Residents at meeting not in favor of new roundabout at Chapel Hill and Fairview intersection
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Public Works department hosted an informal open house Thursday at Fairview Elementary on the Fairview Road and Chapel Hill Road roundabout project..
The Public Works Department displayed its plans for the proposed project and had city engineers available to answer questions from the public.
The project would replace the existing intersection of Fairview Road and Chapel Hill Road with a single-lane roundabout and add a sidewalk to fill in a sidewalk gap along the northeast side of Chapel Hill Road near the intersection, according to a release from the city. Streetlights will also be installed near the roundabout. The goal of the project is to improve the flow of traffic and safety at the intersection.
If approved, construction would start during the summer of 2026 and cost more than $1.2 million. A quarter of the money would come from the Capital Improvement Sales Tax.
ABC 17 News spoke to multiple residents who live near Chapel Hill who are not happy with the project.
One woman said she was "baffled” that the city is spending that much money when they have so many other issues."
Another man -- who claimed he had been timing cars from outside his window -- said the backups are overblown, and while it does get busy during rush hour the only real backups happen coming up the hill.
However, the city believes the current intersection is not sustainable moving forward after a 2022 traffic study.
“From that traffic study, it recommended that, especially within the next 20 years, that this four-way stop is not going to work,” said Allison Anderson, who is an engineering supervisor for the city.
Other concerns were about nearby property being affected such as the nearby school. Anderson said there will be nearby yards affected.
The city plans show that the roundabout will include a 110-foot-inscribed circle, which is based on the Federal Highway Administration standards. Anderson says the city will be working with property owners that are affected.
The majority of people ABC 17 News spoke with at the meeting said that they simply don’t like roundabouts.
One nearby resident told ABC 17 News that the neighborhood is filled with bikers and joggers. She also pointed out that there is a park just a few blocks away that children walk to and was concerned that the roundabout would be more dangerous for them.
The city says that the roundabout will be safer for pedestrians.
Roundabouts are safer because there are islands to stand on and you don’t have to know what every car in the four-way stop is doing,” Anderson said.
The project is part of Columbia's 10-year plan from 2016-25. Back in 2016, the city tried to add a roundabout at the intersection, but the plan was ultimately rejected by the City council.
The City Council will hold a formal public hearing on the current proposal at a later date.
Comments from residents can also be placed online.
