a few years ago and appear to work fine. The ones in Grand Cayman and New Orleans have been there a long time.

    Larger roundabouts have two lanes going around the circle. One car could pass another if two lanes go around. Also large delivery trucks and 18-wheelers have trouble in small roundabouts and need both lanes when there are two.

    Overall I like them when the intersecting streets are of the same size and traffic flow.

  16. Chuck on November 27th, 2020 10:49 am

    I lived in Naples, Italy for a couple years and roundabouts were a part of daily life and quite treacherous at times as the drivers there are extremely aggressive. Navigating them in the states is so much easier and they are a time saver once people get used to the new pattern. May the odds be ever in your favor to all…lol.

  17. Nod on November 27th, 2020 10:46 am

    People in pensacola do not even understand how a traffic light works, so how can they do a roundabout?

  18. JRL on November 27th, 2020 10:21 am

    Build bleachers around this traffic circle, and sell tickets. Escambia County, FL drivers can be very entertaining.

  19. retired on November 27th, 2020 10:13 am

    @Denbroc

    “All it takes to successfully negotiate one is to slow down and exercise a little caution.”

    you do remember you are in pensacola, I used several while over seas, you have to THINK AHEAD also.

  20. Ed on November 27th, 2020 8:44 am

    I remember the first roundabout I drove through in Australia. It is the other direction. They’re hard enough in the US, but going in the opposite direction really put a lot of demands on the brain. Also you shift with your left hand.

  21. Denbroc on November 27th, 2020 8:02 am

    Roundabouts are fantastic time savers. All it takes to successfully negotiate one is to slow down and exercise a little caution. If they can work in Goodbee, Louisiana they can work anywhere.

    NOTE: Some snowbirds may call them “rotaries” instead of roundabouts.

  22. JTV on November 27th, 2020 6:51 am

    They work great until you get hesitant, scared drivers.

  23. bob in baker on November 27th, 2020 6:35 am

    They’re great. There’s been one I know of in FWB for at least 20 yrs.

  24. SueB on November 27th, 2020 6:12 am

    A big change in Pensacola for drivers to understand how the roundabout works. County needs to fix county road traffic lights & report traffic light problems for State roads.

  25. Baldwin on November 27th, 2020 5:56 am

    There are both pro and con to these roundabouts. I personally like them. However, as long as traffic isn’t too heavy they are great. If traffic gets backed up on a few sides it can be a challenge to squeeze in. You just have to pay attention and get ready to make a move. Baldwin Co AL has several and they work just fine.

  26. Kel on November 27th, 2020 4:18 am

    Oh no. Putting a roundabout in Pensacola is like giving a machine gun to a bear.

  27. mike on November 27th, 2020 2:25 am

    nice, i hear they got a few down in south florida, a friend’s mom calls one “Confusion Corner”. :D