Greetings Richfield Residents:
I am pleased to inform
you that the City Council, acting on the Transportation Commission’s
recommendation, passed resolutions that will result in two new
roundabout intersections in Richfield. The Transportation Commission
is a citizen advisory group that was established to recommend traffic
and transportation policy direction to the Council. The Commission
believes these intersection improvements will improve safety and
promote better traffic flow along 66th Street. When compared to
traditional intersections, roundabouts are less costly to construct,
better for the environment, and safer while fewer homes and businesses
are affected.
Construction is
scheduled to begin on Richfield’s first roundabout in the Spring of
2007 at 66th Street and Richfield Parkway (17th Avenue). This will be
a two-lane roundabout that will carry traffic in a steady, circular
direction rather than force traffic to a standstill like at a four way
intersection controlled by stoplights. Building a roundabout will
help manage the expected traffic to and from the new Super Target,
Home Depot and other retailers at Cedar Point.
In 2008, a second
roundabout will be constructed at 66th Street and Portland Avenue,
currently one of the worst intersections in suburban Hennepin County
due to the delays and the high number of crashes. This two-lane
roundabout is expected to eliminate serious and life-threatening
accidents and reduce delays.
Although Richfield does
not currently have any roundabouts, they are being constructed in many
places around the metro area and are becoming more and more popular as
people begin to learn about the benefits they offer. In fact, the
U.S. government and organizations like the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety are encouraging the increased use of roundabouts
because of improved traffic flow and safety. Research has shown, when
comparing two-lane roundabouts to traditional signalized
intersections, there are reductions in all types of crashes:
· 31%
reduction in motor vehicle crashes
· 75%
reduction in crashes involving injuries
· 30%
reduction in pedestrian crashes
The City is committed
to educating the community about the safe use and benefits of
roundabouts. I encourage all of you to stay informed by viewing the
City’s cable channel, visiting our web site dedicated to roundabouts (richfieldroundabouts.com),
and reviewing future mailings.
Sincerely,
Barb Kritzman, Transportation Commission Chair
