Members of the town board and engineers met July 5 to discuss possible ways to improve the Dunning Street and Fox Wander West intersection.
The general feeling was that a roundabout, much like the one being constructed off Exit 12, would be the preferred design.
Executive Vice President of M.J. Engineering and Land Surveying, P.C. Michael Panichelli told board members and residents that the federal Department of Transportation found that roundabouts were safer than traffic signals and because a roundabout works with the design of the intersection, it would be a preferred solution as opposed to a traffic light, a possibility that was also discussed.
Panichelli and Project Manager Melanie Osterhout presented the findings of a study they conducted of the intersection. Osterhout said in the next 20 years, the Dunning Street and Fox Wander West intersection would fail to provide the level of service required by the DOT.
Malta’s population is growing at a rate of 1.25 percent. Osterhout said they factored a growth rate of 2 percent from 2007 until 2012 then 1.25 percent for the remaining 20 years.
Osterhout said using a traffic signal would mean having to widen the road and create a left-turn lane in both directions on Dunning Street.
The area around the Dunning Street and Fox Wander West intersection is residential and town supervisor Paul Sausville said speeding traffic was a constant concern in the area. The speed limit on Dunning Street is currently 45 mph.
Sausville said decreasing the speed limit could be a possibility, but people will still speed through the intersection if they see the light is green or if the light is yellow turning red.
Panichelli said a roundabout could alleviate some of the problems with speeding in the area because in a roundabout traffic can only move 15 mph. People are forced to slow down and yield to oncoming traffic, he said.
Sausville said the town also wants the intersection to stay within the character of the area.
We want 21st century intersections that look nice, he said.
Panichelli said with a roundabout there is opportunity for landscaping, whereas with a traffic signal, there is not. Panichelli said the only thing stopping landscaping from being put in at that intersection is money, noting an established minimum length requirement for medians in order to put in landscaping. Panichelli was not sure there would be enough money to create the structure. Also, maintaining the landscaped areas would be an issue.
A few residents that attended the meeting were worried about a roundabout at the intersection. Jerry Smith who lives on Dunning Street said the intersection would be dangerous in the snow and rain. Panichelli said that was true of all intersections; there was no way to prevent accidents in inclement weather.
Panichelli said the DOT found that accidents are nearly eliminated in intersections with roundabouts. When accidents do occur they involve property damage rather than fatalities, because vehicles are traveling between 15 and 20 mph.
`It’s like a parking garage,` he said.
Panichelli also clarified the difference between roundabouts and traffic circles. He said the roundabout at the intersection of
Dunning Street and Fox Wander West will be small. It will not be like the circle in Latham, nor will it be able to grow to that size.
`We are not here to try something new,` he said. `We know from past projects that roundabouts reduce or eliminate accidents.`
Sausville said this project is being funded from various sources including the federal DOT, the state, county and town.
`The intersection will fail in 20 years,` Sausville said. `We want to take advantage of the money available and do the improvements now.` “
