Residents serve up roundabout opinions

A meeting focuses on what can be done to improve the interchange.

By MONIQUE FIELDS

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 28, 2000

CLEARWATER -- Clearwater residents gave straightforward opinions Thursday about the city's controversial roundabout.

They want it to function. They want it to be safe. And they want it to be repaired.

"I'm not a traffic engineer, but I could have told you that it wouldn't work," said Ann Afendoulis, 74. "The fountain is too large, and the lanes are too small."

Armed with dots, Post-it notes and pens, more than 225 Clearwater residents made their opinions known at Harborview Center. During the two-hour meeting, residents pasted tiny red dots on the trouble spots of a large rendering of the fountain.

They wrote five words about the roundabout on colorful Post-it notes. They discussed their likes and dislikes, as well as the roundabout's future. Later, they voted for the best ideas with more colorful dots.

Since its opening last December, more than 300 accidents have been logged at roundabout intersections -- nearly 80 of them requiring police reports because vehicles sustained serious damage or someone was injured. City officials, fearing more fender-benders at the new entrance to Clearwater Beach, turned to residents and asked for their opinions on how to curb confusion.

"Eliminate the criss-cross effect in the lanes," said Russ Andersen, a 45-year-old jewelry salesman. "A third lane would be very good."

Some find the roundabout aesthetically appealing, but they don't like what it has done to the community.

"It's nice to have green spots," said Gail Grawunder, 59. "It's nice to get rid of overhanging traffic lights, but we need to get rid of the confusion at the roundabout."

Plans are in place to improve the roundabout. New signs were installed to order drivers to get into the correct lane before entering the roundabout. The city also plans to rework parts of the oval to make it obvious to drivers how they should exit.

Later, they will issue a report based on ideas from the community, beach business representatives, city staffers and roundabout drivers and passers-by.

"We are here to listen," said Clearwater Commissioner Ed Hart. "We are supposed to come back with all the ideas and respond to each one."

The city's meeting was moderated by Dan Burden, director of Walkable Communities, a non-profit group that helps communities create vision for their cities.

To some, the meeting -- dubbed a charette, or town-hall-style workshop -- was a game. Others called it a charade.

Or as Matt DeHaven, a 33-year-old waiter, put it: "It's therapy."

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