New Roundabout Planned For Vienna Intersection, Design Phase To Begin

VIENNA, VA — Love them or hate them, roundabouts are becoming more common and replacing intersections in some areas. Vienna already has one on Park Street near the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. Another is in the works after Vienna Town Council action Monday.

Town Council voted 5-2 to award a $379,129 design contract to Rummel, Klepper & Kahl for a roundabout at Church Street and East Street NE. Councilmembers Roy Baldwin and Sandra Allen opposed the measure.

The design phase will study the intersection and design it into a roundabout, Vienna's public works director Brad Baer told Town Council. Public works will then seek funding and Town Council approval for the construction phase. Design will take about two years, and construction could take one year.

"This is an approved 2024 capital improvement plan project that was recommended to more efficiently and safely manage traffic through this intersection," said Baer. "The existing T intersection at Church and East Streets receives a high volume of traffic that results in congestion and traffic backups, especially leading back to Maple Avenue."

The intersection was the site of a serious pedestrian crash on April 24, according to Vienna Police. As a result of an intersection study after the crash, Baer said an all-way stop is being added at the intersection until the roundabout is constructed.

Baer said turning the T intersection into a roundabout could reduce conflicts between two vehicles from nine to six, while pedestrian conflict points with a vehicle would be reduced from 10 to six. An early sketch of the roundabout shows three pedestrian crossings at points outside the roundabout with center islands between lanes.

"So the benefits here are your counter counterclockwise flow around a central island that provides a traffic calming effect, lower speeds, less conflict points," said Baer. "Pedestrians don't have to look both ways and have shorter distances to cross with center islands in the middle. You walk on sidewalks around the perimeter, and you only cross one direction or traffic at a time."

Mayor Linda Colbert noted the Federal Highway Administration says roundabouts improve road safety, provide traffic calming, lower speeds and reduces conflict points.

"Another thing I was looking at it's better for the environment probably, because I think you're not stopping, you're not running your car at a stop sign, so you're just moving, continuous movement."

Councilmember Jessica Ramakis regularly goes through the Park Street roundabout and says conditions have improved since the installation.

"I do think just I go through that roundabout on a regular basis, probably more than once a day and I just remember what the conditions were like prior to that roundabout and the backups there. It was really challenging," said Ramakis. "It's introducing something new into the community and there's a learning curve that comes with that."

Councilmember Ray Brill regularly goes through the Church and East Street intersection and believes the roundabout will be safer than stop signs. But he suggested to town staff to put information on the town website on how to use a roundabout.

"There are some people who get excited about the fact that they're going to take it over, and other people say, I'll wait until there's no traffic, you know, both extremes," said Brill.

Several councilmembers expressed concerns about how the pedestrian crossings would be safe.

"Given the fact that this is the same intersection where we just had an accident, I am very concerned about how the crosswalks work at a roundabout," said Councilmember Chuck Anderson. "Once people get used to a roundabout, then rather than a stop sign the notion is 'oh I can go straight through this if there's no traffic.' So I do think poses some particular issues on safety for pedestrian crossings right before you get there, and where you place them I think is critical."

Anderson suggested signage and lighting to alert drivers to crosswalks.

Allen pointed to the Park Street roundabout design with the crossings away from the circle.

"I would like to hear whether putting the crosswalk a little closer at front so the drivers see the pedestrians waiting to cross, whereas this design, the drivers are going and turning, and then they have to come to a sudden stop if they're not alert that there's a pedestrian crossing through that street," said Allen.

Colbert noted the Park Street roundabout needs lighting to improve visibility at night. Baer said the design contract for the Church and East Streets project is required to have documentation on what's needed to install street lighting.

Police Chief Jim Morris told Town Council data from three years showed no pedestrian accidents at the Park Street roundabout.

Baldwin questioned whether the roundabout was the best use of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's local project funds.

"I remain unconvinced that this is a wise use of the resources that the town has from the Northern Virginia Transportation funds that could be spent on other projects in the town which may very well be of greater utility to all of our residents," said Baldwin. "And I'm unconvinced at this point that the traffic circle is the only remedy that is available for the cost that we would have to spend."

Town Manager Mercury Payton expressed optimism that the town could get construction done in less than a year like it did for the Park Street roundabout.

Baer said funds come from the Virginia Department of Transportation's revenue sharing grant and Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's 30 percent funds for local projects.