Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Traffic Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents report confusion, safety worries about new traffic circles; commissioners call pilot temporary
Summary
Several residents told the commission they find recently installed traffic circles and bike-lane delineators confusing or unsafe for pedestrians; commissioners said the installations are temporary pilot projects, a public survey is open and permanent designs would differ from the demonstration units.
Multiple East Grand Rapids residents used the public-comment period on Aug. 18 to raise concerns about recently installed experimental traffic circles and bike-lane delineators.
Gerry Anderson of 435 Edgemere Drive told commissioners a 2023 study shows the area where a proposed 150-household development would exit onto a single driveway is already the most dangerous place in the city for pedestrians, and that the optics of installing traffic circles before completing traffic studies are poor. "It just doesn't look good to tell people we're listening to you and then you kind of spring on this," Anderson said.
Anne Risch of 2107 Anderson said she finds the traffic circles unattractive and sometimes dangerous for pedestrians. "I think a lot of people have trouble making those work," she said, describing instances in which drivers and pedestrians appear uncertain about right-of-way.
Commissioners responded that the installations are temporary demonstration projects and that the Department of Public Works is collecting feedback. Commissioner Short thanked DPW staff and noted the pilot elements can be adjusted or removed; one commissioner said the demonstration units would be removed in October and that a public survey is available. Commissioner Burdick urged drivers to “retrain” expectations where sidewalks or new features have been added; Commissioner Skaggs and others passed along positive feedback about new sidewalks at Cascade Road.
City staff emphasized that permanent solutions would be designed differently to accommodate trucks and other constraints and that the temporary units are operating within existing curb lines. Commissioners urged residents to use posted QR-code feedback links and to take part in the pilot survey so staff can refine permanent designs.
The commission did not take formal action on the traffic-circle installations during the Aug. 18 meeting; commissioners noted the pilot is scheduled for evaluation in October.
