The busy intersection at Corbett Canyon Road, Huasna Road and Branch Street in Arroyo Grande could become a roundabout.
Local Brenda Radtke said she uses the intersection at least once a day. She said traffic in the area depends on the time of day, but when Paulding Middle School gets out, it gets packed.
“I try to avoid those times at all costs in the morning and in the afternoon at about 2:00," Radtke said.
The city is in the drafting phase of a potential roundabout at this intersection to help with long-term transportation planning in Arroyo Grande.
“Intersection improvements there make sense because it's such an odd intersection," said Shannon Sweeney, Arroyo Grande City Engineer. "It isn't laid out like an exact square like a lot of other intersections, and streets come in from weird directions.”
Sweeney said that because of the odd layout, a traffic signal would be complicated.
Radtke said she has a few concerns about the roundabout design.
“I think it would depend on how it's done structurally," Radtke said. "If there's enough room for the trucks to make that left turn, a right turn for that matter, and trying to, you know, not hit the bushes.”
Sweeney said multiple evaluations were done to address any concerns from the school district, farmworkers, community members and other groups who would be affected by the roundabout.
“We did several evaluations of it," Sweeney said. "We looked at it from a large truck perspective and did simulations to see if large trucks would fit through there, made sure that there was enough footprint there.”
Since the project is still being designed, there isn’t a set cost for the construction just yet. However, Sweeney said funding will come from the city’s development impact fee.
Next, a consultant will put together plans and specifications for the roundabout.
Sweeney said community engagement is paramount with projects like these. She said it's normal for a roundabout project to be divisive among community members.
“We anticipate having another community meeting about 60% of the way through that process so that the community can see how their comments have been incorporated into the design," Sweeney said.
The city has recently published a Frequently Asked Questions page about the proposed roundabout with more details on the project.
