TRAFFIC TRIALS: DRIVERS CONFRONT ROUNDABOUT, NEW FOUR-WAY STOP

Mayor Al Spradling III doesn't want the Cape Girardeau City Council to go round and round over the city's first and only roundabout, but he figures a few changes are in order at the controversial intersection.

Spradling, who would like to see more roundabouts built in the city, said he and the rest of the council are looking at ways to improve the circular intersection at Gordonville and Silver Springs roads. The roundabout is designed to slow traffic without stopping it.

But the intersection has sparked criticism from unhappy motorists and several councilmen since it opened in February. The debate led city staff to delay opening a new stretch of Silver Springs Road extending from William Street north to the hilltop roundabout.

Walter Denton, assistant city manager, said the new roadway is complete and traffic signals are in place at William, but the city doesn't want to open the section only to have to close it for construction work to improve the roundabout.

Denton said the city staff plans to discuss possible improvements to the roundabout at the council's June 18 meeting. Meanwhile, the new section of Silver Springs Road will remain closed to traffic.

Medical center support

Steven C. Bjelich, president and chief executive officer of St. Francis Medical Center, wishes the city would open the new stretch of Silver Springs Road because it would provide additional access to the hospital.

Bjelich said he has experienced no problems with the roundabout, although he wouldn't mind seeing it widened. While critics complain that emergency vehicles would have difficulty traveling through the roundabout, Bjelich said he has received no complaints from area ambulance services.

Roundabouts have worked well in other areas of the nation and in Europe, he said. "I see no reason to believe it cannot work in Cape Girdeau."

The city engineer's office has reviewed a number of possible improvements to the roundabout, ranging from tearing it out and replacing it with a conventional four-way intersection to placing a police officer at the site to ticket motorists who are speeding or otherwise incorrectly navigating the roundabout. The roundabout has a posted speed limit of 15 mph.

Council members are looking hard at two possible solutions: smoothing out the turns and adding a two-inch concrete overlay of the driving surface to bring it closer to the height of the center apron, a raised pavement designed to look like brick.

Motorists have complained that the roundabout's turning radius is too small and the raised pavement has damaged wheel rims on vehicles.

"There are all kinds of tire marks over the curb where people have jumped it," said Councilman Frank Stoffregen, who would rip out the roundabout entirely if he had his way.

"The city should never make something that damages people's vehicles. That is ridiculous," he said.

But Stoffregen admits the city can't afford to tear out the roundabout and replace it with a four-way stop, a project that city engineers believe would cost $111,000. Stoffregen supported the new four-way stop established last week at Hopper and Mount Auburn roads. That project has sparked criticism from motorists, he said, but he insists it was the way to go.

Different visions

Stoffregen said the council never envisioned a roundabout with such a narrow turning radius when it approved the city engineer-recommended project.

"If they designed one right, I don't have a problem with it," he said.

While acknowledging that some improvements may be needed, Spradling said he has driven through the roundabout in various vehicles without any trouble.

"I haven't gone through with an 18-wheeler, but this road is not built for an 18-wheeler," the mayor said.

"The bottom line is people have to be careful and pay attention. There is a warning sign that you are coming up to a roundabout," said Spradling. "A lot of people like it."

With the roundabout, there's less chance of traffic backing up to the William Street intersection once the new stretch of Silver Springs Road opens, he said.

Spradling believes many area motorists simply aren't familiar with roundabouts.

"I would love to see more of them," said Spradling. "I would like to get away from four-way stops," he said.

Roundabouts are far safer than four-way stops, he said. Federal studies show roundabouts reduce vehicle deaths by 90 percent. "You don't have these T-bone crashes in roundabouts like you do in four-way intersections."

Spradling cited a recent study by St. Louis County's traffic planners, who concluded that stop signs are overrated as a way to control speeding motorists. The study found that motorists drove faster on streets with new stop signs.

Roundabout problems and possible solutions

PROBLEM 1: Center apron perceived as too high.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Two-inch overlay on the traveling lane around the circle.

COMMENTS (A):

* Will raise the pavement in the circle by two inches and lower the interior curb the same

* May be aesthetically unpleasing

* May void contractor's warranty for Silver Springs Road

COST: $8,500 if included on existing contract

COMMENTS (B):

* Unless an asphalt contract has been bid, the city may have to publicly bid this option.

* This option may close the road down for a day or two

COST: $10,625 if bid separately

IMPLEMENTATION: Could close intersection for a day or two.

PROBLEM 2: Cars hitting the center apron.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Paint a white stripe around the apron.

COMMENTS:

* A white stripe with glass beads can be painted around the apron. This should give better visibility for the apron

* May have to publicly bid the painting or tie it in with another job

COST: $180

IMPLEMENTATION: Can be scheduled within two to three weeks if Public Works does the job. May take several months.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Reduce the size of the apron by one foot.

COMMENTS:

* The smaller the apron size, the higher the speed. An urban compact roundabout should not exceed a speed of 15 mph

* May be aesthetically unpleasing. Concrete cut can be jagged, and the underlying concrete is not finished as the rest of the street

COST: $5,500

IMPLEMENTATION: Will take several weeks to implement. May shut down intersection for up to two weeks.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Remove a portion of the apron and replace with a roll-type curb.

COMMENTS:

* Concrete cut can be jagged and the underlying concrete will have to be removed to allow for the proper construction of the curb

* May be aesthetically unpleasing. Concrete cut can be jagged and the color of the curb's concrete will not match the existing apron's color

* May be able to do under current contract. If contractor refuses, Public Works may be able to do the work or the city could bid this out

COST: $15,000

IMPLEMENTATION: This will close the intersection for up to four weeks depending upon the weather.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Remove existing apron and replace with a tapered apron.

COMMENTS:

* Preferred method if apron is to be reconstructed. Old apron and pavement under it will be removed and replaced with a single poured slab

* Aesthetically pleasing. Pattern concrete can still be used, as can color

COST: $40,000

IMPLEMENTATION: Intersection will be closed for up to four weeks.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Place radar trailer at intersection.

COMMENTS: Speeding cars could be hitting the curb. Allows motorists to see how fast they are driving. The trailer will gather data and this will allow the learning curve to take place

COST: $0

IMPLEMENTATION: Intersection remains open.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Place police officer at intersection.

COMMENTS: Ticket drivers who do not use the roundabout correctly

COST: $0

IMPLEMENTATION: Intersection remains open.

PROBLEM 3: Cars hitting the apron in the evening or night

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: See Problem 2 and/or install street lighting

COMMENTS: This would be an improvement to the intersection. AmerenUE can install lighting.

COST: $30,000

IMPLEMENTATION: Several weeks if AmerenUE does the job.

PROBLEM 4: Cars hitting the outside curbs and islands.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Redesign, remove and replace outside curbs.

COMMENTS:

* This requires a design change from the standard. The project design engineer will have to redesign the curbs

* The current contractor could do the work

COST: $17,000

IMPLEMENTATION: The intersection could be closed for up to four weeks.

PROBLEM 5: All problems listed above

POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Remove and replace with a four-way stop

COMMENTS:

* This is the most expensive choice

* Work includes the removal of all islands, redesign and construction of the outside curb radii, the removal of the apron and center island, the redesign of the joints in the center of the intersection and the removal and replacement of new concrete

* This will probably have to be publicly bid

COST: $111,000

IMPLEMENTATION: Intersection closed for up to five weeks.