PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Roundabouts emerged as a big issue at our WPTV's recent Let's Hear It community meet-up in Port St. Lucie at Tradition Square.
These meetups help WPTV anchors and reporters meet face-to-face with viewers and seek solutions together.
WATCH BELOW: Port St. Lucie drivers sound off on roudabout concerns
Roundabouts placed at intersections result in 82% fewer crashes that result in fatalities and injuries, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. The agency said this is when comparing intersections with stop signs or traffic lights.
However, at the Let's Hear It meetup, more than one resident had concerns about roundabouts.
WPTV morning anchor Mike Trim went digging for answers about this issue.
Trim spoke with Judy Stallone about her crash in a roundabout in Port St. Lucie.
"I was in the right-hand lane, getting ready to get off at the second exit," Stallone said. "The lady came around and came in front of me, and I hit her. So I had an accident and I don't want that to happen with anyone else. I think if they put the dividers up like at one of the roundabouts, I think that would help."
Trim researched and found that according to the city of Port St. Lucie website, there are 20 roundabouts in the city, and six more are in the works.
Click here or download the document below to view a map of the roundabout locations and proposals:
Stallone thinks control devices or land dividers, as she calls them, could add more safety.
Trim checked and those types of safety measures are used at the roundabout located at Community Boulevard and Tradition Parkway.
The Port St. Lucie city communications manager is checking and getting back to Trim to see if these types of measures will be used in proposed city roundabouts.
Stallone wasn't the only viewer who brought up roundabouts at our Let's Hear It meetup in Tradition.
WPTV anchor Ashley Glass also spoke with Gerald Freedman regarding the roundabouts.
Freedman said he's lived in Tradition for three years.
"We have roundabouts here, and sometimes they aren't a good thing," Freedman said. "They need to be traffic lights instead of roundabouts because I see where a lot of times people almost get into accidents because of the roundabouts."
