The new roundabout is set to be constructed at the intersection of US-62 / SH-82 . At top right , This graphic depicts how traffic will flow when the roundabout is constructed at the intersection of US-62 / SH-82 .
ODOT reps discuss planned roundabout on US-62
By LEE GUTHRIE news @ tahlequahdailypress . com
In the movie “ National Lampoon ’ s European Vacation ,” Chevy Chase and his family are stuck in the inside lane of a traffic circle .
Maybe that ’ s what comes to mind when people think about the planned roundabout at the intersection of US- 62 / SH-82 . This is the intersection of the highway traveling west to Muskogee out of Tahlequah and the turnoff to Keys and Park Hill . However , a roundabout and a traffic circle are two different animals .
A roundabout is a circular intersection that eliminates the need for traffic signals . Cars travel counterclockwise around a center island . Those approaching the circle yield already circulating cars or pedestrians in crosswalks . A bypass lane for westbound US- 62 traffic eliminates the need to enter the roundabout . Signs and pavement markers alert drivers which direction to go . Cars always exit right .
Traffic circles can involve stop signs , stop signals , or no controls at all , and operate at higher speeds .
At a public meeting held at the Sequoyah High School Gym on Dec . 1 , area residents spoke with environmental consultants from Garver – an engineering firm working with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation – and representatives from ODOT . The presentation addressed the planned roundabout slated to be completed by summer 2023 .
“ The flow of traffic is good after people learn how to use one ,” said local Neil Helm , who is familiar with roundabouts in Arkansas and Oklahoma .
Rick Manes , a resident of Keys , said congestion from the Cherokee Nation complex at peak hours will “ back up traffic for those traveling from Keys and entering the roundabout .”
The current setup at this intersection
8 Tahlequah Daily Press | Green Country Scene • Volume 4 • Issue 1