3-2 Alpine vote gives green light to a roundabout

ALPINE — The Alpine City Council has voted to construct a roundabout at the intersection of the Alpine Highway and Canyon Crest Road despite continuing resident concerns over pedestrian safety.

Several residents attending a city meeting last week said they believe adding a roundabout will put schoolchildren at risk as they walk to the new elementary and junior high schools on the city's west side. They say such a configuration will be confusing for children who are used to obeying traffic signal lights. City officials say the intersection's configuration is more suited to a roundabout because the north-south Alpine Highway, also known as U-74, intersects the east-west Canyon Crest Road at a slight angle. "Roundabouts work better at difficult intersections," said City Engineer Shane Sorensen. "This one is skewed. Signalization usually requires 90-degree angles to work."

The Alpine Highway currently is overly wide and slants to the east as it intersects with the new Canyon Crest Road. More than 14,000 vehicles use the intersection daily. It's bordered on one side by the Shadow Mountain business center and on another side by an LDS Church meetinghouse.

Sorensen said pedestrians crossing streets as they enter a roundabout only have to look left to see if a vehicle is approaching rather than looking in both directions.

City Administrator Ted Stillman said safety is also improved because traffic using a roundabout slows to less than 20 mph. Traffic on the Alpine Highway typically travels at 45 mph, he said.

Stillman said he recently visited Green Bay, Wis., to see first-hand how roundabouts work in school zones.

Stillman said he found only positive feedback.

"Provo, Orem, Lehi and Draper have all reported fewer accidents at their roundabouts than at their four-way stops," Stillman said. "But we don't have enough data on pedestrian safety yet."

Parents at the meeting said they prefer signals because that's what children are used to and a signal stops traffic while a roundabout only slows it.

Several said they fear children could become confused, increasing the possibility that someone could get hurt.

Others expressed concern about winter driving and how poor weather conditions might hamper using a roundabout.

"I think Wisconsin has snow, too," Stillman said. "I believe that's your answer."

Stillman said the Utah Department of Transportation — which owns the state highway — is willing to contribute $150,000 to either a roundabout or a signalized intersection. The project is expected to cost $300,000-$350,000.

Mayor Phil Barker urged the council to make a decision so design and engineering work can get started.

The council voted 3-2 to move forward on the roundabout. Dissenting Councilman Kent Hastings said he believes a traffic light would better assist north- and south-bound traffic.

Councilman Mel Clement, who also voted no, said he favors a light because it seems safer for Utahns who are accustomed to obeying signal lights.

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