Avila Beach Dr. near Highway 101 reopened to the public, following a month long closure due a roundabout installation.
“I think it looks beautiful, it’s definitely a big improvement,” said David Rosenthal, who lives near the Avila Beach Dr. exit.
He says he’s been looking forward to the roundabout for years, hoping something like this would cut down on the number of crashes in the area.
Earlier this year, the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments reported there were 27 accidents on Avila Beach Drive in the last five years. Six of them were deadly.
SLO County Public Works said many studies showed traffic on the exit was not flowing properly.
“Before it was, like a two way stop and extremely dangerous,” Rosenthal said. “So now at the roundabout, I think it's going to be a lot safer.”
Construction on the roundabout project started in May and came with a $13.8 million contract.
Some of the first drivers who got to try out the roundabout on their way to the beach Saturday, say it’s worth the wait.
Although some admitted the idea of a roundabout was intimidating at first.
“I feel like roundabouts are kind of tricky,” said Maya Yenney, who drove the roundabout. “So I can see it definitely causing some issue, especially during, like, peak traffic hours.”
From August 18 to September 27, the Avila Beach drive exit was closed, diverting drivers through detours on the See Canyon exit of the 10, complete with flaggers to help ease the traffic.
John Odom is a Paso Robles resident who was visiting the popular beach town. He said the roundabout’s going to be a great addition, but he understands why some wouldn’t like it.
“I know it could be frustrating for some people, especially if they're driving big vehicles,” Odom said. “But just like where we live in the county, I think sometimes traffic can be kind of fast, and it helps slow it down if it makes it safer. I'm all for it.”
Rosenthal said he’s happy this phase is finally complete, but his excitement will come when the whole project is done in January 2026.
“I'm really glad it's now open,” Rosenthal said. “However, they still have a lot of work to do.”
Although the roundabout is up and running, construction will stick around for a while... as crews add a new park and ride area.
