Roundabouts at the Ready for Pickens County

During the Pickens Board of Commissioners work session yesterday morning, Sam Wheeler from the Department of Transportation presented the possibility of two more roundabouts in the county--one located on Highway 136 and the 136 Connector at Blaine and, another at Highway 136 at Talking Rock.

“I’m just here today,”

he said,

“to see if you are receptive to the concurrence of a project the department has determined necessary for Pickens County based on accident data.”

During the presentation, Wheeler handed out information to the board, listing the components of the project. According to the discussion, the project includes right-away acquisitions and shoulder improvement, which Wheeler said were necessary to improve the safety of the highway. He went on to explain the project was 100 percent federally funded. However, he added that when building roundabouts according to current standards, the installation of flood lights or street lights to light the area around the roundabouts is a requirement.

“The rule of thumb,”

he said,

“is every leg coming into the circle have (sic) lights. So, you’re looking at three flood lights there (and) three flood lights over in Blaine.”

Wheeler added it will not cost the county anything to build the roundabouts.

“The only dime you’re asked for,”

he said,

“is (for) the power bill and the lights (and) the same thing for the traffic signal. Each local jurisdiction pays that electric bill.”

When Commission Chair Robert Jones asked what the electric bill would cost, Wheeler was unable to give an approximate dollar amount.

“Pennies on the dollar,”

Wheeler said, adding that the charge would be added to the county’s electric bill for the traffic lights in the area.

According to Wheeler, the only other associated cost would be landscaping for the center of the traffic circle. Here he said the county had several options: landscaping, leaving it simply grass with no landscaping, paved, cobblestone, or marble with an icon in the middle. If the county should choose landscaping, the county would have to pay for the maintenance.

In a recent public meeting on the roundabout project, Wheeler said public response was overwhelmingly in favor of the project. Out of 18 response cards, he said only two people were against the project, two cards were not filled out, and two comments favored the project with conditions.

“For the most part,”

he said,

“the constituents (who) came to that meeting (and) filled out those comment cards are in favor of it.”

Following the presentation, District Two Commissioner Becky Denney asked if studies show that traffic circles are safer than traffic lights. He affirmed that studies show traffic circles are safer because they slow down traffic.

“The project will not be built without the county’s concurrence,”

he reassured them.

Wheeler also brought another project to the attention of the board. He said the county will soon be notified, asking the county’s concurrence on a road widening project on Highway 53, from the First Baptist Church to Camp Road. The purpose of the project is to create a passing lane, although Wheeler said that area already has a passing lane. Currently, several road crews are gathering field data for the project.

The board is not permitted to make official decisions during work sessions. As such, the board did not vote on any issue yesterday.