Feasibility Study For Proposed Roundabout Released; Village Says Community Input Is ‘Encouraged But Not Too Much’
108-Page Report Includes Mockups, Altitudes, and Aerial Photos of Traffic Cones
HOBART, OHIO – The long-awaited feasibility study for Hobart’s proposed Route 3 roundabout has been released, providing residents with an exhaustive, multi-layered examination of what Public Works calls “the theoretical possibility of going in a circle one time.”
The 108-page document includes:
- 17 full-color diagrams of potential roundabout shapes, including “classic circle,” “soft oval,” “spiral with ambition,” and “the bean.”
- A complete soil density analysis, despite the project being on pavement.
- Angles of sunlight the roundabout would receive in each season.
- Five pages of cone placement strategies, illustrated with drone footage.
- Artist renderings showing how the roundabout might look during rain, fog, light snow, heavy snow, Halloween, and the week after Halloween.
The study also contains a 14-paragraph section titled Philosophical Considerations, which asks residents to reflect on the “meaning of traffic,” the “digestive nature of modern road networks,” and whether drivers “feel emotionally ready to yield.”
Public Works Director Corinne Leach stressed that the study is “only the beginning of a multi-year conversation.”
“Next, we’ll begin Phase Two: studying the feasibility of the feasibility study. Phase Three will focus on whether Hobart is spiritually prepared.”
Community feedback is welcome at a future open house, date TBD pending “the social ripples caused by the findings.”
Residents are encouraged to read the study in full, though the PDF’s 600 MB filesize has caused several home routers to reboot. Please be patient we add the link to the file in this article.
When asked if the Village actually intends to build the roundabout, Leach responded, “One step at a time. This is a generational project.”
I ain’t reading 114 pages to be told I gotta drive in a circle. Last time we tried this somebody hit the decorative planter before it was installed.
I for one think a roundabout would be beautiful. Maybe with a nice angel statue or a fountain. Something calming for the soul.
If you’re going to take land near the Post Office AGAIN you better leave our mailboxes alone this time. I just put up my Christmas flag and it’s staying.
I love your Christmas flag, Brenda.
Please don’t yell again.
Read the lines. Not between them. IN them. Page 47 has coordinates that don’t match any public easement. Ask yourself WHY.
Russell, buddy, you’ve been staring at that map for too long. Coordinates don’t mean anything unless you’re a crow.
Look again at 47b… measure the angle. Then ask why the Village wants FLOW PATTERNS..
I swear if this mess blocks High School pickups, I am marching straight into Village Hall WITH MY OWN STUDY.
Has anyone considered a traffic calming garden? I can donate a couple of hostas and a wind chime.
Utilities was not consulted. Utilities should have been consulted.
Which way do you even turn? I’m serious. I need drawings
IF YOU THINK THIS ROUNDABOUT IS ABOUT TRAFFIC YOUR LIVING IN A DREAM THIS IS PHASE 2 OF THE CIRCLE PROJECT
Hollis, you said phase one was the gazebo…
AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT GAZEBO
If they want to raise money for this, maybe they should start by buying raffle tickets. I’ve still got plenty left from the Fire Department drive.
Nadine, this is not the time.
You can’t just throw a circle into traffic and call it “safety”… I’ll have you know I’m still dizzy from the one in Concordia.
That’s because you keep driving through it backwards, Lorraine.
CIRCLES ARE SYMBOLS… YOU CLOSE THE LOOP AND YOU CLOSE THE SOUL
He’s not wrong, that’s exactly what they’re doing under the Library.
THE HUM RETURNS
If they do insist on this, please let me plant at least one tree in the center. Preferably something with history, like a sycamore or a small statue of a scholar.
Last time you planted something on public property, Alma, we had to call Utilities because it was growing into a cable vault.
I’ll chain myself to that mailbox before I let them move it again !!
Brenda, please don’t start chaining things again.
I say we build it and make it NASCAR themed. Sponsor banners, maybe a concession stand in the middle. Bring in some tourism.
Can we drift around it?
When I was a girl we didn’t need “roundabouts” we had respect and one intersection, and we took turns like Christians.
RESPECT IS DEAD THE CIRCLE IS ETERNAL
If anyone hits the new planter, I’ll be the one fixing the teeth, so please, for once, don’t.
Maybe if you were a better dentist people would stop running into things.
…I’m not sure how to answer that.
theyre putting in the roundbout right where my cousins food truck parks during possum fest, you think i wont sue? watch me
You can’t sue geometry, Cabbage.
We are offended by the accusation that geometry cannot be sued. It can. We have tried.
I stand corrected.
If this delays the bake sale route one more year, I’ll pave the circle myself with pie tins.
Pie tins would reflect headlights. Safety first.
Mark my words… they’ll fill that middle island with fireworks storage and call it “public art”…
Roundabouts are fine until the first snow, then it’s demolition derby. You’ll all see.
I still think a wind chime would fix all of this.
The Village appreciates public input. However, please refrain from leaving hand-drawn roundabout diagrams in the after-hours dropbox. None of them are to scale. One was a perfect circle made with a coffee cup.
THE CUP WAS A CLUE
THE HUM GOT LOUDER WHEN I PUT PG. 4 7 IN THE MICROWAVE. THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE
Hollis, do NOT put municipal documents (or any documents) in the microwave! You’re going to end up like the Pit Stop.
I don’t care what anyone says, if they put a fountain in the middle, I’m putting my feet in it after Zumba.
Public water features are not for soaking. Especially your feet.
Then why do they call it “public”?
The Romans did it. Do as the Romans do.
This is not Rome, Alma, this is Hobart. Where have your wits gone lately?
Can someone explain why the diagram on page 72 has a dotted line going into the grass? Is that optional? Is that a suggestion?
It’s an escape route.
For what??
THINK ABOUT IT.
I really don’t want to. I just want to drive.
I don’t CARE what any of you say, I saw a possum in that proposed traffic flow map. Hidden. In the negative space. Right next to the yield sign.
This whole thing is going to end with someone launching off the east side like it’s a Hot Wheels track. I’m calling it now.
I volunteer as tribute.
As long as you miss my house, go for it.
If my Christmas flag ends up sideways because of the “wind shear from the traffic patterns” I’m sending the bill DIRECTLY to Village Hall.
Brenda, please don’t mail them any more pictures of your flag, and also your husband is on the council. Why don’t you just ask him directly?
My husband’s business is his alone. My business is with Village Hall.
Come across the bridge and build it in Guthrie, we already drive in circles for fun.
LEAVE.
LEAVE.
LEAVE
GO AWAY.
Have concerns about the roundabout’s impact on migratory toads and local ley lines? Please attend our meeting behind the bowling alley at 9pm on Dec 24th.
LET’S GOOOOO
HEAR ME OUT: What if we made the center of the roundabout a tiny dog park? For small dogs. Very small. Teacup only.
I can knit little sweaters for the center.
NOT NEAR MY MAILBOX
WHY IS NOBODY TALKING ABOUT PAGE 88
DO NOT talk about Page 88
I printed the whole study and stapled it backwards and upside-down. NOW I can finally understand it.
That’s how it’s meant to be read.
We want a tasteful, community-centric roundabout with a mural of Hobart history. Please DM us for our first potluck meeting.
not everything needs a potluck, dr marlowe
Everything does. Thank you.
How many exits is it supposed to have? Four? Five? I’m not entering a circle unless I know my escape route.
That’s what page 88 is about.
STOP MENTIONING PAGE 88
We have existed for 14 minutes and already have bylaws. Our mission: total roundabout prevention. No circles. Not now. Not ever.
Does neither group want raffle tickets?
Roundabouts are great. We have one in Leadville. Just follow the arrows.
GET OUT OF HERE, Leadville.
Go away, lead brain.
Going in circles is about the only thing you guys do right.
I have a dear friend in Leadville. When she left Hobart to be with her husband, I pleaded with her, don’t go to that place, and yet she did. We still talk daily, but my she has gotten dimmer as time has gone on, and I often don’t think it’s because she was carted off to be among the pencil sniffers.
You have very lovely pencils, but your people leave a lot to be desired. And not enough churches.
They still fix fillings with lead in them. I should know. I have to fix them. In fact, people from Leadville get 12% off all filling replacements and caps. We use the new stuff at Hobart’s only 24-hour dentistry practice.
Jesus, Martha, you really will bring it anywhere. I thought the puppy adoption event thing was the line.
I guarantee you they don’t sell ANY raffle tickets in Leadville. I at least sell em, it takes awhile, but people eventually support. The last time I tried to deal with anything Leadville Little League, it immediately gave me a migraine. Probably from all the pencil shavings.
Chad, if it’s who I think it is, you grew up in Hobart, so you’re probably the only one there who can follow arrows.
Leadville is a lawless place. I’m surprised there are arrows.
Leadville is the reason we can’t get our town’s TV transmitter past a mile radius. Or my antennas. Go away, lead loser.
LEADVILLE BAD
Maybe you should follow the arrows out of Ohio
leadville gives me bad headaches i stay away from that place
Not very friendly people over there in Leadville. I got a flower from a young man, many many years ago, he was from Leadville. It wilted and died before I even got out of the car. I was never disposed to date a man from there ever again, if you can’t even keep a flower alive for a girl until she gets home. My late husband was from Concordia, a gentle, true man, God rest his sweet soul. It’s sad they never figured out circles.
LEADVILLE HAS PLANS I’VE HEARD ALL OF THEM AND IF YOU THINK OUR VILLAGE IS UP TO SOMETHING
Get out of here with that stuff! That place is nothing but a giant speed trap! Ew!
I may originally be from WV but Hobart is my heart, and my soul. And you can take your Leadville and stick it mister! And your dubious arrows! My son is a WV state cop and I bet he’s thrown many of you Leadville types in his jail! I bet!
My brother in law is from Leadville. Our family is split during the holidays. They hang their Christmas lights backwards. We send them fruitcake. It’s a harmonious, distant and preferable relationship. I don’t really agree with their morals on things, either, and that’s fine, because we only have to see each other once a year. And I can say what I want here because they would never be caught dead reading a Hobart newspaper, let alone a book. Another reason we aren’t close with them. You’ve never read Pride and Prejudice? Great Expectations? Little Women? Jane Eyre? The Bible? The side of a cereal box? Anything? I mean c’mon. We made the mistake of getting him an autobiography of his favorite sports coach for Christmas. You would have thought we handed him the Palermo Stone.
Leadville’s library is in quite sad shape when compared to ours. And this is really not to dogpile on. But I think we can all agree that the Hobart library is quite the institution. I don’t think Leadville can match that.
I know people accuse me of being a Leadville plant, but honestly guys, who gave the goat to the fire truck drive? Who has been helping Rusty get better signal? I’ve seen what that place does with roundabouts, and I’ll be honest, I want no part of it.
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten more speeding tickets in my life, than when I’m in Leadville. You just can’t go any speed there. I think the lead just makes everything more slow. Maybe they should try graphite instead.
Leadville stinks!! Really! It has a smell to it! And there’s always wood shavings and sawdust everywhere! Who wants to live around that?
One of my old bookies was from Leadville….never could trust him.. he had shady eyes….
Leadville IS A SORE
They’ve run my food truck out of that place so many times!!! said i didn’t have permits! Hobart always lets me park and even gives me free electricity…..so thankful for this little town… so take your stinky town and keep it buddy!!! hobart can have all the food truck they could ever want!!
My sister’s current guy’s brother is from Leadville……and he’s into some stuff… honestly it’s a nice town, i like all the pencil stuff, but it does stink something bad…
I punched a guy in Leadville once… never ran harder in my life… jumped over two, maybe three cars…. that’s all i know, when you’re in Leadville….you better be running, and you better know how to jump…
Leadville is a cool place! Lots of history! Lots of pencils! But it stinks! They really need to fix that issue. And their roundabout is pretty awful. There’s a better one in Concordia, but as usual, they haven’t quite figured out circles. They have such lovely streetlights, though.
You should keep your roundabout and we will keep our Hobart!
Leadville is the reason that I can’t hear out of my left ear! After that “blasted” Pencil Parade incident. Haven’t been back since the 80’s. And I don’t plan to go back! I’ll drive your roundabout, and go right back to Hobart.
Roundabouts increase dental injuries by 12% according to a study I read somewhere. Don’t argue.
I WILL argue.
I measured the intersection with a tape measure and my boot and a prayer, and unless cars shrink, it ain’t gonna fit, people.
Gordo, did you measure in feet or “Gordo feet”?
Whichever is longer!
My husband says if they build this, he’s moving to Symmes Landing. I told him good luck navigating THAT grid.
No one “moves” to Symmes Landing, they drift there.
PUBLIC NOTICE: Please, stop reporting “strange figures” measuring the future roundabout site. Those are surveyors. Actual surveyors. Please stop approaching them.
THEY WERE GLOWING
That was reflective tape.
THE ROUNDABOUT IS A PORTAL. MARK MY WORDS. FOLLOW THE PATTERN. COUNT THE CARS.
Benny, no.
The Village appreciates public feedback, but please stop calling to ask whether the roundabout will “spin faster on weekends” and also, to address some rumors:
No, the roundabout is not haunted.
No, it does not “contain a portal.”
No, it will not spin.
No, it will not be used for roller derby practice.
Also, a reminder to you all that the roundabout isn’t built yet. It is being studied.
What about Zumba?
Well, WILL it?