O’Fallon Council passes North Cool Springs-Tom Ginnever intersection project
A project that was defeated in December has been rejuvenated in January.
At its Dec. 14 meeting, the O’Fallon City Council voted 6-3 to deny the use of federal funding for a new roundabout at Tom Ginnever Avenue and North Cool Springs Road. That decision was reversed at the council’s Jan. 11 meeting, when reconsideration resulted in six council members voted to allow the use of federal funding.
The $986,700 for the project comes in the form of MoDOT Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Funding (CMAQ) funds administered through the East-West Gateway Council of Governments and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).
Lisa Thompson (Ward 2) brought about the change.
Prior to the Jan. 11 meeting, Thompson requested reconsideration of the bill under rules defined in the city code that allow a council member who voted with the majority to request reconsideration at the same or next succeeding meeting. Council member Deana Smith (Ward 1) asked her why she requested reconsideration.
“The full city council was not present for the vote on Dec. 14, and this being an important project, I wanted everyone to vote,” Thompson responded.
Council member Jeff Kuehn (Ward 4) was the member who had been absent/excused on Dec. 14.
Thompson also said she had re-watched the council workshop during which Tony Friedman, Ph.D., the city’s assistant director of engineering, had presented the benefits and safety statistics of a roundabout at the intersection. Then, she did her own additional research about the safety of a roundabout versus a stop sign intersection. She said her research confirmed that the roundabout safety rating is an “A” compared to “C” and “E” for stop sign intersections. An “A” being the safest and “F” being the most dangerous.
Regarding the proximity to two high schools, Thompson said, “I have two young drivers in my family, and they have no problem with roundabouts.”
Several other council members responded with their views on Jan. 11.
Debbie Cook (Ward 5) said she did not understand why the absence of one council member would be a reason for reconsideration and a re-vote.
“We have members absent at various meetings throughout the year,” Cook said. “Should we cancel a meeting if we have one member absent?”
She said safety is not a concern at this intersection and the stop sign is only a brief inconvenience.
“Senior residents in nearby housing are all against this roundabout,” Cook said. “We asked them.”
Cook said the city has “even busier intersections on Crooked Stick and other streets and no roundabouts are used there.” She said the three-way intersection at Mexico Road and Bryan Road has school buses, young drivers and a high traffic volume.
“It takes three traffic light changes for me to get through that intersection when I go to work, so why don’t we fix that first?” Cook asked.
She then asked if the federal project funds could be used for other intersections such as Bryan at Mexico.
City Engineer Wade Montgomery said no, the city would need to apply for that specific project funding. City Administrator Michael Snowden then commented that if the city did not use the federal funding available and already granted, applying again later would not be looked upon favorably.
“I was absent from the prior meeting. I am an engineer, a numbers guy,” Kuehn said. “I agree with council member Thompson’s comments. I hate roundabouts, but my teenaged son has no problem with them, and roundabouts are obviously safer.”
Smith said she talked with Friedman about safety and learned that accidents at North Cool Springs-Tom Ginnever intersection have mostly been sideswipe and rear-ender accidents with no fatalities.
“We still will have sideswipes and rear-enders with the roundabout,” she said. “This project is not fiscally responsible compared to other projects. We are creating a solution for a problem we do not have.”
Smith said she also was worried about pedestrians using a roundabout.
However, Montgomery said the current three-way stop intersection requires pedestrians to cross five traffic lanes. The roundabout has safety islands where pedestrians can wait, all traffic goes in the same direction, and pedestrians must cross only two lanes, making the roundabout much safer.
Epps said that safety is really not an issue at the North Cool Springs intersection, and the inconvenience is “only for about 20 minutes during weekday peak times.”
“Ninety-five percent of residents around the area who use the intersection are against it,” he said.
Council member Dr. Jim Ottomeyer (Ward 4) asked Montgomery about the estimated traffic increase expected over the next 5 to 10 years.
“There is no crystal ball for this, but we already have a safety rating of C in the morning and E in the afternoon on a scale,” Montgomery said. “We are seeking to do this project now, before we have a more serious problem. And I won’t even bring up the reduction of emissions from buses and cars when a roundabout is use.”
“We might not have an absolute need for this (roundabout) now,” Ottomeyer said, “but funding is there now, with a low cost to the city.”
The city’s cost would be $100,000 for a $1.5 million project, with $950,000 from federal funding and $500,000 County Road Board funding.
Epps remarked that Road Board funding has not yet been secured. Montgomery confirmed the project must come back to the council for more approvals pertaining to design funds, design firm selection and acceptance of County Road Board funds.
Council member Tom “Duke” Herweck (Ward 2) said his concern is mostly about the future, with the expected growth of Fort Zumwalt North High and Christian High, plus more businesses and more residential development in the area surrounding the intersection, which will bring an increase in traffic.
“Part of our role on the city council is to define the future and help prepare for it,” Herweck said.
Thompson agreed
“The intersection might be on the safe side now, but in the future, it might be too late. Do this now to make the future safer,” she said.
But while Herweck and Thompson agreed on future needs, Cook and council member Linda Ragsdale (Ward 5) thought the more immediate need was now.
“Peak time at this intersection when there are slight delays amounting to only one-half of 1% of time per year. This project is not worth the dollars,” Ragsdale said. She asked if there are other options.
Montgomery said, “No. The only real options for this intersection are to either do nothing or do the roundabout.”
Cook commented that Ward 5 residents don’t want the roundabout.
“Ward 1 and Ward 5, the north side of O’Fallon where this intersection is located, are against this,” Cook said.
For the re-vote, Herweck, Thompson, Nathan Bibb (Ward 3), Steve Koskela (Ward 3), Kuehn and Ottomeyer voted in favor of the bill. Smith, Ronn Epps Ward 1), Cook and Ragsdale voted against the bill.