Helena staff to continue roundabout design for Last Chance Gulch intersection after safety, cost debate

City transportation staff presented alternatives this week for the five‑leg intersection at Last Chance Gulch — ranging from modest pedestrian improvements to a full modern roundabout — and the commission agreed to continue the roundabout design while staff returns with funding options.

The presentation, led by Transportation Director Drew Kanopy and consultants, contrasted the current all‑way stop configuration with a reconfigured all‑way stop that adds refuge islands and a full roundabout. The consultant’s pedestrian analysis estimated the existing stop‑controlled layout has 24 pedestrian and 32 vehicular conflict points, while a roundabout would reduce those counts to nine each, a change staff said would lower the risk of severe collisions.

“Roundabouts reduce conflict points and slow traffic so that crashes are less severe,” Kanopy said…