Roundabout for Lafayette?

This Monday, the Lafayette Circulation Commission will discuss a proposed roundabout on Mt. Diablo Blvd.

The proposal for the roundabout is a part of the streetscape improvement project of the east end of Mt. Diablo Blvd. The roundabout would be located at Mount Diablo and Golden Gate Way, close to the sites of two new senior housing developments that the city council recently approved.

In a letter to the Circulation Commission and City Council, Ryan Leong, a representative for one of the developments, said that Merrill Gardens strongly supports the proposed roundabout.

City Manager Steve Falk took a short video of the intersection to show the crossing conditions. The video depicts the difficulty a pedestrian can expect while crossing the uncontrolled crosswalk and the speed at which cars drive down this part of Mt. Diablo, two issues the roundabout will address according to the proposal.

While roundabouts are not common in the area, a roundabout was proposed at the intersection of Saint Mary’s Rd. and Bollinger Canyon Rd. in 2008. Roundabouts have seen some success in Walnut Creek, Berkeley and Petaluma, according to the proposed streetscape staff report.

Some of the project would be funded by a Contra Costa County Transporation Authority grant that was given to Lafayette for $540,000. 

The Circulation Commission will provide feedback to the city council, which will see the proposal in the near future.

The public is invited to attend the meeting to share their opinions about the project on Monday July 9, at 7 p.m. at the