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Basil

Basil

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Boss
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For as long as we have lived out here east of Albuquerque, there has been an intersection that people have continually grumbled about. This intersection is NM333 (aka RT66) and NM 217/Mountain Valley Rd. It has become notorious for accidents, and lots of injuries. Thankfully no deaths (yet). The main east-west road, RT66 is a throughway while the north / south road has stop signs. The issue is and always has been that people take chances at that stop sign and either don't see traffic on RT66 or they see it and try to beat it and end up running the stop sign. After having had several near misses myself, and having seen several bad accidents at that intersection in recent years, I finally decided to stop complaining and try to do something about it.

I started an online petition for our neighborhood (change dot org) and we garnered close to 1500 signatures from area residents who want to see something done at that intersection. The petition did not specify what should be done - we suggested either a stop light, better design or maybe a roundabout. I provided the results of the petition to several local and state politicians and, to my (and many others) delight, they actually jumped on board and identified funding to do an engineering study and we just learned that the NM DOT is going to improve this intersection with the leading contender for improvement, based on their study, being a roundabout. It's nice to know that sometimes, if you push for change in the right way, change can happen.

NM 333/217 Intersection Improvement Project - CN A312290 - NMDOT

www.dot.nm.gov www.dot.nm.gov
 
In recent years, the nearby city of Carmel, Indiana has embraced roundabouts. They have installed over 150. I like them, although they are much smaller than the ones that I learned to drive on - Thompson and Carrier circles in Syracuse, New York.
 
We have gotten a number of roundabouts in our area of the Lehigh Valley in PA. Some of the drivers still have no idea the rules of these circles, but for the most part the traffic flow has improved. Great job Boss on getting the ball rolling.
 
Brooklands said:
We have gotten a number of roundabouts in our area of the Lehigh Valley in PA. Some of the drivers still have no idea the rules of these circles, but for the most part the traffic flow has improved. Great job Boss on getting the ball rolling.
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I did some research before starting th petition and found that in a recent 5 year period there had been 32 accidents at that intersection with nearly half involving injuries. I figured as more and more people move out to the east mountains, that number was only going to increase.
 
I am *really* interested in this.

How did people know you had started the change dot org petition?

Thanks.
Tom M.
 
NutmegCT said:
I am *really* interested in this.

How did people know you had started the change dot org petition?

Thanks.
Tom M.
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There had been a lot of discussion about that intersection on the Nextdoor app. People that live in my area had long been complaining about that intersection and it seemed like every other week we were discussing another accident having happened at that intersection.
I was hearing a lot of complaining about that intersection and just decided why not try to do something about it?
When I started the petition on change.org I advertised it and posted the link more than once on my Nextdoor group. I also posted it on Facebook in a group associated with my neighborhood.
Of course we ask people that if they new other neighbors or friends in the area to please forward the petition to them.
It’s actually been discussed now on our local news station where a lot of people are chiming in about 90% approving of the idea and maybe 10% of the people complaining about the idea of a roundabout. Of course, I don’t know how much those complainers actually use their intersection, but nevertheless, they are entitled to their opinions.
 
Our city installed a roundabout a couple of blocks from us as "traffic calming." At first it calmed traffic because drivers got to it and it took a while before they figured out what to do. Now that they have, it seems to become a race to see if they can beat the other guy.
 
The street I live on is 1-1/2 blocks long & dead ends.Right next to
our driveway is a sign that says "SPEED LIMIT 25 MPH",so people think
that they HAVE to drive at least 25 up & down it.It's in a residential neighborhood.
I thought about getting a petition to have it removed,but the people that
I'd need to sign it are the worst offenders.
 
In a facebook group there has been a LOT of passionate discussion. Most people are in favor of the idea of a roundabout, but there are a vocal few who are adamant about not "punishing good drivers" with a roundabout (not sure how that's punishing anyone, but oh well). There are also concerns about "what happens when I-40 is shut down and traffic is diverted due to accidents for example, how will Semi trucks get through a roundabout (some people seem to think that trucks can't navigate roundabouts. This was my reply to this discussion:

Thanks to everyone who signed the petition to improve safety at NM333/NM217 — an intersection that has generated complaints for years.
According to DOT data, between 2018 and 2023 there were 32 crashes and over a dozen injuries at that intersection. Since 2023, there have been additional accidents, and I’ve personally experienced more close calls there than I can count. (shout out to Jeff McCulloch for researching the NM DOT accident data)
The petition gathered nearly 1,500 signatures from local residents. Importantly, it did not advocate for a specific solution — only that something be done to improve safety.
After conducting an engineering study, DOT determined that a roundabout would be the preferred solution. I understand some people may be hesitant about that idea. Personally, I would support either a traffic light or a roundabout — as long as it’s the safest and most effective solution for our community.
For those interested, here’s a summary of what I found when researching rural traffic lights vs. roundabouts:
🚦
Traffic Light
Pros
• Clearly controls right-of-way
• Familiar to most drivers
• Works well at very high traffic volumes (ours appears moderate)
Concerns
• Red-light running is common at high-speed rural intersections
• Severe right-angle (“T-bone”) crashes can still occur
• Requires electricity and ongoing maintenance
• Higher long-term operating costs
🔄
Roundabout
Pros
• Physically forces drivers to slow down
• Converts severe 90° crashes into lower-speed impacts
• No electricity required
• Handles uneven traffic flow well
• Continuous movement (less idling)
Concerns
• Higher upfront construction cost
• May require additional land
• Learning curve for drivers unfamiliar with roundabouts
• Must be properly designed to accommodate large trucks and farm equipment
I’ve seen concerns about trucks navigating roundabouts — especially during I-40 closures when traffic is diverted. Modern roundabouts are typically designed with a truck apron, which allows large trucks and semis to safely pass through. The key is proper design.
Here’s a short video explaining how truck aprons work:
https://youtu.be/jlUDrP1-dVc?si=kTz-F2J27zso1gob
For comparison, Sedona, where we vacation often, has several roundabouts that handle regular truck traffic without issue.
Studies from the Federal Highway Administration and multiple state DOTs consistently show that modern roundabouts reduce injury crashes by roughly 70–80% and fatal crashes by up to 90%, primarily because they eliminate high-speed right-angle collisions.
Whether you prefer a traffic light or a roundabout, my goal isn’t to push a particular outcome — it’s to share factual information so we can all make informed decisions. I encourage everyone to review the DOT project page and complete the survey. They’ve also indicated there will be a public meeting in March.
Project page:
https://www.dot.nm.gov/event/nm333-217-event/
Our shared goal is simple — fewer crashes and safer travel for everyone.
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Around here the DOT has screwed up the meaning of a roundabout. It is a 4 way stop with a big mound of concrete in the middle. I hope you don't get one of those. It's a 4 way stop that costs 10x more.
 
GregW said:
Around here the DOT has screwed up the meaning of a roundabout. It is a 4 way stop with a big mound of concrete in the middle. I hope you don't get one of those. It's a 4 way stop that costs 10x more.
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I hope no either. Hopefully they will design it properly with a truck apron.
 
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