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County engineers to proceed with design of Taylor Road roundabout after neighborhood concerns
Summary
After residents raised safety and traffic concerns about a proposed roundabout at the entrances to two subdivisions on Taylor Road, county engineers said the immediate step is to fund and complete design; construction would depend on grant funding and follow additional study and public coordination.
A local resident warned the Volusia County Council on July 22 that a planned roundabout on Taylor Road near the Longleaf Plantation and Bent Oaks subdivisions would not be appropriate at the site’s two neighborhood entrances. County engineers responded that staff is seeking a design contract for the intersection, that design will consider school-bus stops and pedestrian crossings, and that construction would be pursued only if funding is secured.
Resident Alyssa Jackson told the council she understood roundabouts can be effective traffic tools but said the proposed location is at the entrance to two subdivisions and adjacent to a school-bus stop; she argued a roundabout could restrict residents’ ability to leave neighborhoods during school pick-up and could create pedestrian hazards. Jackson also suggested lower-cost traffic-calming alternatives such as speed bumps, four-way stops or speed cameras.
Chief County Engineer Tad Kaysbeer told the council that the county’s traffic study recommended a roundabout to address congestion and safety at the intersection. He said the county is asking only for a design contract at this time, not construction. Kaysbeer said the design phase will include coordination with the school district to locate bus stops so they do not block roundabout approaches, and that the design will include crosswalks and median treatments to minimize backup into subdivisions. He said the county will seek grant funding for construction and will monitor operations after design to determine whether to move to construction.
Why it matters: The design-only approach limits immediate impacts: a design contract preserves eligibility for grants and allows engineers to evaluate safety measures (bus-stop location, medians, crosswalks, sidewalk connections, and pedestrian safety) before any construction contract is awarded. Staff emphasized that the county prefers to avoid four-way stops or stop-controlled conditions on thoroughfares when data-based alternatives exist.
Ending: The project will proceed to design stage; staff will engage the school district and neighborhood representatives as the design advances. No construction contract was authorized at the July 22 meeting; construction remains contingent on grant funding and subsequent council approvals.
