A possible traffic roundabout at West Lake Sammamish Parkway and Bel-Road Road is among topics to be reviewed at a public meeting, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21 at Redmond City Hall, 15670 NE 85th St.

Mayor John Marchione, city staff and members of the Viewpoint Neighborhood Citizen Advisory Committee and the Overlake Single Family Residential Portions Citizen Advisory Committee will greet participants, present information and listen to questions and comments about proposed changes to West Lake Sammamish Parkway between Bel-Red Road and Northeast 51st Street.

West Lake Sammamish Parkway has been identified in the City of Redmond’s Comprehensive Plan and Transportation Master Plan as a critical link to three urban centers: downtown Redmond, Overlake and downtown Bellevue.

Citizen advisory committees, city staff and the public have discussed the corridor’s present and future characteristics through meetings, e-mails, phone calls and newsletters since September 2007. Comments are still coming in, said Kim Dietz, a senior planner who has worked with Viewpoint and Overlake neighbors and Tricia Thomson, the project manager.

Concerns about a roundabout have been based on older style roundabouts which people may have seen on the East Coast or in European cities, Thomas noted.

At modern roundabouts in the U.S., vehicles travel counterclockwise around a raised center island, with entering traffic yielding the right-of-way to circulating traffic.

“Roundabouts have proven themselves to be safe and efficient,” stated Jeff Palmer, neighborhood traffic calming coordinator for the City of Redmond.

“Since vehicles entering the roundabout are required to yield to traffic in the circle, more vehicles can move through the intersection with less delay,” he explained. “The unique one-way design of roundabouts also accommodates the turning radius of large vehicles, like semi-trucks and buses.”

Furthermore, research has shown that roundabouts are considerably safer than typical intersections with traffic lights.

A study done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that where roundabouts have been installed, motor vehicle crashes have declined by about 40 percent and injury crashes decreased by approximately 80 percent. This is because there are fewer “contact points” where collisions could occur.

At a traditional four-way intersection, there are 32 potential contact points. In a roundabout, that number is reduced to eight and the risk of right-angle, left-turn or head-on collisions is decreased.

As well, vehicles entering the curve of a roundabout must slow speeds to 15-20 mph.

Because they foster smoother traffic flow, roundabouts reduce vehicle emissions and fuel consumption. Cars aren’t backed up for miles, idling while waiting to get through bottlenecks.

Still another advantage is that a roundabout can operate efficiently even when power is out.

To learn more about roundabouts and how they calm traffic, visit

www.redmond.gov/connectingredmond/resources/neighborhoodRounds.asp.

For more information about proposed improvements to West Lake Sammamish Parkway, contact Tricia Thomson, Project Manager, at tthomson@redmond.gov or at (425) 556-2776 or visit the city Web site at www.redmond.gov/connectingredmond/studies/WLSamPkwy.asp.