At the March 12, 2024, Village Board meeting, staff was directed to proceed with implementation of a roundabout design as part of Phase I Preliminary Engineering for the Braintree Drive Reconstruction Project. The roundabout would be incorporated at the intersection of Braintree Drive and Weathersfield Way. Pursuant to that direction, staff has been working with their consultant to evaluate the intersection alternative and obtain feedback from adjacent residents. Staff is presenting the proposed alignment and results from the public engagement meeting to recommend next steps.
Staff directed their consultant, Kimley Horn and Associates Inc., to conduct a roundabout feasibility study at the intersection. That study confirmed that a compact roundabout could be constructed within existing right-of-way with minimal impact to parkway trees. The proposed compact roundabout can accommodate larger vehicles and trucks, as the design includes mountable medians and islands.
Village staff held a public meeting on May 16, 2024, to present this intersection alternative and elicit feedback on the proposed compact roundabout design. Letters notifying property owners of the project and the public meeting were mailed to 170 residents along Braintree Drive as well as residents at the Weathersfield Way intersection. A project website was developed to provide more information, and residents were also able to provide comments through the website or by emailing staff directly.
Residents representing twelve properties along Braintree Drive and Weathersfield Way attended the public meeting. The village received a total of seventeen comments; thirteen comments were in opposition to the proposed roundabout. Of the residents opposed to the roundabout design, several expressed concerns that vehicles entering the roundabout would not be required to stop or yield to pedestrians. One request was in support of the roundabout for safety reasons. The remaining three responses were general comments or questions but a preferred alternative was not indicated.
Roundabout Performance
Based on prevailing research and established safety performance, roundabouts provide a safer alternative than four-way stop control. Conflict points are reduced to one-way interactions, thereby decreasing the likelihood of severe accidents. The roundabout design supports a walkable community as the pedestrian crossings are set back from the approach to the roundabout prior to vehicles entering the circulation flow. This separation minimizes potential conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles. Visibility for both motorists and pedestrians is improved, as the circular layout allows for better sightlines compared to traditional intersections with multiple directions of traffic. Pedestrians and bicyclists retain the right-of-way and motorists must yield to them before proceeding through the roundabout. When designed properly, the roundabout forces motorists to slow down to navigate through the structure of roundabout, which provides additional reaction time for pedestrians in crosswalks and other vehicle conflicts. Roundabouts foster more predictable turning movements where pedestrians no longer need to look in as many directions to cross the roadway. Scaled examples of a compact roundabout versus a standard sized roundabout are included in the attached exhibit.
Peer communities in the Chicago region have reported positive outcomes after installing roundabouts. Gurnee, IL installed a compact roundabout at Dada Drive and Almond Road. Located in a residential area, this intersection was previously a four-way stop-controlled intersection that converted to a roundabout in 2018. Prior to its conversion, the intersection experienced head-on and angle collisions. Following its conversion to a roundabout there have been no reported angle crashes. Crystal Lake, IL installed mini roundabouts at two intersections along the Congress Parkway corridor: one located at Federal Drive and the other at Exchange Drive. Congress Parkway and Exchange Drive was formerly an intersection that experienced a high volume of crashes. Since installation of the roundabout in 2023, no crashes have been reported. Neither community has observed increases in crashes involving pedestrians or bicyclists.
Recommendation
Given the results of the roundabout feasibility study and the second round of public engagement, and responses from peer communities, staff recommends advancing the compact roundabout design at the intersection of Braintree Drive and Weathersfield Way as part of Phase I Preliminary Engineering for the Braintree Drive Reconstruction Project.
If the recommendation is accepted, staff will amend the project development report with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to include the compact roundabout intersection improvement. The project will then be transitioned to the Engineering and Public Works Department for Phase II Final Design. Staff will also continue to oversee grant funding allocated for the construction phase of the Braintree Drive Reconstruction Project.