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Neighbors and developer spar over roundabout design and the fate of scenic Southwest 15th Avenue
Summary
Residents who live on the shaded Southwest 15th Avenue told commissioners they fear a new Tioga South Annex connection will encourage shortcutting and damage live oaks; the applicant proposed a directional roundabout with a raised separator to limit westbound movements and slow traffic.
Traffic and safety on Southwest 15th Avenue dominated public comment at the hearing on the Town of Tioga South Annex. Residents described the road as narrow, scenic and heavily used by pedestrians and cyclists; they warned that a convenient new connection could turn it into a shortcut for suburban traffic.
Developer representatives responded with both technical findings and a design proposal. Jay Brown presented the project’s traffic study, which estimated 369 AM peak-hour trips and 598 PM peak-hour trips generated by the project and identified intersection improvements—including roundabouts and a left-turn lane at Newberry Road—rather than improvements that would send trips west onto Southwest 15th Avenue. Brown told the board the study “did not indicate that trips are gonna be using that road” but said the team heard neighbors’ concerns and proposed a “directional” roundabout with a raised separator that would prevent a direct westbound crossing and act as traffic calming.
Neighbors asked for deeper study and stronger protections. Dr. Carlton (an affected party) challenged the traffic analysis—quoting a Hagan study figure of “0 average daily trips” on Southwest 15th—and requested either a new count or further analysis. Amber Beckham, a daily commuter and walker on 15th, said a roundabout and earlier sidewalk connections would improve safety by moving pedestrians off the road.
The board added a condition to the approval asking the applicant to design the intersection so it precludes a quick westbound shortcut onto Southwest 15th (the motion called for a blocked or separated roundabout). Commissioners and staff repeatedly framed the issue as a design and safety problem to be solved at the engineering stage with Public Works rather than purely a question of trip distribution.
What’s next: Public Works and growth-management staff will review intersection design and the applicant must show in final development plans how the roundabout, separator and related traffic-calming elements will function to preserve the scenic road’s safety and character.
