On Monday August 8, the Scarsdale Village Municipal Services Committee met to review and discuss the results of the second phase of a study conducted by Creighton Manning Engineers on the feasibility of a roundabout at the Heathcote Five Corners.

During the first phase of this study, Creighton Manning engineers reviewed 5-legged roundabouts in New York State in order to show how intersections similar to the one at the Heathcote Five Corners benefit from a single-lane roundabout as opposed to traffic lights at each leg.

Phase two of this study, which was the focus of Monday’s meeting, culminated in a presentation given by Jeff Pangburn and Stephan Godlewski, consultants from the Creighton Manning firm. Their presentation included a detailed mapping of the existing intersection at the Heathcote Five Corners, a preliminary layout of what the roundabout might look like, statistics that suggest how a roundabout would improve the intersection, and an initial cost estimate of the project at large.

Pangburn began the presentation by explaining why a roundabout would be a more favorable type of intersection in the first place. He cited an improvement in pedestrian safety, a reduction in the severity of potential accidents, an increase in traffic flow, a decrease in vehicular speeds, and a decline in carbon emissions as potential benefits.

The presentation was particularly useful in providing a visual image of the roundabout. The key features of the roundabout would include a landscaped center island, truck aprons, raised pedestrian islands, roadway lighting, and additional signage. The virtual image created by the Creighton Manning firm certainly suggests that such a project would improve the existing intersection at least from an aesthetic standpoint.

In addition to providing a visual image, the consultants presented some hard facts collected from past studies. The results of these studies indicate a 35% reduction in automobile accidents and a 45% reduction in pedestrian accidents as a result of the implementation of a roundabout at intersections similar to the one that exists at the Heathcote Five Corners. In a study of a roundabout in Glens Falls, NY, which has the same characteristics as the Five Corners in terms of the type of intersection, traffic delay was cut by 20%, and traffic volumes decreased dramatically. The improvement was so remarkable that before the intersection was transformed, only 31% of Glens Falls residents were in favor of the roundabout, whereas after the transformation, 63% were in favor.

Unfortunately, the potential benefits of a roundabout at the Heathcote Five Corners come at a high price. The projected cost of creating this new intersection is estimated at $1.9 million before right of way acquisitions are even considered.

Beyond the monetary costs of the project, many residents at Monday’s meeting voiced their concerns about the physical price they and others would have to pay if the roundabout is in fact constructed. The roundabout is a successful form of intersection if drivers yield when they are signaled to yield. However, many residents alluded to the fact that Scarsdale drivers are not known to be the most considerate group of individuals on the road. To this extent, aggressive driving could result in an increase in number of accidents at this intersection, which would entirely defeat the purpose of creating a roundabout in the first place.

Of course, like any big decision, the Municipal Services Committee will have to weigh the pros and cons of creating a roundabout in order to determine whether or not it will be worth constructing. Monday’s meeting was the first of many future discussions regarding what could be one of the most monumental municipal changes the village of Scarsdale has seen in decades.

Shelby Rokito recently graduated Scarsdale High School, and will be attending Cornell University in the fall as a Communication major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She loves writing, cooking, and playing with her dog.