KTBS 3 News | Shreveport, LA: ArkLaTex News - City cries uncle, removes traffic circle

Posted: Nov 5, 2009 11:51 AM
Updated: Nov 6, 2009 8:58 AM

The city of Shreveport has bowed to pressure from upset neighbors and motorists and has removed the traffic circle at the bottom of Gilbert Drive's "Thrill Hill."

A crew tore up the concrete circle and hauled away its brick pavers.

Motorists have deliberately driven through the circle and accidentally crashed into it. Someone knocked down the light pole used to illuminate it. Residents and motorists alike have complained about it. It's gotten its fair share of obscene gestures.

"Uncle," the city said Thursday.

The head of the city's public works department made the decision it had to go.

Mike Strong, director of the Department of Operational Services, said the traffic circle served its intended purpose -- it slowed drivers down -- but the "huge dissent" in the neighborhood made him decide to remove it. City Councilman Michael Long, who asked that something be done to slow drivers down, agreed with the decision, Strong said.

The traffic circle was also becoming a liability problem, Strong said.

The circle cost $7,5000 when it was installed earlier this fall. The street department broke the concrete up but will re-use the concrete pavers.

High + − !

Mark Crawford at Nov 5th 2009 1:08 PM

What a complete waste of money.

The Traffic Circle at Nov 5th 2009 4:32 PM

I'm really sad to be leaving Gilbert. I had made friends here.. albeit some enemies (here's looking at you motorists who flipped me the bird).. but I will miss the friends I have made. And for the jerks in the black jacked up z-71 with la license plate LOS-345.. eat my rubble.

Neutral + − !

southhighlandresident at Nov 5th 2009 8:29 PM

the people who dislike the traffic circle are the ones who drive too fast and do not care about the safety of the families that live in the area. Probably the same ones who raise cane and call the cops when someone speeds down their street while their kids play 20 feet away in the yard. Its a freakin neighborhood if you want to drive 60mph do it on the interstate.

I guess it'll take a few 10 year old kids being killed by these drivers before someone will care.

southhighlandresident at Nov 6th 2009 11:13 AM

Grey, I have not researched to know if any 10 year olds were killed and I didnt imply that they had, I merely stated that nothing will be done till someone dies.
If you get out and walk, run, bike or play with your kids for any length of time you would see that speeding is a problem and not just the speeding but the fact that everyone that passes you is on the phone or playing with their iPod and not devoting 100% of their attention to their environment.
The point was that if you are doing the speed limit and paying attention to your surroundings then the poorly constructed eye sore (which I didnt care for either) is not an issue. No traffic circle or cop writing tickets will ever get people to slow down nor are they a solution, the only way is for the driver to ease off the gas pedal and choose not to. But that would mean they would have to care about the posted speed limit signs and value the lives of people in the community more than reaching their destination a few seconds faster.
Btw when you have to attack and belittle someone because they have a different view or opinion than you if makes you appear uneducated and ignorant.

Sincerely, a well educated, tax paying young professional trying to enjoy his family and community.

Gray M at Nov 5th 2009 10:57 PM

How many 10 year olds have been killed by motorists on Gilbert (or in all of South Highlands/Broadmoor/Pierremont Hills) in the past 15 years?  The answer, of course, is none.  The only person killed in the past 5 years on "Thrill Hill" was a drunk 30 year old and his passenger.

You say, "if you want to drive 60mph..." That's also stupid.  No one does 60 on Gilbert, and if that is a concern, a police speed trap once a month solves the problem.  People do, however, like to drive the posted 30 or 35 mph speed limit on the road, which is impossible with the circle there.

Third, the circle was done halfheartedly.  There was no widening of the road surrounding it, forcing drivers to come to a crawl to make it through without bumping a surrounding curb.

People like you are exactly the kind of backwards thinking safety monkeys that populate our city government at the moment, and the reason why so many bright, well-educated young professionals will always refrain from moving home.  The circle is an indefensibly bad idea, and an $18,000 lesson on what not to do.  God save the 10 year olds.