Circle at Miramar slows traffic, changes routes

This story appears as part of a partnership between The Land and The Carroll News. The story was originally published by The Carroll News.

The new traffic circle on Miramar Boulevard near John Carroll University is slowing traffic and changing how residents and students travel through the intersection, while the city continues to address concerns about pedestrian safety and drivers adjusting to the new design.

The city added the traffic circle at the intersection of Meadowbrook, Miramar and Washington Boulevards recently as a pilot program in an effort to slow traffic and create a safer intersection for drivers and pedestrians.

University Heights Mayor Michele Weiss said the city decided to try the traffic circle because it has received complaints about drivers speeding through stop signs. Since the traffic circle opened, residents have noticed that cars driving through are moving more slowly.

Mary Beth Soder, who lives near the roundabout, said the construction itself happened quickly, with the circle up in about a day and the sign being installed the following day. Since then, she said, the biggest change has been slower-moving traffic around the intersection.

Soder added that traffic can back up on Miramar Boulevard around 8:00 a.m. when a crossing guard is helping students across the street.

While the traffic circle appears to have slowed cars, it has also created a new challenge during school drop-off and pickup. Weiss said the city did not expect the effect the traffic circle would have on children walking to school. Crossing guards have had difficulty managing traffic while students cross, which has led the city to add another stop sign on Washington Avenue.

Weiss continued by saying the city is planning to make the circle slightly smaller to give drivers more room around the crosswalk. Weiss said about 90% of the feedback she has received from residents has been positive, although there are still concerns about the traffic circle, particularly among crossing guards and some residents.

Roundabouts have become increasingly common across the United States as cities look for ways to control traffic speeds and improve intersection safety. Carmel, Indiana, has more roundabouts than any other city in the United States, with more than 138. Florida has the most roundabouts of any state in the country, with 1,628. In Ohio, Green has the most roundabouts in the state, with 12. The new roundabout marks the first in University Heights.

Weiss said the city plans to continue monitoring the intersection and speak with residents again after about six months. If the pedestrian crossing issues cannot be resolved and people do not become comfortable with the setup, Weiss said the city could remove the traffic circle rather than make it permanent.

Soder said the intersection would become safer as drivers become familiar with the new traffic pattern. However, she has seen some drivers struggle with the changes, including people going the wrong way or reversing to turn around.

She said the city has done a good job listening to residents, pointing to the additional stop sign and the removal of a tree to improve visibility.

“That stop means stop and yield means yield,” Soder said, emphasizing that drivers need to pay attention to the signs.

Soder said she feels comfortable overall but believes it will take time for drivers to get used to the signs and traffic pattern.

Weiss said the city will continue evaluating how the traffic circle performs, including through the winter. If the pilot is successful, the city could consider another traffic circle near South Belvoir Boulevard, although Weiss said that location would be more complicated because of the number of streets and the four-lane road.

For now, residents are still adjusting to the new way of traveling through the intersection at Miramar.