The Sales Pitch: What They’re Not Telling You About the Drakes Creek Roundabout
The roundabout at Drakes Creek and Countryside has been marketed as a solution to traffic safety, delays, and community enhancement. But like any good sales pitch, it’s what’s left unsaid that makes the biggest difference. Here’s a closer look at the hidden flaws behind the project that the flashy claims try to distract from.
General Benefits, No Local Proof They’ve presented a lot of general statistics and benefits about roundabouts improving traffic. But here’s the catch: none of this data applies specifically to our intersection. They’ve cited studies from other areas, but where’s the detailed research for Drakes Creek and Countryside? Without traffic counts, crash data, or pedestrian studies, those glowing claims are nothing more than generic bullet points.
Bigger Isn’t Always Better At 160 feet in diameter with dual lanes, this roundabout design is massive—much larger than what’s needed for a quiet, low-traffic area like ours. What we’re seeing is over-engineering at its finest. For a dead-end street like Countryside, this oversized design is unnecessary and wastes space. A smaller roundabout would solve the same problem without taking excessive land and threatening the environment.
Ignoring State Guidelines TDOT’s own recommendations stress context-sensitive design and minimizing the impact on existing properties. Yet, here we are with a design that bulldozes right through those suggestions. This roundabout serves the developer’s vision, not the community’s reality. TDOT explicitly states that right-of-way should be minimized, yet this project does the opposite by claiming private property that isn’t needed.
Where Are the Alternatives? When was the last time you heard about other options being explored? That’s right—there haven’t been any. Speed humps, raised crosswalks, or even a smaller, more efficient roundabout design haven’t been part of the conversation. Instead, we’re stuck with this one-size-fits-all solution that doesn’t fit our needs. A warrant study and environmental impact assessment are missing, leaving a huge gap in the planning process.
What About the Flooding? Did they mention that this roundabout is being built in a floodplain? Probably not. The added hardscape from the project is going to worsen flooding, and yet, no comprehensive study has been presented. The flood risks aren’t just hypothetical—homes like mine could face increased water damage, going against FEMA’s guidelines for construction in flood-prone areas.
Questionable Community ‘Benefits’ We’ve heard promises of reduced emissions, improved traffic flow, and higher property values. But let’s get real—how do those claims hold up when traffic volume here doesn’t warrant such a massive structure? Construction will cause chaos for months, possibly years, and the long-term disruption could lower property values instead of boosting them.
Community Voices Ignored For a project that will so drastically affect the community, there’s been an alarming lack of input from the residents. The city has pushed this through with vague communication and only partial answers to the questions we’ve asked. Our concerns have been brushed aside in favor of keeping the project on track.
Conclusion: The Real Costs of This 'Improvement'
This roundabout may look good on a presentation slide, but its real-world impact tells a different story. From oversize and overkill design choices to ignored environmental risks, it’s clear that the project doesn’t serve the people it’s supposed to help. Before the city moves forward, we need transparency, alternative solutions, and answers that go beyond the sales pitch.