By KRISTI ALBERTSON

Long-awaited Reserve Loop open to traffic

The Daily Inter Lake

It's official: The much-anticipated Reserve Loop finally is open to traffic.

The loop, a $5.2 million, 2.3-kilometer road near the north end of the proposed U.S. 93 bypass, was completely open as of Monday night. It runs east and north of Glacier High School, connecting Stillwater Drive to U.S. 93 just south of Costco.

The loop also features the Montana Department of Transportation's first roundabout in the Flathead Valley.

Many residents have expressed concern about the roundabout, located at the intersection of Stillwater and West Reserve drives. The roundabout in front of Costco at the Spring Prairie Center has confused and frustrated several drivers.

But Department of Transportation officials insist that most roundabouts are an effective and safe way to handle traffic.

"They're supposed to be a safer, less congested way of handling an intersection," said Gary Kalberg, the transportation department's Missoula district construction engineer. "There will be no high speeds or somebody sneaking through a yellow light or running stop signs. Everybody's going kind of the same direction, and everybody's kind of going slower."

Traffic will be slower than usual for a few weeks, Kalberg said, while the contractor, LHC, puts in streetlights, topsoil and sidewalks. Drivers still will be able to get through but should expect delays while that work is being done.

When it's over, however, everything will be finished but the final chip seal and striping, Kalberg said. That is scheduled for completion between Independence Day and Labor Day next year.

IN THE FUTURE, Montanans can expect to see more roundabouts on their streets. A resolution passed by the 2005 state Legislature encourages the Department of Transportation "to construct more roundabouts instead of signalized, right-angle intersections."

Two roundabouts currently are being built in Helena, Kalberg said. Others are destined for Missoula and Billings.

"There are getting to be more and more of them around the state," he said.

One reason for this is safety. Roundabouts reduce fatal crashes at intersections by 90 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Injury accidents are reduced by 76 percent, primarily because vehicles tend to receive glancing blows instead of getting broadsided.

Roundabouts also are safer than right-angle intersections for pedestrians. Instead of crossing two lanes of traffic, people cross one to reach a center island, and then cross from the island to the other side of the street when the way is clear. This reduces pedestrian crashes by 30 to 40 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The roundabout may improve traffic flow in the morning and afternoon when students and parents are entering and leaving Glacier High School. Instead of the delay of stop-and-go traffic at a four-way stop, roundabouts are designed to keep traffic moving. Roundabouts increase traffic capacity by 30 to 50 percent, according to the Department of Transportation.

"It's less congested, because nobody has to come to a stop," Kalberg said. "Traffic keeps flowing at a steady rate."

While unfamiliar to many Montana drivers, roundabouts are not difficult to navigate. Here are steps to keep in mind when approaching a roundabout:

. Slow down. The speed limit in the Reserve Loop roundabout is 15 mph.

. Stay to the right of the splitter island that divides the left- and right-hand lanes. Currently, those islands are merely shapes painted on the road, Kalberg said. Crews will pour the actual islands within the next few weeks.

. When a vehicle reaches the intersection, it must yield to traffic already circling the roundabout. If the way is clear and no pedestrians are attempting to cross, the driver turns right and drives around the center island until reaching the desired exit.

. Trucks have plenty of room to navigate the roundabout, Kalberg said. It has a 150-foot diameter, and the driving lane is 38 feet wide. A truck apron - the three-inch-high ring of concrete inside the driving lane - is there to provide more room.

It is not, Kalberg emphasized, there for other vehicles to drive on. Passing is illegal in a one-lane roundabout.

. Traffic in a roundabout flows in a counterclockwise direction. To make a left-hand turn, drivers travel three-quarters of the way around the roundabout until reaching the correct outlet. Vehicles may make a U-turn by driving in a complete circle around the roundabout.

. Once a vehicle is in the roundabout, it should keep moving except to avoid a collision. If an emergency vehicle enters the roundabout behind a driver, the driver should continue until reaching the correct exit, then pull over. If the emergency vehicle appears before a driver enters the roundabout, the driver should pull over to allow the emergency vehicle to enter first.

On the 'Net: www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/roundabouts

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com