Planning Commission Moves Roundabout Forward in Mixed Vote

by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino

The Planning Commission on November 19 heard a presentation by Kimley-Horn and Associates showcasing the possibility of installing a roundabout at the intersection of Periwinkle, Lindgren, and Causeway Boulevard – what islanders call the “four-way.”

Construction would take 12 to 18 months at a cost of $3 million to $5 million.

Bill Waddill, certified planner, and Ian Rairden, transportation engineer, made the presentation after having conducted two public workshops, three focus group meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, Utilities Departments, and island non-profit organizations, and one with Bill Millar, COTI President and Chair of COTI’s Transportation Committee.

They then held six Public Workshop and Stakeholder Meetings in July with about 75 attendees, and they had 1,115 respondents to a traffic survey.

“This is not a perfect solution; there probably isn’t one,” Waddill said. The roundabout question has been going on for decades, coming up once 20 years ago and again about 10 years ago. “People are tired of talking about it, it’s been going on for decades,” he added. He said these are very preliminary designs and are done in such a way that they can be easily “tweaked” in the future.

Overall traffic concerns coming from the meetings were that traffic will worsen as more business and residents return; post-Hurricane Ian volumes and vehicle types are not typical; existing bridge, cross-street traffic, and other factors contribute to long wait times along Periwinkle; concern for traffic officer safety, consistent effectiveness and ongoing cost; and traffic times directly impacting vulnerable populations (school children and seniors), business owners/employees; and general quality of life.

The Planning Commission was asked to provide a recommendation to City Council regarding the conclusions of the intersection study.

The study concluded that the only feasible options to improve the traffic situation are a traffic signal or a roundabout.

Commissioner Paul Nichols said, “I’m a big fan of the traffic officers. I think they do a great job.”

Feedback from the town hall meetings concluded other adjacent intersection improvements must be a part of a multi-faceted approach to alleviating congestion on the island. Locals have adapted to traffic and plan around peak times.

About 550 respondents completed the free-response portion of the traffic survey, which showed decreased traffic wait times was the top priority. About 10 percent of respondents mentioned the causeway as a traffic issue, and approximately 45 percent of survey respondents listed safety as their top design priority. There also was concern about the needs of island residents, not only on/off/cut-through traffic, and to improving pedestrian and bicycle safety

With approximately 1,400 “touchpoints” of feedback through various means including public meetings, survey responses, and email, results determined:

• 20 percent of 1,400 specifically mentioned roundabouts
· Of those 20 percent, two-thirds were in favor of roundabouts

• Majority consensus from the approximately 75 workshop attendees was that the proposed roundabout solution makes sense and should proceed to further design and implementation

The roundabout is designed for about 20 mph speed, and people seem concerned about “can we handle it.” Waddill insisted that drivers are getting more comfortable with roundabouts and with their safety.

“The need is there,” said Commissioner Lyman Welch. “I have been stuck in traffic leaving the island for two hours. You can’t even get to Jerry’s. It keeps you from going to restaurants because you know you’ll get stuck in traffic. Attracting and retaining people who work on the island is extremely difficult. Kids get stuck on the school buses.”

Welch felt it was essential to install proposed “metering” signs that will pause traffic when it gets backed up before allowing it to proceed into the roundabout. “We have to look at the metering lights in reference to the Sanibel Plan. Would they be allowed? I don’t think I can vote for this without the metering lights. I think they’re going to be essential.”

“The problem we’re addressing here has existed for the 55 years I’ve been living here,” said citizen and former City Council member Peter Pappas during the public comment period. “This [roundabout] will intensify the existing problems. Why doesn’t the County want anything to do with it? Because it’s not going to work. We’re going to build on the causeway a playland. There’s no better way to handle [the traffic] than a person who can see.” Pappas said the current condition, where there is one person making the decision to move cars, rather than many, many drivers independently making decisions when and where to move cars, is better. “I appreciate the aesthetics. But nothing can replace the human mind of the people working, signaling traffic to come and go. They really use their heads and keep the traffic flowing as best they can.”

City Manager Dana Souza said Lee County is generally supportive of the roundabout idea. “This is a journey that started with design,” he pointed out. “We have to look at it as a step-by-step process.”

The plan must include the County looking at two lanes off the causeway, said Commission Vice Chair Eric Pfeifer. “There’s no other way it can substantially work.”

“All we’re doing is taking a mess and moving it a few yards,” said Commissioner Colter. “Could we take a step back and work with the County first? Somebody’s going to kill somebody. It has to be the whole package.”

The Planning Commission decided to move forward with two separate motions. First, to recommend to City Council that the Commission shows support of the plan conceptually and to have City Council continue examination of the proposal. This motion passed 4-2, with Chair Roger Grogman absent. Commissioners Colter and Nicols voted “no.”

The second motion was to recommend City Council have a discussion with Lee County concerning traffic flow on the causeway to Punta Rassa with an attempt to improve traffic flow in the afternoon. This passed unanimously, with Grogman absent.