First of five new roundabouts in Pueblo nearly completed
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Steel City and Home of Heroes is capping off a busy road construction season with the building of a roundabout that is one of five planned during the next year.
The first of those traffic circles is at the intersection of West Adams Avenue and Jackson Street, on the city's southwest side.
Work on the roundabout itself appears to be finished but streets around it are closed; crews now must re-pave the approaches to it.
The new roundabout is in a residential neighborhood and is somewhat of a departure from the recent trend of roundabouts in busier corridors or even along highways.
Andrew Hayes, the city's public works director, said that he realizes people have mixed feelings about traffic circles.
"I was surprised," he confessed. "I expected more feedback like that when we announced the roundabout project's coming. But surprisingly, we also got quite a bit of feedback that was very much in support of them. I also enjoy pointing out to people that the original plat of South Pueblo had roundabouts in it in the 1800s."
Because of varying opinions about roundabouts, Hayes revealed that the city will conduct a public information campaign to answer questions and address concerns.
"We'll educate people on how to interact with other types of vehicles and roundabouts," he explained. "There have been some changes in state law the last couple of years here, about large vehicles and roundabouts, and who has the right of way. So, we want to put that word out, make sure folks are familiar with the rules of the road and how to operate them."
Dan Devine lives in one of two homes nearest the traffic circle.
"It's been a little bit of a distraction, just because we're the homeowner here on the corner," he said. "But other than that, I think it's a good idea. We've had two fatal crashes here. A firefighter told me that he's never responded to a fatal wreck at a roundabout."
Because each roundabout costs up to $1 million or more, the city has acquired state funding to help pay for them.
Construction of another neighborhood roundabout begins soon at the intersection of Berkley and West Mesa avenues; traffic circles currently in design and coming next year will be in the busier corridors of Dillon Drive and Eagleridge Boulevard; Lake and Orman avenues; and 13th Street and Grand Avenue.
Hayes said that the city chooses locations based on the amount of traffic or the frequency of accidents.
"At some intersections we see more of the more serious, broadside or T-bone crashes," he said. "With roundabouts, crashes tend to be more of a glancing impact and far less serious."
