Fun Fact: Twin Falls has two roundabouts

When you say the word roundabout in Twin Falls, you probably think about the circle off Fillmore over by the visitor's center, which is correct. But did you know that Twin Falls has another, little talked-about roundabout?

You might not even be aware of it but if you’ve ever eaten at Elevation 486, you’ve driven on it. Pinnacle is the road you take just off Canyon Crest Drive in order to get to Elevation. Well, Pinnacle ends in a circle, or roundabout that leads to the parking areas to the east and west of Elevation. 

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What makes this little circle at the end of Pinnacle a roundabout?

A roundabout is a type of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction. - wikipedia

When you consider the definition of a roundabout in context with the end of Pinnacle, I think you’ll be hard-pressed to arrive at any other definition. And when you look at the overhead image, it becomes crystal clear that this is a roundabout.

Prove me wrong: Everyone is doing this roundabout wrong

The thing that makes a roundabout work, is that traffic is continually moving in the same direction. The only people who need to yield are those entering the circle. (Obviously, all vehicles should be yielding to pedestrians.) The key point to proper and safe traffic flow is that everyone is moving in the same direction

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When people go to park in the west parking lot, they take a hard left and cut across traffic in the opposite direction. This is wrong. (See above.)

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What they should be doing is turning right and keeping with the flow of traffic until they come around the other side of the loop where they can exit into the west lot by turning right. (See above)

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Pretty much the same thing happens when people try to exit the east lot. They’ll cut across oncoming traffic instead of exiting to the right and following the loop around so that they can exit onto Pinnacle. 

In either case, if you’re turning left in this circle, (roundabout) you’re cutting across traffic and driving in the opposite direction. And we all know the only time you’re allowed to drive in the wrong direction is when you turned a block too late from a cross-street onto 2nd Ave on your way to 2nd South Market. I mean, sure… if nobody is coming in the other direction, right?

Who do I think I am to be qualified to tell you how to drive?

First, I am a licensed Idaho driver. I spent a solid 37 minutes cramming for my test, which is a good 13 minutes more than most of you.

And B. I have a Facebook traffic law degree. I’ve spent countless hours scrolling through driver complaints on Rants and Raves, not to mention all the time I spent researching in my early years by watching documentaries like CHIP’s, Miami Vice, and 21 Jump Street. 

Prove me wrong

As much as I’ve tried to see this the other way, I just can’t. And I realize that I’m in the minority here because I have yet to find anyone who agrees with me. Nonetheless, it’s a hill I’ve chosen to die on so feel free to comment and convince me otherwise. 

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