Mecartney/Island Workshop Comments 1
Workshop Summary of Comments for Mecartney/Island
Intersection Project (December 1, 2021)
During the community input part of the agenda, 21 community members provided comments out of the approximately 56 attendees, which is summarized as follows:
1. Reyla Graber: She is impressed with the safety record at this intersection. She is concerned about the roundabout proposal because she feels it is less safe and that no research shows that roundabouts are safer for pedestrians. Pedestrian safety is the most important thing.
2. Paul Hauser: He expressed concern about looking into the sun, especially when the sun is low.
3. Arnub Bose: Parent of kids who bike to school, and does not see the roundabout resolving issues during the morning and afternoon times. His daughter has had five close calls with motorists.
He only sees the solution as a traffic signal.
4. Zac Bowling: He likes the roundabouts as a bike/pedestrian advocate because roundabouts slow down vehicles by design. He wants protected bike lanes, bus stop treatments and green space, and he sees the design as coupled with a road diet.
5. Andrew Massey: Supports staff recommendation to look into a roundabout, and has been rear ended at the intersection, which was not reported to the Police. The intersection is too big, and promotes dangerous driving. He encouraged staff to provide folks with more information about roundabouts, and he wants more information on the environmental benefits of roundabouts.
6. Michael Robles-Wong: President of Costa Brava HOA, and prefers the smaller intersection. The motorists are driving into the sun. He can see a signal if looking into the sun so he is in favor of a signal.
7. Peter Beireis: Is not a fan of the roundabout in this circumstance due to Starbucks at corner and need to merge, which is difficult when busy. Signal light is okay.
8. Steven Jones: He marveled at the ease and safety of the intersection, and was a firefighter in this area. He thinks that a roundabout will reduce safety.
9. Jesus Vargas: He is concerned about the safety of the roundabout due to sun glare issues, especially keeping in mind Wilma Chan’s death. Traffic signals and stop signs will slow down traffic. He is an engineer, and will be sending many questions.
10. Joanie Brooke: Her kids have had a number of close calls at the intersection. Starbucks has created distractions, and has experienced more close calls. She supports roundabouts, and feels that roundabouts would improve safety. She wants more information on environmental emissions.
11. Angelina DeMaria: She has two kids, and would like a crossing guard at this location, and would feel safer with a crossing guard. At 1000 Island Drive, it is a daycare, which should be considered. The bus stops would need to be considered as well as the upkeep of the landscaping.
12. Neil Wilson: He is president of the Garden Island HOA. We walks and drives the intersection, and has lived here for 30 years. Overall, this intersection has worked quite well. He would like a smart traffic signal system for detection. A problem exists from motorists coming from the ferry terminal, which causes most of the problem.
13. Jim Quilici: He is a 19 year resident, and feels like this is a solution looking for a problem. He wants a crossing guard, and to reduce the size of the intersection. He is against a roundabout since there is not a safety issue at the intersection.
Mecartney/Island Workshop Comments 2
14. Maria Morales: She is a Bay Farm resident, and could see a roundabout working in other intersections but not at this one because it is a main intersection. The users are kids who can be unpredictable. A signal would be safer.
15. Juan Morales: He feels that a roundabout would create more chaos.
16. Sharon Stehr: She is a resident of 30 years, and is concerned about pedestrians. A raised crosswalk over the intersection would be safer. Drivers get agitated at slow pedestrians. She likes roundabouts.
17. Jaimie Orfanos: There are near close calls on a once a week basis. There is a huge volume of vehicles. She looks to the traffic engineers for the solution, and thinks that we could learn roundabouts. She is concerned about Garden Road.
18. Mark Manes: His biggest concern is the road between Garden and Island. A few neighbors have been hit by motorists because people leave Safeway looking in the other direction. If we put a roundabout in, he requests that we place a yellow flashing light with a button. If there are crosswalks with a roundabout, there should be yellow flashing lights similar to Park Street, where the lights are built into the crosswalk because of concerns of sun in people's eyes.
19. Anthony Schaller: He supports traffic lights, and feels that the intersection is too small to have an adequate roundabout and is too busy with the Starbucks. He saw an elderly person walking who almost got hit.
20. Gary Landini: He does not like the roundabout proposal, and prefers a traffic light. He feels it would be safer for pedestrians.
21. Grant Skuli: None of the neighbors are in favor of the roundabout and everyone wants a traffic signal. He would like a traffic light and crossing guards.