Wappingers Falls Traffic Circle Opens

The highly anticipated traffic circle opened last weekend to less than stellar reviews.

If you spend any time driving in the airport area of Wappingers Falls, you already know that the construction at the All Angels, Route 376, and New Hackensack intersection has been going on for some time now.

The intersection itself has been called the most frustrating intersection in all of the Hudson Valley. From the confusing stop lights to long waits, commuters have complained about it for years and those complaints were heard by the town. Town officials announced a while back that they would begin construction to remove lights and construct a roundabout at the intersection to improve the flow of traffic at the busy intersection.

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New Traffic Circle is Open

After months of closings, new traffic patterns, and construction, the new traffic circle opened to traffic this past weekend. The opening was met with negative reviews from many area drivers including many airing their complaints on Facebook. One driver posted,

"Who designed the 376/new Hackensack roundabout? Omg the exit from NH onto 376 is short and all angels is coming on in between. I almost got hit from a guy coming on and I was already in the roundabout heading towards 376. Extremely poor and dangerous planning."

Another said,

"This is a mess. I used it last night it’s extremely confusing and very unsafe. This will be a huge hazard. That light was a nightmare if you didn’t catch it but it was definitely safer than this."

Personally, I drive that route on a weekly basis as my kids live in the area, so when I heard the roundabout was open I was excited to drive through to see if it's been worth all the headaches...LOL! I would have to agree that the opening hasn't been the smoothest, not because of the construction, but because I don't think a lot of drivers actually know the rules when using a roundabout.

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How to Drive a Traffic Circle

After driving around the circle two times I was almost slammed into 3 times by drivers who didn't yield before they enter the circle. The rule when driving a traffic circle is simple. If you are in the circle you have the right of way, any driver trying to enter the circle is supposed to yield before they enter. If you approach the circle or are already in it and aren't sure what to do the best advice is to simply yield. If you are in the wrong, other drivers will let you know...LOL!

The Best Hudson Valley Traffic Circles

A traffic circle is a great way to direct traffic. Gone are the red lights. Instead there is a yield sign and traffic moving in unison. I have always been a fan of the traffic circle as appose to a light and intersection. I will admit though for people who aren't use to driving in them they can be pretty intimidating. You have to think of them as a revolving door for cars. Of course I know a lot of people who can't navigate a revolving door. Here are few traffic circles that I enjoy using in the Hudson Valley.

10 Most Common Traffic Violations In New York State

Traffic tickets can be annoying. Also, keep in mind that traffic tickets can carry fines and points on your driving record. Here's a look at the 10 most common traffic violations in all of New York State thanks to CDH Law PLLC.

Source: Wappingers Falls Traffic Circle Opens to Awful Reviews, Most Hate it!

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