Illustration of proposed mini roundabout at Binkley Street and Wilson Lane. Rendering provided by the City of Soldotna.

Illustration of proposed mini roundabout at Binkley Street and Wilson Lane. Rendering provided by the City of Soldotna.

Soldotna residents talk roundabouts with city officials

  • By KAYLEE OSOWSKI
  • Saturday, February 15, 2014 9:00pm
  • News

The City of Soldotna invited the public to an open house on Tuesday night to discuss road rehabilitation plans for Binkley Street.

Questions and comments from the about 20 people who came to down to Soldotna City Hall focused on the three roundabouts proposed to be constructed at Binkley Street’s intersections with Wilson Lane, Redoubt Avenue and Marydale Drive.

Concerns raised by locals included whether the street is busy enough to warrant roundabouts and if people will just use other routes to avoid the roundabouts, how commercial truck drivers and emergency vehicles will be able to navigate the intersections, and how the maintenance department will be affected — especially during the snowy months.

City Engineer Kyle Kornelis said the city conducted traffic impact analyses to account for both current and future traffic needs. He said it is one of the busiest city streets with drivers traveling to the George A. Navarre Borough Administration Building, Central Peninsula Hospital and other medical facilities, retail shops and schools. He said statistics show that roundabouts not only allow for more vehicles per hour to flow down the street but there are fewer accidents at roundabout intersections. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities requires roundabouts at new or rehabilitated intersections unless otherwise justified.

“I hope people will give (roundabouts) a fair shake,” Kornelis said.

The roundabouts, if implemented, would be single lane and the medians would have a gradual curb so trucks and campers can roll over them if necessary, Kornelis said.

Brad Nelson, Central Emergency Services health and safety officer, said the roundabouts might actually be helpful for CES, which is located at the Wilson Lane and Binkley Street intersection. He said while the rule for drivers when they see emergency vehicles with their lights and sirens going is to pullover to the right, that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes people stop in the middle of the lane or other people pullover to the left.

“If these things work out, theoretically the way they’re supposed to, we should always have the avenue right do the middle that nobody’s driving on to get through,” he said.

Kornelis said the maintenance department will have to make some adjustments with snow removal to work around the roundabouts, if implemented.

Scott Sundberg, maintenance department manager, said the plows are equipped with blades that should allow operators to float them over the roundabouts to move snow.

Pedestrians were also taken into consideration in the design. The plan calls for the current 5-foot wide bike lane to be reduced to 3-feet so the sidewalk can be widened to 6 feet. Along the majority of the 4,500-foot long street the right-of-way is 60 feet, but in places where it is wider, the design bumps out the sidewalk to get pedestrians away from the street, Kornelis said.

The roundabout medians between lanes of traffic traveling in different directions make crossing the street easier for pedestrians because they will only have to cross one lane of traffic at a time, said Joe McElroy, consultant with engineering and surveying firm SGM, Inc.

Soldotna project manager, Lee Frey, said the wider sidewalks can also be utilized by bikers who aren’t comfortable riding with traffic in the bike lane. He said based on concerns from citizens, the city is looking into methods of public outreach to inform people who has the right-of-way in roundabouts, including bike and pedestrian traffic.

The $2.5 million project is funded by two state grants.

The street has seen no major work over projects since it was constructed in 1987. Along with possible roundabouts and a wider sidewalk, design also calls for new pavement, curb, gutter and drainage improvements as well as landscaping and beautification features.

Kornelis said the city is looking to put the project out for bid in the spring and construction will likely last through the summer.

 

Kaylee Osowski can be reached at kaylee.osowski@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

A towering Lutz spruce, center, in the Chugach National Forest is about to be hoisted by a crane Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, for transport to the West Lawn of Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to be the 2015 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service)
Tongass National Forest selected to provide 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

Eight to 10 candidate trees will be evaluated, with winner taking “whistlestop tour” to D.C.

A slash pile containing non-organic construction debris is seen at the Snug Harbor Slash Disposal site on Sept. 22, 2020, in Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kenai Peninsula Borough Land Management)
Assembly OKs concrete lease in Cooper Landing

The vote came amid widespread community opposition to the agreement

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Children hunt for Easter eggs during the Easter Eggstravaganza at Nikiski Community Recreation Center on Saturday.
Easter eggs, bunnies arrive on the Kenai Peninsula

There are plenty of opportunities to grab a photo with the Easter bunny or seek out some eggs

Flier for Bear Awareness and Electric Fencing Workshops. (Provided by Defenders of Wildlife)
Local workshops to focus on managing bear attractants, electric fencing

The series will run Monday through Friday, April 1-5, in Hope, Seward, Kenai, Soldotna and Homer

A person walks up the steps of the Alaska Capitol, Jan. 16, 2023, in Juneau, Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)
Some KPBSD schools could benefit from internet bill passed by House

If House Bill 193 becomes law, an additional six KPBSD schools would be eligible for the state’s grant program

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
A veterinarian with Greater Good Charities escorts dog Maggie into a free spay/neuter clinic at the Moose Pass Fire Station on Thursday.
Moose Pass rallies behind free spay and neuter clinic

The clinic was put on by Greater Good Charities Good Fix program

Signage marks the entrance to Nikiski Middle/High School on Monday, May 16, 2022, in Nikiski, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski student arrested after school shooting threats

The juvenile student faces charges of terroristic threatening

Armageddon waits to be shown at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Bjorkman farm tax relief bill clears Senate

The bill is now up for consideration in the House

Most Read