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Pella policy session weighs roundabout for Oskaloosa Street intersection; engineers say current counts fall short of roundabout thresholds
Summary
Council debated whether to build a roundabout at Oskaloosa Street and Eagle Lane. Proponents, including the mayor, argued roundabouts keep traffic moving; opponents cited truck and farm-equipment use and traffic-count shortfalls. The city engineer said observed peak-hour counts are roughly half of common roundabout-justification thresholds.
At a subsequent policy-and-planning session the Pella City Council revisited designs for the Oskaloosa Street and Eagle Lane intersection, with discussion focused on whether to pursue a roundabout or a conventional intersection design with turn lanes.
Mayor DeWerdt argued roundabouts keep traffic moving and cited examples where roundabouts reduced backups; several residents and council members countered that heavy truck traffic, farm equipment and safety for large vehicles must be considered. One resident challenged council members to test a 53‑foot loaded semi through a proposed roundabout alignment.
The city’s traffic engineer presented the technical data used in the evaluation and said that, in the measured peak hour used for the study, the intersection carried roughly half of the vehicle volumes commonly used to justify a single‑lane roundabout (engineer cited about 1,200 vehicles per peak hour as a benchmark). The engineer said either a well-designed roundabout or a 4‑way intersection could work, but right‑of‑way needs, truck turning radii, and farm‑to‑market usage must be weighed. The engineer noted a tentative construction target of 2027 if the project advances through DOT letting and funding.
Council members suggested additional traffic-counting at varied hours (including early-morning truck windows) and recommended completing any necessary right‑of‑way acquisitions before choosing a final design. The council left the record open for further study and directed staff to bring refined alternatives and traffic projections to a future meeting.
