RSS Feeds: Traffic Circles of Olongapo
The city of Olongapo has two traffic circles. One is on Rizal Avenue and is used instead of a four-way intersection, probably due to the heavy traffic in the Olongapo City Public Market area. The other forms a "Y" intersection, with one direction continuing on Rizal Avenue and the other continuing to Magsaysay Drive. Both lead to gates for the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Ulo Ng Apo
The main traffic circle on Rizal Avenue has a statue of "Ulo Ng Apo", from which the name of the city is derived from. A popular legend has it that the "head of the chief" (or elder) was found on a bamboo pole after the wise old man disappeared. [I was going to say found missing but that's an oxymoron if ever I saw one.]
According to the legend, that is how the city got its name. Anyway, the head now acts as a symbol of the unity for the people of Olongapo.
The Other Traffic Circle
I don't know what the statues at the other traffic circle are supposed to represent. I've asked, but I never get a straight answer. A bilas of mine calls the central part of the traffic circle a rotunda, but it doesn't meet that definition. It also doesn't meet the definition of a roundabout because traffic already in the circle does not have the right of way.
Earlier in the year, I was trying to find the Bureau of Immigration office in Olongapo — I couldn't remember where it was. I asked my bilas (sister-in-law's husband) where it was. He lives on Gordon Avenue and he pointed and told me it was on the opposite side of the "rotunda". I knew what he meant even though it was the wrong word for the traffic circle. He's not the only one, apparently, because I've talked to other people and they call it the same thing.
The Philippines has the third largest population of English-speaking people in the world, after the US and UK (and more than Canada), but English is their second language (regardless of their first language) and it isn't perfect. If they want to call a traffic circle a rotunda, let them. Perhaps an architect might take offense, but I won't.
By the way, if you want to see some excellent pictures of Olongapo (including both traffic circles), just visit an Olongapo City page of pictures. [Olongapo is misspelled in two places on the page, which I found amusing.]
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They aren't the only ones having problems with what to call them. Every place in the US has a different name for them from Rotary, Round About, Traffic Circle and others I can't think of right now.
Round about is another term. Yep, we all know what they are even if we don't call them the right thing.
Have a terrific day. :)
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Thanks for the including the link to the Olongapo City website.
BTW, a sign that warns drivers of the traffic circle by my house in the U.S. calls it a "Circular Ancillary Intersection." I'm not sure there's a more long-winded term for a "traffic circle" on a sign anywhere. I'd prefer"rotunda."
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I guess that I won't argue, since The Philippines has more English speakers than my country (the one that Europe likes to hate right now). The nearby "city" of Fredericton had tried little traffic circles to control traffic at "T" intersections in residential areas. All that did was to help get the snow plows wedged against the curb if they didn't approach them correctly. They removed them once the spring came. In the neighboring town, Oromocto, the two traffic circles they have put in work incredibly well.
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Of course they've got more than Canada – they'll all French! ;) Still pushing the attempt to rank for 'the philippines'? – I'll send you a backlink.
It's pretty refreshing to see any city taking pride in their roots – some lunatics proposed putting crappy pieces of modern art on one of the plinths at the base of Nelson's Column!
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They are actually building one of those horrible things down the street from me, its a busy intersection in the morning so it should be very interesting to see if it helps. I really dont think it does, people get too nervous on them.
well what can I say about it. Is this post is just for arguments or any positive thing comes out from it?