Moraga Public Works Director Edric Kwan convinced the Moraga Town Council to approve a study to build two roundabouts on St. Mary's Road.
One will be at the crossing at Rheem Boulevard and one at the crossing with Bollinger Canyon Road. The study will consider the two intersections together and will determine what the best safety mechanisms would be for those intersections. With Saint Mary's College looking to add a roundabout on the same road at the college entrance, there could be three roundabouts in a row on St. Mary's Road.
The project was first met by some resistance from two of the five council members, Teresa Onoda and David Trotter. Onoda said that the town had other priorities when it comes to traffic calming, such as safe routes to school, and Trotter said he doubted that a roundabout located in a curved sloped area - the Bollinger crossing - could ever be safe.
Kwan responded to Onoda that the town would never have the money to build these traffic calming systems, but that if the study was done and the projects shovel-ready, the chance of getting grants was very high and would not impact other projects.
The representative from Kimley-Horn Engineering Services explained that the study the council was asked to approve would start with an objective analysis rating what he called alternative intersection control mechanisms, such as stop signs, traffic lights and roundabouts, and rate them according to cost and effectiveness in improving safety. He briefly talked about a system called a mini-roundabout for narrow intersections, which large vehicles can get over but still slows down most cars.
The design and preliminary engineering contract was approved by all the councilmembers except Trotter.
One will be at the crossing at Rheem Boulevard and one at the crossing with Bollinger Canyon Road. The study will consider the two intersections together and will determine what the best safety mechanisms would be for those intersections. With Saint Mary's College looking to add a roundabout on the same road at the college entrance, there could be three roundabouts in a row on St. Mary's Road.
The project was first met by some resistance from two of the five council members, Teresa Onoda and David Trotter. Onoda said that the town had other priorities when it comes to traffic calming, such as safe routes to school, and Trotter said he doubted that a roundabout located in a curved sloped area - the Bollinger crossing - could ever be safe.
Kwan responded to Onoda that the town would never have the money to build these traffic calming systems, but that if the study was done and the projects shovel-ready, the chance of getting grants was very high and would not impact other projects.
The representative from Kimley-Horn Engineering Services explained that the study the council was asked to approve would start with an objective analysis rating what he called alternative intersection control mechanisms, such as stop signs, traffic lights and roundabouts, and rate them according to cost and effectiveness in improving safety. He briefly talked about a system called a mini-roundabout for narrow intersections, which large vehicles can get over but still slows down most cars.
The design and preliminary engineering contract was approved by all the councilmembers except Trotter.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA