Commentary; Posted: 6/7/06
Change plan for 4th St. roundabout
Dale Swanson
Guest Columnist
The May 16 open house on the W. Broadway Ave. roundabouts was every bit as informative as reported.
This for me was largely owing to the complete candor and honesty of Washington County Transportation Manager Sandy Cullen who confirmed all of my assumed reasons as true for opposing a 4th Street roundabout. To summarize her remarks:
(1) There is no safety evidence to support a 4th Street roundabout replacing the recently installed stoplight. Safety evidence supports change only at intersections closer to I-35.
(2) There is no evidence of a need to ìmove traffic fasterî through the 4th Street intersection as there is for those closer to I-35.
(3) The 4th Street intersection being devoid of safety and traffic movement problems is otherwise performing so well that the Washington County proposals for Broadway urged it remain as it is with stoplights.
(4) City officials ignored that recommendation and called for a 4th Street roundabout to coincide with their desire to plant grass down the middle of Broadway Avenue and substantially damage the access rights of affected property owners without condemnation and payment of just compensation.
There likewise is no safety evidence to support the Lake Street (US-61) roundabout, although this is justified as an alternative to the eventual addition of a traffic lane in order to efficiently move traffic through the intersection.
Next time downtown, look south from Lake and Broadway and note the considerable space available for taking and use as traffic lanes. Then look north and note the only problem exists for the one block of downtown businesses whose buildings have virtually no setback from Lake Street.
On the other hand, two lanes of Lake Street are now restricted to parking and would be available for additional traffic lanes. \ One more reason for the municipal parking ramp, which should have been constructed 10 years ago.
Candor and honesty are rare commodities among government officials, and I hope these seeds will germinate and the city will withdraw its plans for the unnecessary 4th Street roundabout, the unnecessary and unwanted garden down the middle of Broadway and reconsider the relative costs and benefits of protecting poorly located public parking for one block of business residents at a substantial cost to the entire community and continued refusal to develop a cogent plan for downtown parking.
Writer Dale Swanson is a private practice attorney. His office is located at 4th St. and W. Broadway Ave.
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