Residents are weighing in on a proposal to replace stop signs with a roundabout at a busy intersection near Morro Bay High School.
Caltrans and the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments are exploring ways to improve traffic flow at the intersection of Highway 1, Highway 41, and Main Street.
The next step is gathering input from the community.
Officials held a meeting at Morro Bay High School to hear from residents who regularly navigate the intersection.
"It's a pain. Especially when you're coming off of coming from slow and getting off of one and onto the highway," said Jan Smith of Morro Bay.
Several residents who spoke with KSBY said they support the idea, sharing their own experiences navigating the busy intersection.
"You know, it's like you're rolling the dice. You have no idea what's going to happen when you get there. Is there going to be pedestrians on the corners trying to figure out how they cross safely? Is there going to be somebody that doesn't know how to use a four-way stop, that's that complicated? Or is it going to be smooth sailing?" said Courtney Shepler, also from Morro Bay.
Joe O'Brien, another Morro Bay resident, said traffic congestion is especially challenging during school pickup and drop-off times.
"It's just a very confusing intersection in its current way," O'Brien said. "Just the way cars back up onto the highway, especially during pickup, drop-off for the high school."
Residents' concerns echo findings from a Caltrans study completed in October. The study found the intersection of Highway 1, Highway 41, and Main Street experiences congestion and delays at certain times, creating challenges for both drivers and pedestrians.
Morro Bay Mayor Carla Wixom said the intersection has been a concern for years, particularly because of the number of students who use it.
"The concerns for that intersection are many in the sense that we have a high school here," Wixom said. "We've been looking for years to try and find ways for traffic calming."
The estimated cost of the project is $18,555,894. As previously reported by KSBY, federal and state funding has been set aside for the project.
The project is currently in the environmental review phase, which is expected to continue through January 2027.
Caltrans says construction could begin as early as summer 2029.
