Skepticism on Highway 30 roundabouts reigns at public hearing

Skepticism about roundabouts reigned Monday night at a Mount Vernon City Council public hearing about options to install them at two Highway 30 intersections in the city.

The city is considering whether to use a roundabout or traffic signals to replace a four-way stop at the intersection of Highway 30 and Highway 1, and whether to install a roundabout at the intersection of 10th Avenue and Highway 30. The former intersection becomes congested at peak traffic hours, while many motorists avoid using the 10th Avenue intersection to enter Highway 30 due to safety concerns.

Roundabouts are uncommon on Iowa's state highways, and many of the roughly 15 speakers at the hearing questioned whether they would live up to the claims made by the Iowa Department of Transportation and an engineering consultant.

“There were a lot of questions about, “Will they really do what we anticipate them to do?” Mayor Paul Tuerler said Tuesday. He said the public was “skeptical,” but not all were adamantly opposed.

The negative tone toward roundabouts contrasted with e-mails and other correspondences the city had received prior to the public hearing that were overwhelmingly positive, City Administrator Michael Beimer said.

“We got a lot of good feedback last night from the public,” Beimer said.

One new issue that the city will look at more closely is how roundabouts would affect the “separation distance” or gaps between vehicles on Highway 30. Beimer said concerns were raised about whether the gaps would be large enough during peak hours to permit vehicles to cross the highway at Country Club Road, and also for turning into businesses along Highway 30.

The city council will be gathering more information on the separation distance issues to use in its deliberations, Beimer said.

The chief alternative to roundabouts is installing traffic signals at the intersection of Highway 30 and Highway 1, and making minor improvements to the intersection of Highway 30 and 10th Avenue. All of the three main options provided by Shive-Hattery Inc. call for adding a center turn lane on Highway 30. Costs of the options would vary from more than $3 million to less than $5 million.

Tuerler said it was clear from input at the public hearing that many residents aren't aware of some of the city's limitations with regard to Highway 30. He said many speakers want the city to further reduce the speed limit on Highway 30, but the speed limit is controlled by the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Another widespread misconception is that constructing roundabouts would be more costly than installing traffic signals, Tuerler said.

Roundabouts would less expensive when considering the city's access to $884,000 in state Clean Air Attainment grants that would be applicable only to the roundabouts, but not the traffic signals, and when considering long-term operating costs, Tuerler said.

Further discussion on the Highway 30 project is planned at the Mount Vernon City Council's meeting on Feb. 7, Tuerler said, although no decisions are expected. He said the council is unlikely to act until its Feb. 21 meeting.