Editor,

The Washington State Department of Transportation is holding meetings to advertise their intention of building not one, but two traffic circles at and near Sharpe’s Corner.

They aren’t asking whether such lunacy should be built but when the project should begin.

The history of traffic circle studies is one of intense opposition, and the poorly advertised meeting at Oak Harbor High School was no exception. While mingling in the limited crowd where discussion was open but opinions weren’t solicited, the tenor of conversation was full of anger, frustration, and disbelief, especially at the study results alleging that traffic circles expedite traffic and reduce accidents.

No one argues that traffic circles improve traffic flow when traffic is very light, but all it takes is moderate congestion to dangerously bog things down. Ever been to Sharpe’s Corner during rush hour to see the backup way past the next signal nearly a half mile away?

Any vehicle in the circle has the right of way but no duty to signal where they intend to exit, which of course wouldn’t be dependable enough to help the situation anyway. Cars have to wait to enter until it is safe. This isn’t a case where drivers want good things to come to those who wait.

Every lane change and merge into traffic flow is a collision hazard and traffic circles forcibly increase them enormously. Lane change and merging situations are probably the cause of 99-44/100ths of road rage incidents. Who needs more of that?

If that isn’t bad enough, consider the hazards to big trucks whose vision to the sides and rear are limited especially when in a turn. The trailers on most big trucks are 53 feet long and the tractor pulling them adds another 20 feet or more. That’s longer than some people’s houses. Some trucks are even longer.

But who cares about big trucks? No one likes them, but we’d sure be hurting without them. They only bring nearly everything we want and need to us.

So why do these traffic circle proposals keep popping up like a carnival whack-a-mole? The only beneficiaries are nearby businesses who want traffic disrupted at their business location, or overpaid traffic engineers doing their studies in the dark of night.

Eventually, Sharpe’s Corner will have to be improved. It probably will require a left turn overpass.

Al and Barbara Williams

Oak Harbor