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Caltrans favors roundabout; Cotati approves amended design contract to pursue roundabout at Highway 116/West Cotati
Summary
After a multi‑year design process, the city approved an amendment to the design agreement for safety improvements at the Highway 116/West Cotati intersection. Consultants and staff said Caltrans’ intersection safety process favored a roundabout over a traffic signal; council authorized the amended scope despite added cost and delay.
Cotati — The Cotati City Council on Aug. 11 approved an amended professional‑services agreement for final design of safety improvements at the Highway 116/West Cotati Avenue intersection, directing staff to update design work to support a roundabout after Caltrans advised that a roundabout was the safer preferred alternative.
Public works director Craig Scott summarized the history: the intersection study began under a 2019–2022 design effort with a 35% traffic‑signal design, but Caltrans’ Intersection Safety and Operations Process (ISOP) — adopted to prioritize safety in state‑highway intersection control — concluded a roundabout provided a superior safety outcome in this location. Scott told the council the change in design control required an amended scope and roughly $100,000 of additional design work and that the project schedule has shifted, moving the anticipated bid date from March 3, 2026, to March 3, 2027.
Scott said the city’s consultant and Caltrans have discussed partnership opportunities, including the possibility Caltrans could incorporate the roundabout design into a 2028 Caltrans paving window, but that any funding to advance construction remains to be determined.
Council approved the amendment and authorized the city manager to execute it. Council members asked staff to ensure pedestrian and bicycle crossings would be addressed in the roundabout design and noted the importance of maintaining connectivity between new housing and downtown.
Why this matters: Highway 116 is a state route; Caltrans controls intersection design approvals for state facilities. A Caltrans‑preferred roundabout will change geometric design, right‑of‑way needs and construction timing for a key intersection that affects planned housing and pedestrian access.
Next steps: Staff and the design consultant will finalize roundabout design details, evaluate pedestrian/bicycle crossings, continue coordination with Caltrans about potential paving incorporation in 2028 and return to council with further schedule and funding details.
