FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU) – A proposed roundabout, near North Pole, is one of several potential Fairbanks North Star Borough projects the Alaska Department of Transportation will soon update as part of the Fairbanks Surface Area Transportation — known as FAST — planning for inclusion in their yearly Transportation Improvement Program.
The DOT argues the intersection where the roundabout would be built, at the corner of Nordale Road and Peede Road in the Badger area, “has accumulated a history of vehicle crashes.”
The intersection currently involves stop signs for Peede traffic and uninterrupted Nordale traffic.
DOT leaders want the project to be federally funded through its Highway Safety Improvement Program, with a proposed budget of around $5 million.
First, however, the idea must go through FAST Planning, and be added to its Transportation Improvement Program.
“Every project within our boundary that uses federal highway or federal transit funds must be included in our local transportation plans at FAST Planning to be able to move forward,” said Jackson Fox, Executive Director of FAST Planning.
The Fairbanks and North Pole areas, Fox said, currently have about 13 roundabouts, adding that the DOT generally prioritizes roundabouts as its first way of increasing safety in an area.
According to Fox, roundabouts avoid fatal collisions by forcing vehicles to slow down as they approach. He also mentioned air quality benefits by avoiding idling traffic, as would be seen at traffic lights.
Finally, he argued that overall travel time improves from the presence of a roundabout.
This project has garnered some controversy, with area resident Barbara Haney urging community members to email the Metropolitan Planning Organization, giving their thoughts on the proposed roundabout.
According to Fox, the organization has received six public comments, some in favor and some against the project.
For her part, Haney, speaking as a resident and not in her capacity as a member of the FNSB Assembly, said she does not believe the roundabout will achieve the desired results.
“Roundabouts are not always the one-size-fits-all solution,” Haney said.
Fox agreed, saying at FAST Planning “We also believe that it is context sensitive and roundabouts aren’t necessarily appropriate for every location in town, but they do make sense for some locations.”
For an example of a situation where a roundabout may not be appropriate, he discussed long straightaways with high-speed limits, where travelers may not be expecting one.
Haney argued the kind of traffic frequenting the Nordale Peede area, including recreational and heavy traffic, would effectively be precluded from passage due to the roundabout.
“The problem at the Nordale Peede intersection is that you have a lot of traffic that’s associated with the recreation areas and those are trailers, trucks, you’ve got a lot of heavy equipment going in and out of the area. Some of that, like the forest mulchers, they come in on lowboys, and lowboys just simply cannot navigate those roundabouts,” she said.
Haney argued other measures, like an added turn lane, better warning for the Peede Road stop signs, including flashing lights, and moving the sign closer to the road, would help lessen the number of accidents at the intersection.
She also discussed lessening the speed limit around the intersection as a preferable alternative to a roundabout.
Fox expressed concern that residents of the project area are not aware that the roundabout is being considered and said he would like to see due diligence done on that matter.
FAST Planning is scheduled to hear a presentation from DOT about the project at a meeting of the Technical Committee on Jan. 8 at 12 p.m., and the Policy Board will discuss the project further in a meeting on Jan. 15, also at 12 p.m.
In addition to emailing FAST Planning, those with comments about the project can attend the meetings, either in person or via telephone or Zoom.
According to Fox, if the policy board supports the project, it will still go out for a month-long period of public comment.
He said a final decision could be made by mid-March.
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