NRA says safety improved at ‘tricky’ roundabout
Delroy Myles of the NRA Signs and Lines Department near the Butterfield Roundabout
(CNS): Officials from the National Roads Authority (NRA) have said that things are running more smoothly at the Butterfield Roundabout by A.L. Thompson’s Home Depot in George Town after the agency installed new signs and road markings. The authority claimed that a few weeks after the safety measures were implemented, feedback via calls and the NRA Facebook page from local drivers suggested “easier manoeuvring of the sometimes-tricky intersection”, with drivers adhering to the signs and markings.
According to a press release from the NRA, this junction is the busiest roundabout on Grand Cayman and has the most diverse traffic composition – from cars and trucks to cyclists and pedestrians.
Delroy Myles from the NRA’s Signs and Lines Department said that this is a pilot project and the results, based on feedback received as well as NRA monitoring, would be modified for use on other roundabouts island-wide. He said the enhancements included signs that show drivers which lane they should be in as they approach the roundabout depending on where they want to go.
“Our NRA staff worked evenings and weekends on this project in order to minimise traffic disruptions,” Myles said. “However, safe and productive use of this vital infrastructure is dependent on road-users being sensible, responsible and considerate.”
The signs are placed at 300- and 200-yard spots approaching the roundabout, at which time drivers should get into their correct lanes. At 100-yards away, drivers are instructed to remain in the lane they are in, and indicate the direction they will go.
Road-users with feedback or suggestions can call the NRA at 946-7780, email nra@nra.ky, visit its website, or visit the NRA Facebook page.
Category: Local News
The main issue is at the root of driving, learning to drive. It’s too easy to pass your test here, the instructors are not thorough enough they are not trained regularly enough. I know of many young drivers who pass their test in 2 weeks of practice (around 50 hours of actual driving) buy a brand new car, think they are Louis Hamilton and total their cars within months of passing their test and even worst injure/kill innocent people. Too many people are addicted to using their phones while driving, literally you can wait 10 mins before texting back to a friend why do it while driving!! The island has some of the worst driving I have EVER seen and Ive been to places like Mexico and India! I have to agree with a lot of the other comments on here about Taxi drivers they are dangerous and careless drives. Implement a better learning procedure and I suggest also an hazard perception test. For such a small Island I have witnessed so many crashes and deaths on these roads. It’s sad. One last think… cars have indicators for a reason, INDICATORS are YOUR FRIEND!!
The idiotic design of roads and junctions combined with poor road surfaces, poor signage, un-roadworthy cars, ridiculously bad drivers (especially bus, taxi, and service vehicles especially in the morning hours); the lack of police presence to clamp down on blatant cell phone usage and speeding creates a perfect storm for deaths on Cayman Roads.
If you don’t like the roundabouts – Don’t be a cry baby – Learn and follow the rules of the road or Walk
Bwaaaa…but I don’t like roundabouts. We don’t have them in the states and we invented the car!
That’s not true, some states Do have them just under a different name!
Karl Benz invented the first motor vehicle in 1886. In 1908 Ford introduced the Model T, the first mass produced motor vehicle for the masses. The United States does have roundabouts – in fact over 5,000 roundabouts have been built in the USA since 1990. Just Say’in
Roundabouts are a blessing and certainly FAR BETTER than all the traffic lights as they use in the States!
Saw another bad accident there yesterday —back to the drawing board!
Yes by all means do what you think you can to improve the safety of the roundabouts. But until the free-for-all that driving in Cayman has become is brought under control through higher standards, better training and most of all actual enforcement of the laws, you are putting lipstick on a pig.
I use the roundabout every day and am still seeing near misses. The lines are a good attempt to do something about the problem but its a sticking plaster. The overall driving standard in CayMan is woeful and until the test becomes more rigerous, the rules of the road are adhered to and the laws are enforced nothing will make a great deal of difference. While you are at it, teach the police how to use the roundabouts safely and STOP them stopping on roundabouts.
Is anyone else concerned that a “Signs and Lines Department” actually exists?
Creates jobs. Just wait til one of them goes on 5 years of paid leave after doing something that no one will tell us what it is.
Our visitors will love the painted arrows on the road. Come to the roundabout in the left lane, follow the arrow and turn left, in the right lane… Follow the arrow and turn right.
We need an education drive on use of the roundabouts. The first thing is — do not enter the roundabout if another car is traveling toward you from the right. That car has the right away. Next is, do not block the roundabout in peak travel times. And third is if you are exiting roundabout on the second or more exit, travel in the inside lane. This removes the possibility were u on tge outside lane of blocking or interfering with traffic on the inside lane wanting to exit.
There should be more traffic lights.
The CNB roundabout at Elgin Avenue is a disaster at evening Rush Hour. It can take 20-30 minutes to reach it and enter from Butterfield roundabout. but only 20-30 seconds to enter and have the right of way from Elgin Avenue where the CNB and Government Buildi…. Never mind.
its a proven fact that roundabouts are more efficent than lights. end of story.
10.15, only if people know how to use them properly and don’t do stupid stuff that slows everything down.
Actually that’s only true up to a point. The original poster is right that if one direction dominates due to the right of way they can become a problem, impeding rather than allowing the flow of traffic.
Super busy roundabouts in the U.K. often have traffic lights on the RB that only work during rush hour.
ONLY if you know how to use them. I’ve noticed most people here use them as a stop sign. So the person that stated they are used as a 4way stop has a point. I don’t care what nationality you are, it is NOT a 4 way stop.
Actually, that’s not a proven fact. A fair statement is that it’s generally more efficient, but when placed in certain areas like Chrissie Thomlinson roundabout and CNB aroundabout, it can create unchecked preferential treatment for the ‘right of way’ at the expense of the traffic coming from a different direction.
So like for the struggling batch coming from Butterfield to CNB roundabout, they will continue to be let out 1 per every 5 cars that come from CNB/Gov’t way. That is what I call unchecked preferential treatment that creates much more traffic in one area to ease some traffic from another.
Roundabouts are great transportation system enchacement tools, but like any tool, if used the wrong way, something will suffer. This is not a case for stop lights in particular
There are several other road system tools that our government has not utilized. Oh if only we could have a similar mind to Lindford Pierson back in office!
In big cities we have traffic lights on the roundabouts which operate during rush hour. This allows traffic flow to prioritized coming in and out of town.
The 4 way intersection at the Cricket Pitch and the reduction to one line just after is what’s causing the delays not the roundabout.
that is not really my point. it takes 20-30 minutes to travel 500 yards coming from ALT to enter the roundabout vs less than a minute traveling the same distance on Elgin Avenue.
It is mind boggling that people seem to have the skill to determine on sight who is “local” and who is not! I can only assume that for them, everything that is or does wrong is “local”. It would be curious to know whether those “locals” includes the Cayman status holders or if they are exempted from the negativity and only are included with the “locals” when it is for their benefit.
BTW – not all visitors drive rental cars……….
Status holders are exempt. Just thoughts I’d confirm that.
Please can the NRA explain why they have built the “mini-hill” on the new west-bound lanes on Linford Pierson?
Or the roundabout to know where in the middle of that bypass.
I was wondering this too, seems setup for accidents
I heard it is simply because that’s what the computer said to do. Why would no one think to question it!
Garbage in garbage out! I must do an FOI. LOL
Mon it’s really difficult to read signs, text and call mi peeps when mi wearing headphones and chewing gum. And mi can barely see over da dashboard wid mi seat laid back. Mi na mention mi windshield all blacked out. Mi really strugglin to be cool.
We need sobs police at the Hurkey’s roundabout. At peak hours in the morning, the rules of the road goes to hell.
Let me be clear, I dont want to see any sobbing police on any roundabout.
Well I feel like sobbing when I enter Hurleys Roundabout at around 8:30 am — enough to make you cry. Get the police out the there!
I’m trying to figure where this photo was taken near the Butterfield Round about. I see side walk and Palm trees.
Outside ALT’s coming north from the Jacques scott traffic lights, I think.
I’ve long thought about running a dashcam and recording all the ‘tricky’ roundabouts in Cayman, then posting the footage on how to indicate and navigate them. What’s missing in Cayman is a majority of drivers doing the right thing, usually people will absorb and copy the correct procedure from other drivers around them. With 120 nationalities driving here, a fairly new road junction (roundabouts haven’t been here for ever) and no real understanding of ‘what’s right’, surely it’s better to have one source and show people how, maybe facebook, or the NRA’s website. Even visitors unfamiliar with the junctions could learn before getting here. A visual image is pretty clear and might appeal to those that don’t follow the written word too well, it’s also accessible to anyone with a phone.
is this supposed to be a Jamaican accent or?? lol
JUst another Quango.
So still doesn’t solve the main problem on that roundabout which is the exit toward Eastern Avenue. ..you can’t squeeze two lane exit into one lane so you still end up with people crossing the outer lane
I agree. Hopefully, the NRA figures this out quickly and adjust the signs accordingly. Putting up signs that are wrong is only going to make matters worse not better.
There is exactly the same issue on the Century 21 roundabout coming from West Bay toward Camana Bay. There are two lanes on the north side of the roundabout but only one on the south side yet many people still turn left from the right lane and then get upset when people who know how to drive do not let them in to traffic before they run out of road.
Except according to the traffic regulations people entering the roundabout in the right lane are perfectly entitled to exit on the opposite side – the signs are an accurate reflection of the law. The right lane has to give way to the left when merging into the single lane – just as it does at the Butterfield roundabout going North on the ETH – but there is nothing illegal about it. And by not allowing them to merge you cause the right hand lane to back up into the roundabout, thereby stopping people who want to turn right from being able to exit. Have a little commonsense and courtesy instead of trying to save yourself one whole cars length of time.
The merger of two lanes into one going north is too much for a nation with such awful roundabout etiquette. There have been some terrible accidents at that point and nothing has been done to make it safer.
Wait till they open up the third lane on the red bay roundabout lol. Got my beach chair and camera ready.
Not tricky if everyone obeys rules of roundabouts 101. Trick lies with with the courts if someone ploughs into your or cuts you off since some cops don’t even understand or obey rules.
As a tourist who is very familiar with round a bouts ( we have rotaries) , I find the biggest problem in GC are the signs telling me where I am headed are too small at some locations (i,e. West Bay, Rum point etc). I may have to drive twice around before noting the sign.
That roundabout is defective. 1 max speed is 22.5 to negotiate the round about
The Not Road Authority spend over half a million in early 2016 late 2015 and still did not fix the Godfrey Nixon Exit which still means to lanes exit into one. Great job NRA. that is the number one cause of accidents on that round about. please let change them along with these politician who now create a builders law which created a Trade Union that you must now join and pay $1500 annually to get license to get work and inspections from the planning
There’s only one thing that’s tricky about a roundabout, that’s the idiots that refuse to learn how to use them correctly.
you need to be able to read!!!!!
I have tried, but it befuddles me. It’s as difficult to learn as that damnable game of British Baseball.
but I could jump one or two cars ahead if I ignore everyone else on the road and that usually makes my day!
Locals will still use them as a 4 way stop. There is NO stop sign people!!!!!
Pay attention to who has the right of way. (You do not have right of way just because it’s your island lol!)
What a stupid comment! I guess by peeping out from your car you can determine who is “local” and who is not……………….
Pretty much! After 35 years I’d hope so. LOL
there are more expats than “locals” here try again lol
Local doesn’t mean Caymanian – it means some one who lives here versus a tourist. Get the chip off your shoulder and the beam out of your eye.
You are an idiot – plain and simple!
The lines on the road also need to change. Coming south from the ETH it looks like two lanes turn left. Obviously they do not but the lines sure make it look that way.
They could also use some signs that say “Use turn signals”.
“Amen” to the use turn signals comment.
I yotally agree 4.30 pm!! There should be signs all over the Island saying “Use your turn signals ” and one for cyclists saying ‘if you can read this sign..you’re on the wrong side of the road’
Oops …I meant totally not yotally…hope I read the signs at the roundabout a bit better!
nothing “tricky” about the roundabouts people just don’t know how to rass drive.
Putting signs up is just going to confuse these people even more than they already are when negotiating 2 lanes.
So NRA pads itself on the back. What else is new?
There is nothing ‘tricky’ about it… learn your highway code and get proper driver training and anyone can navigate a roundabout safely. Problem is the bench is set so low that even fundamental driving skills are only just above that of a three year old on a tricycle! It is shocking the amount of near misses and accidents I have witnessed on Cayman’s roundabouts. The use of indicators or turn signals is virtually nonexistent. When approaching a round about the left lane is for left turn and straight over – the right lane is for straight over and right. Simple. ALWAYS use your indicators / turn signals to inform other road users of your intentions. Safe Driving Cayman.
Way to ignore human nature.
Break it down even simpler a lot of roundabouts here don’t have a full two lanes off them so use the left hand lane for left turn and straight over. Only use the right hand lane for right turns.
That’s great but as for drivers indicating the direction they will go ….I won’t hold my breath on that one..95% don’t have a clue where their indicator switch is let alone knowing to indicate first THEN apply their brakes or make a turn….
Roundabouts… the worst thing that ever happened to Cayman’s roads!
Jamaican and Caymanian drivers……..the worst things that ever happened to Cayman’s roads!
As an American, I would like to be included with the Jamaicans and Caymanians on that list.
Don’t include Brits, we invented this sh*t. However, in the absence of effective policing I notice that even some of my countrymen and women believe the rules no longer apply to them. Pathetic bunch, its you that make the problems…
Funny comment! But you can’t because you are likely to busy working out how to turn your wipers off while reading a map and looking at the crap signs coming out the airport directing you to SMB!
If you like spending your life waiting for the lights to turn green go back to ‘Merica.
I can not go back to America. They made me leave because I didn’t have papers.
As they should!
I can think of a few worse things. How about the entitlement culture, the government being a quasi welfare system, nepotism, failure to sack under performing government workers, politicians who court on the one hand expat money but spread hate about the very expats who have made this island viable. Its election season time again which equates to thanks giving since many households will benefit from turkey deliveries. Sigh!
I hope they didn’t use bigly words to describe how to use those roundy bouty things. I don’t do bigly words. And why are you all driving on the wrong side of the road over here, you guys nuts or something?
No matter how many sign and road-markings there are you will still get drivers from the left lane trying to go right around the roundabout.
But it’s worth trying.
They might stop if the police gave them a ticket every time. But I’ve seen the police doing it to so I won’t hold my breath.
Hmmm, judging from the photograph the sign behind the NRA employee doesn’t do anything to alleviate confusion. That sign itself is confusing for anyone who doesn’t understand roundabouts. But what’s new? NRA is one of the main public agencies which has to do something at least twice to get it right!
Any driver who cannot understand the signs that have been put in place, especially the pointers (arrows)
on the road itself, simply should not be driving!
I understand them, but I choose to ignore them.
I don’t understand the new signs. Do I have to swerve before or after turning like the sign shows?