George considering roundabout

GEORGE — The City of George is considering construction of a roundabout at a troublesome 3-street intersection near city hall and the fire station.

This is not the first time the roundabout discussion has been joined. Nor will it be the last. It was put on hold for a later time frame by the city council in August.

The intersection in question brings Washington Way, Royal Anne Ave. and Richmond Ave. together.

Gray & Osborne Engineering’s Larry Julius supplied the council with an aerial map of the intersection at the council’s July meeting, saying he and George Public Works Director Joe Schons were considering it a good location for a roundabout. Julius told the Council that a roundabout had been considered there in 2010.

Since that time, he said, several accidents, including one fatality, have occurred at that location.

At at the July council meeting, Julius said it might be a good idea for the city to apply to the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board as soon as possible for funding.

Mayor Elliot Kooy asked Julius his estimate for the cost of a roundabout. Julius estimated $500,000. He said the cost to the city would be approximately $50,000, if the city wanted to do a match of 10 percent to score points for the project’s consideration by the WSTIB.

At the August council meeting, Julius presented three options for the intersection. One was a conventional intersection, one was the roundabout, and the third was an ovalabout.

As Julius said in July, the roundabout would cost about $500,000. An ovalabout would cost as much as $825,000. The conventional intersection would cost $740,000. One, or all of the options would require the purchase of private property in the area.

After a lengthy discussion, the council decided to hold off applying to the WSTIB until 2015. That would give the city time to sound out property owners about selling needed ground.