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Los Banos council backs roundabout for Vineyard Drive–State Route 165 intersection, directs staff to proceed
Summary
After community meetings and technical review, the council selected a single-lane roundabout as the preferred alternative for the Vineyard Drive / State Route 165 intersection, citing improved traffic flow and safety. Council voted 3–1 in favor of the roundabout; one member preferred a traffic signal.
The Los Banos City Council on Sept. 17 directed staff to pursue a single-lane roundabout as the preferred intersection control for the planned Vineyard Drive connection to State Route 165, citing traffic-flow performance and crash-severity reductions in technical analysis presented to the council.
City staff and consultants presented two main alternatives — a signalized four‑way intersection and a single‑lane roundabout with truck apron — and summarized results from traffic modeling, safety studies and public outreach. Staff said the roundabout showed faster intersection throughput in both near-term (2026) and long-term (2046) modeling and cited national studies showing substantial reductions in fatal and serious‑injury crashes at roundabouts because of fewer high‑speed, right‑angle (T-bone) collisions.
Public safety and truck access were focal points during debate. Fire and police leaders spoke to the council; Fire Chief (Chief Tewalla) said the department favored a roundabout because it slows traffic on approach and improves pedestrian safety. Staff said the proposed roundabout design would include a truck apron and be sized so STAA‑class trucks could navigate the feature. Project costs remain preliminary; staff estimated roundabout construction could be 20–30% less than signalized intersection alternatives, while noting that right‑of‑way and utility impacts would be similar for both options.
Council direction: By recorded preference the council selected the roundabout alternative (Sanders: roundabout; Chavez: roundabout; Lewis: signalized four‑way; Amabill: roundabout). Staff said it will complete detailed design, environmental review and pursue funding (including Measure V, CMAQ and developer impact fees), with community engagement phased during design.
Why it matters: The connection would create a formal north‑south/east‑west route in a growing part of the city and is intended to improve circulation and emergency response times. The selected alternative will guide environmental compliance, design and grant-seeking.
Next steps: Staff will proceed with detailed design and environmental review and return to council with funding options and design-level cost estimates. Community outreach on traffic impacts and construction staging is planned for 2028 when design and traffic studies are more complete.
