Tumwater City Council authorized Mayor Debbie Sullivan to sign the contracts of two design firms to work on separate roundabouts on Linwood Avenue and Tumwater Boulevard on Tuesday, July 16.
The Linwood Avenue roundabout is being proposed at the intersection of 2nd Avenue. The city awarded a contract to SCJ Alliance to design the roundabout for $637,516.
Engineering Services Manager Bill Lindauer explained that the current intersection is challenging to navigate and experiences a lot of congestion. The angle of the two roads also makes improving the current configuration difficult.
Lindauer explained that the proposed roundabout would be non-circular and elongated. His presentation to the city council showed a conceptual layout depicting it as peanut shaped.
The project will also include pedestrian, bicycle, and stormwater upgrades along 2nd Avenue from Linwood Avenue to B Street.
“It will make a dramatic difference in your ability to move through that intersection – and most importantly – is enhancing the multimodal safety at the intersection… because right now it's a little bit dicey if you're trying to walk that or ride a bicycle through,” Lindauer said.
Subcontractors include Sage Geotechnical for geotechnical analysis, Mtn2Coast for topographic surveying, and Tierra Right of Way for real estate services. According to Lindauer, the design process will take ten months.
The project's total cost is projected at $4.2 million, half of which will be funded through the Washington State Department of Transportation. The rest of the funding will come from the city’s transportation benefit district, impact fees from private development funding, and the city’s capital facility plan fund.
Meanwhile, the Tumwater Boulevard roundabout is being proposed on the northbound I-5 on- and off-ramps. The city awarded HDR Engineering a $816,453 contract to design the project.
Subcontractors include Sage Geotechnical for geotechnical analysis and Sitts & Hills Engineers Inc. for topographic surveying.
City engineer Joseph Norman explained that motorists do not have enough gap time to turn safely at the current intersection due to other motorists driving east or west on Tumwater Boulevard. Drivers on the ramp end up waiting before turning, which causes traffic to back up.
Nomad added that the roundabout is the first phase of reconfiguring the I-5 interchange on Tumwater Boulevard. The city is considering another roundabout on the southbound on and off ramps and expanding the existing overpass to improve pedestrian and bicycle access.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $5.9 million, with funding coming from the State Transportation Improvement Board, the city’s impact fees, and the capital facilities plan fund. Nomad said that the design phase of the first roundabout will take 14 months.
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JW
I'd love one at S. 2nd/Trosper road. Possibly the worst intersection in the entire city.
Saturday, July 20 Report this
Lovesucks
I honestly feel these round abouts are a waste of money. There is so many roads that need repaired , and so many other things that the money can't go towards that can better the city in my opinion..
Then these stupid round about that still people get in to accidents in . So they still aren't any better then what already there .
Saturday, July 20 Report this
FirstOtter
Tumwater should be renamed 'roundabout'. The bad thing about them is they're not designed for big trucks and they plant the center portion with vegetation (that is then allowed to die) but in the meantime, you can't see across them to see if there's someone in the roundabout ahead of you. As another poster noted, if you can't see who's got the right of way in the roundabout, accidents are going to happen.
Saturday, July 20 Report this
Southsoundguy
The money is in the roundabouts.
Sunday, July 21 Report this
FirstOtter
"Manager Bill" says that the current configuration of 2nd Avenue and Linwood is 'difficult to navigate." He's wrong. It's a four way stop. I've never seen it take more than a few moments of waiting my turn to turn or continue on straight through a four way stop. It's far faster than waiting for the lights to change at 2nd and Trosper, and it was a time saver when the Trosper/Capitol 3 ring circus was being built.
It's just another bunch of bushwa for the city to justify tearing up yet another side street for a roundabout. I swear, the city or the mayor or someone is making money building roundabouts.
Sunday, July 21 Report this
Dmathis
I’m all for roundabouts—they keep traffic moving and they are much safer than standard intersections. I wish there were more roundabouts throughout Tumwater, Olympia, and Lacey.
Monday, July 22 Report this
52237123abc
What about the roundabout at 99 and 79th? It has been promised for YEARS!!!!
Monday, July 22 Report this
AnitaThomson
I don't see anything dicey about using the existing intersection. I cannot see how causing traffic not to stop will make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Tuesday, July 23 Report this
AnitaThomson
How about a signal instead and more sidewalks on Linwood?
Tuesday, July 23 Report this
JBrown
I use those roads often. The Linwood-2nd St intersection is a truck route. The peanut shaped "roundabout" is very non-standard & will create havoc. Just use a standard circle with separate curves on the corners. Every other oddball roundabout in Washington creates as many new problems as they fix. Larger trucks, semis, and motorhomes will not be able to negotiate the peanut shape, potentially causing roll overs and accidents. Don't complicate things.
Tuesday, July 23 Report this
FirstOtter
Anyone who can't negotiate a simple four way stop shouldn't be driving in the first place.
Thursday, July 25 Report this
Skywarrior
Additional land acquisition is required on 2nd and Lynwood to avoid a non-standard dysfunctional round-about. Lynwood avenue services school properties and safety should be the priority.
Tuesday, July 30 Report this