"Carmelizing"  The process to make roundabouts the preferred intersection traffic control within a municipality. 

Origin: The effort by the Indiana City of Carmel to convert most all  traffic signals to roundabouts.

 Phil -  303-349-9497

 phil@pdemos.com

Phil:

Upon re-reading your definition, believe the word "preferred" seems too soft.  Alternatives might be "normal", "predominant", "exclusive."  Using the Canadian criterion, "Carmelizing"--the process over time to make roundabouts the predominant intersection control, converting existing

intersections with more than two-way stop control."   Apologies to Per

Garder who has suggested that two-way yield control is preferable to TWSC.

   The emphasis here is toward already developed areas where conversions are the primary  task.

        Tony

Date:    Wed, 5 Sep 2012 17:44:08 -0400

From:    TONY Redington <tonyrvt99@GMAIL.COM>

Subject: CARMELIZING YOUR TOWN, CITY, METRO, STATE....

Hello:

Wikipedia defines carmelizing as he browning of sugar, "a process used

extensively in cooking for the resulting nutty flavor and brown color."

Well let's add another definition: fully roundabouting a village, town,

city, Metro or even state.  In this case, "caramelizing" is the converting

of all traffic signals and other busy intersections to roundabouts a la

Carmel, IN.

Since the U.S. and Canada now can count, conservatively, about 12,000

"roundabout years" consider what that means in terms a locality or area.

 The Burlington VT Metro (Chittenden County, essentially) contains about a

quarter of the Vermont population and about 125 or so signals (three

roundabouts) and perhaps another 25 intersections employing all way stops,

150 total.  Consider converting all these intersections (certainly over 90%

can be feasibly converted)--then apply one bicycle and one walker fatality

per 12,000 roundabout years based on U.S./Canadian experience plus apply

the 66 walker injuries France experiences per walker fatality.  We

certainly expect to reach approximately one walker fatality per 15,000

roundabout years, the French experience, and we have 0 to date.  For

bicyclists there is the single fatality in California.

Using these numbers, Burlington Metro would experience on the 150

roundabouts approximately one walker fatality per century along with one

bicycle fatality--and one walker injury about every 15 months.   Chittenden

County--Burlington specifically--experienced one walker fatality at a busy

signalized intersection and a second serious injury within days at another

busy signalized intersection.

Clearly these are at best approximations--but they show the a huge

difference in the scale of walker and bicycle injuries, roundabouts versus

non-roundabouts.  We also know that the walker crash rates improve the more

roundabouts that are built based on the French experience.  Also, walking

and bicycling mode numbers of trips and modal share are expected to

increase substantially so it is fair to expect U.S. rates, particularly for

bicyclists to go up somewhat because of modal growth and shifts.   All the

more reason to rapidly install roundabouts in order to minimize rates and

walking/biking injuries. With U.S./Canadian walking modal share of about

10%, even increasing this to a Euopean level of 20-30% would keep walker

fatality rates in Burlington Metro still in "decades" rather than every few

years as it is even today.

The bicycling aspect--about 1 or 2 percent modal share--presents a far

fuzzier picture. We know that multi-lane roundabouts bicycle injury and

fatality reduction versus non-roundabouts fairly small on average while

there are significant reductions in single lane roundabouts.  Also, with

recent innovations in bicycle design for roundabouts--use of ramps, cycle

track, separate bike paths etc.--some increase in bicycle safety may be

accomplished.  And, minimizing roundabout size, particularly in multiple

laners, may also add to safety performance for the bicycle mode.  Research

will bring better knowledge in regard to the issues raised here in regard

to the bicycle mode.

Carmelizing--a new way of thinking about an ancient cooking practice.

         Tony

From:    TONY Redington <tonyrvt99@GMAIL.COM>

Subject: Re: CARMELIZING YOUR TOWN, CITY, METRO, STATE

Hi Michael and Phil:

Great new definition.  Am revising the approach a little bit to address it to only the walking mode for a blog post. Too much explanation needed for the bicycle mode.  In preparing a blog realized Vail, CO as a town (among

others) which use roundabouts to avoid a first signal--and the 1995 Manchester Center, VT as the first full "Carmelizatiion" plan, replacing  all busy existing about eight signed/signaled intersections with roundabouts.  Manchester promoted as "Fifth Avenue of the Mountains" and some call "Gucci Gulch" has as one can guess lot of very upscale shopping.

 The first Vermont mini is under construction there right now and second also under construction, a regular one laner changing  signed "dysfunction junction" to what local officials tout as in its coming roundabout form as "function junction."

Folks supporting roundabouts have been called a lot worse than "nutty!"

   Tony

From:    Rock <Rmiller49@SOCAL.RR.COM>

Subject: Re: CARMELIZING YOUR TOWN, CITY, METRO, STATE

Beware of confusion. Here in Calif, Caramelization already has a meaning to city planners. It's the process whereby all downtown service businesses are pushed out by tourist businesses that provide few services to residents.  Carmel CA is the ultimate case history.  But it could benefit from roundabouts in the commercial area and elsewhere.

(Hate to admit but I did look for all the roundabouts that I heard had been built there, not too many years ago.)

Rock Miller

Orange CA

From:    TONY Redington <tonyrvt99@GMAIL.COM>

Subject: Re: CARMELIZING YOUR TOWN, CITY, METRO, STATE

Rock:

Interesting point--did a search to find the meaning, presumably Mt. Carmel which overlooks Haifa and site of some biblical events.  Carmel means "park" or "fertile ground" so the Carmel, IN association seems to fit nicely.

Maybe this new reference will help reduce the unfavorable reference for the California community among within state planning circles.

      Tony

Tony,

The word Carmel (Hebrew language: ëÇÌøÀîÆì) is portmanteau meaning "God's vineyard".

I wanted to correct your definition of Carmel. Cerem in Hebrew is vineyard.

Dan

Dan Solomon M. Eng., P. Eng.

Project Engineer

Planning and Design

MTO Eastern Region

Tel: (613) 545-4662

Fax:(613) 540-5106

E-mail: Dan.Solomon@Ontario.ca