Borland/Stafford Roundabout Construction Begins
Ron Ares May 6th, 2008
I’ll be the roundabout
The words will make you out ‘n’ out
We spend the day your way
Call it morning driving thru the sound and
In and out the valley
I have no idea what the words to Yes’ 1971 epic Roundabout actually mean, but if they cryptically imply that the roundabout project at the intersection of Borland and Stafford roads will improve, then I’m all for ‘em.
The county has begun the traffic revision at what has become over the years a heavily used intersection, funneling traffic on and off I-205 from West Linn, Stafford, and Lake Oswego. Traffic from daily rush hour commutes, two schools, cheap taco nights and Harley gatherings, plus five major churches make for serious congestion, and the county is pouring $4 million into resolving what will only get worse without attention.
The county describes roundabouts:
…circular intersections with specific design and traffic control features that eliminate the need for traffic signals. These features include yield control of all entering traffic, channelized approaches with raised splitter islands, and geometric curvature to ensure slow travel speeds for vehicles entering into and traveling within the roundabout.
The county expects an improvement of 30-50% in traffic throughput–handling between 3,500 to 5,000 vehicles per hour, negating the need for expensive signals and multiple turn lanes. Traffic should flow through and around most of the work, but through the summer, be prepared for occasional delays.
More information can be found here.
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