Update posted October 28, 2015:
Due to the inclement weather, the project was delayed from October 25. The City of Bryan will install a temporary mini roundabout at the intersection of Broadmoor Drive and Nash Street on Sunday, November 1, 2015. Work is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m.
Original story:
Motorists who drive through and around the residential neighborhood behind and west of the Bryan post office will be dealing with new traffic issues starting this weekend.
First, is the installation of a temporary roundabout at Nash and Broadmoor. City officials say that will be in place for up to a month to study traffic in and out of the Briar Meadows subdivision ahead of the completion of an apartment complex that will have 185 units. (Updated number of units in the complex was provided by Mayor Jason Bienski.)
City consultant Gary Schatz says a permanent roundabout could be constructed next summer, to time with the opening of the apartments.
And in response from homeowners in Briar Meadows reporting motorists running stop signs on Broadmoor, the street will be narrowed at Trophy Drive. Schatz says that will allow stop signs to be relocated in a position “so they are definitely more in your face as a driver. You’re going to harder pressed to say I didn’t see it.” Double yellow lines and white stop lines will also be installed on Broadmoor.
Both the temporary roundabout and construction at Broadmoor and Trophy are scheduled to be done this Sunday.
Click below for comments from Gary Schatz, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
News release and images from the city of Bryan:
The City of Bryan will install a temporary mini roundabout at the intersection of Broadmoor Drive and Nash Street on Sunday, October 25, 2015. Work is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. The intersection of Broadmoor Drive and Nash Street will be closed while work efforts for deploying the temporary mini roundabout are underway. This project is in response to community concerns regarding traffic associated with the apartment complex now under construction on the north side of Nash Street. The roundabout is intended to moderate the flow of traffic to and from the apartments while also providing a safer and more efficient intersection for other traffic traveling along Broadmoor Drive and along Nash Street.
The design of the temporary mini roundabout will use traffic cones, sand bags and portable traffic signs. The dimensions of the mini roundabout are such that the driver of a passenger car or pickup truck should be able to navigate the mini roundabout without running over any sand bags or cones. Larger vehicles and trucks may drive over the sand bags but should attempt to avoid the traffic cones. The temporary devices will be monitored continuously for any ongoing maintenance needs.
Modern roundabouts, like the one at Old College Road and College Main Street, and mini roundabouts have the same features and function almost the same way. Aside from size, various islands of a mini roundabout are designed to be driven over by larger vehicles and trucks; passenger vehicles typically can drive through the mini roundabout without driving over any of the islands. This is an appropriate strategy when it is not feasible to move existing curbs, relocate existing utilities, or acquire additional right of way.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the temporary mini roundabout will remain in place for two to four weeks while traffic operations are observed and comments from the traveling public are received and evaluated. At the end of the test period, the intersection will be returned to its original conditions. It is important to note that due to the nature of a temporary test, the existing curb ramps and crosswalks will not be modified to be like those associated with a roundabout. Therefore, pedestrians should continue to exercise appropriate care when crossing the intersection.
Also, the City of Bryan will be implementing temporary traffic islands at the “T” intersection of Broadmoor Drive and Trophy Drive on Sunday, October 25. These improvements are in response to chronic running of the stop signs along Broadmoor Drive. The bulb outs, as they are called, allow for the stop signs to be placed more prominently for drivers to see them and to tighten up the intersection in order to improve safety without adversely impacting mobility. This intersection will remain open to traffic during deployment of these improvements. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the devices will maybe left in place until permanent traffic islands can be designed, funded and constructed.
These projects are being considered to enhance safety at these intersections, and are examples of improvements that could be implemented through the City of Bryan’s newly developed Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) program. Sometimes known as “traffic calming,” the focus of LATM is to identify traffic issues along local streets and seek cost-effective and innovative methods to address the documented issues.