Roundabouts – those large, busy, circular intersections without traffic lights or stop signs – are starting to catch on in East Pierce County.
The latest comes courtesy of the City of Edgewood, which plans to start a road project this spring aimed at easing congestion on Meridian Avenue. The roughly $5.3 million project will change the intersection of Meridian and Jovita Boulevard and include a roundabout on Jovita.
It will be the first roundabout in the city of 9,400 people on the hill north of Puyallup, and one of a small but growing number east of Interstate 5.
Some West Pierce communities, such as Gig Harbor and University Place, have adopted them more comprehensively. In Thurston County, roundabouts are common traffic features in Lacey.
Edgewood City Manager Mark Bauer said the realignment project will make a difference for drivers traveling Meridian, the main thoroughfare connecting his city to the greater Puyallup area.
The affected stretch of Meridian is a busy commercial corridor between Edgewood and Milton.
“It will dramatically increase the efficiency,” Bauer said.
An open house on the project is set for Wednesday.
Down the hill in Puyallup, a roundabout by Good Samaritan Hospital opened in the last couple of years at 15th Avenue Southeast and Third Street Southeast. It’s the only roundabout in the city of 37,000.
Sanjeev Tandle, a city traffic engineer, said roundabouts can be cheaper to maintain than signals.
“In general, they are getting more popular. I think they work really well at most locations. It all depends on the location, the traffic volume, what’s close by,” he said.
Pierce County reports it hasn’t yet constructed any roundabouts in the eastern part of the county, although the unfinished Cascadia development near Bonney Lake built some.
The cities of Bonney Lake and Orting and the Town of Eatonville don’t have any. Neither does the City of Sumner, although City Administrator Diane Supler said that type of intersection might be a possibility for the planned mixed-used Orton Junction development south of Sumner.
Edgewood and Milton secured about $4.1 million from the state for the road project near Meridian.
Edgewood also is contributing about $1 million, and Milton paid for work at an intersection off Meridian and is contributing some engineering funds, Bauer said.
The traffic signal at Meridian and Jovita, a major arterial, will go away. It’s located only about 340 feet north of a signal at Meridian and Eighth Street East, which causes backups.
A new signal will be added farther north on Meridian, at the intersection of Meridian and Emerald Street.
Today, Emerald comes east from Milton and ends at Meridian. When the project is complete, a new stretch of road will connect Emerald and Jovita.
The intersection of this new piece of road and Jovita is where the single-lane roundabout will go.
Bauer said he expects construction to begin in the spring and wrap up no later than the first quarter of 2013.
Sara Schilling: 253-552-7058
sara.schilling@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/street
PUBLIC MEETING
WHAT: City of Edgewood is holding an open house on the Jovita Boulevard realignment and roundabout project.
WHEN: 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
WHERE: Edgewood City Hall, 2224 104th Ave. E.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.