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SVCAC hearing on Springs roundabout

 

The county is planning to build a traffic roundabout on Arnold Drive and Agua Caliente Road and Valley residents will be able to give their input, good or bad, when the project comes to the Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission Wednesday evening.

The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, at the Al Mazza Fire Station, 630 Second St. W., in Sonoma.

The roundabout, which is expected to cost in the neighborhood of about $1.5 million, could go out to bid this winter and construction could start next spring.

Tom O'Kane, deputy director of the county's Public Works and Transportation Department, said the roundabout takes up less space than putting a turn signal in at the intersection. "And there's also less impact to the environment," he said, pointing out that there are creeks just north and south of the proposed roundabout.

O'Kane said the roundabout would be "very pleasant," saying that it would have 12-foot travel lanes on all legs, and each of the legs will include sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes. And, he added, that there would be landscaping on the outside and in the middle.

The property on the west side of the proposed roundabout belongs to Hanna Boys Center which will realign its driveway to Agua Caliente Road as part of its $15 million construction project.

"Hanna came to the county and asked if the project could be moved up," O'Kane said. "This moved the project up a couple of years."

The funding for the project is from Measure M, a quarter-cent sales tax passed by county voters in November 2004.

"This is a Measure M project," O'Kane said. "One time, this was discussed as a traffic signal but was later changed to a roundabout."

He said that since 2004, there has been more interest in roundabouts for intersection improvements. The county is doing a roundabout at Highway 116 and Mirabel Road near Forestville that local residents there reportedly like.

O'Kane estimated that the cost may be around $1.5 million, but construction projects have been coming in under estimates lately. And, he pointed out, there is a construction company currently at Hanna with equipment already staged.

"It'll go out to bid this winter for a spring start," he said, estimating it might take nine months to complete because of the grading and storm drainage.

The comments on the environmental impact of the project will be sent to county staff. Valley residents can also send their comments to Chris Seppeler at 565-8353, email comments to Chris.Seppeler@Sonoma-county.org or send them to the county's Permit and Resource Management Department, 2550 Ventura Ave., Santa Rosa 95403-2829 by Aug. 10.