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New roundabout eyed for Medford Medford is weighing the benefits of a roundabout to fix traffic problems at the intersection of Owen Drive and Crater Lake Avenue. [Mail Tribune / Andy Atkinson] Monday Feb 26, 2018 at 5:27 PM Feb 26, 2018 at 5:39 PM Damian Mann Mail Tribune @reporterdm A $1.25 million roundabout is being considered by Medford officials as a way to fix the crash-prone intersection of Crater Lake Avenue and Owen Drive in north Medford. If built, it would be the second roundabout in Medford, with the other at Siskiyou Boulevard and Highland Drive. But a roundabout isn't a foregone conclusion, particularly because the price tag is much less for an intersection with signals — $400,000. "That's an $800,000 difference," Councilor Mike Zarosinski said. "That's pretty significant." On Thursday, the Medford City Council may award a contract of $316,954 to Kittleson and Associates Inc. to study both a traffic signal and three roundabout designs. After the council makes a decision on the general layout of the intersection, Kittleson will spend another six months working on the design for the preferred alternative. The intersection currently has stop signs on Crater Lake Avenue. Motorists are finding it difficult to cross Owen Drive, which has four lanes and a left-turn lane. A 2016 analysis of the intersection found it exceeded five traffic accidents in a 12-month period, which gives it a poor rating according to city standards. "This is considered a high-accident location," said Cory Crebbin, director of Public Works. The intersection doesn't have enough traffic to justify a signal, but ongoing development to the east is expected to push traffic volumes to levels that would require a signal or roundabout. Crebbin said roundabouts generally require less long-term maintenance, and when accidents occur they are generally less severe than at an intersection. Also, vehicles continue to move through a roundabout rather than stop completely like at a traffic signal, which reduces fuel consumption. Another plus for a city that spends $600,000 annually for electricity for street lighting and signals is that a roundabout doesn't use electricity, Crebbin said. In the long run, a roundabout makes sense, as long as the study shows it can work at that particular intersection, Crebbin said. "Forty years from now, people will be happy we did that, financially," he said. Zarosinski said he wants to hear more explanation about the long-term benefits of a roundabout versus a signal. He said he's concerned the city may be spending too much to study three different roundabout designs as well a traffic signal design for the intersection. If the Kittleson study just analyzed an intersection with a signal, it would be significantly less than also studying various roundabout designs, Zarosinski said. But, he said, he does understand the benefits of roundabouts. "I think they are more efficient, and traffic engineers think they are more efficient," said Zarosinski, adding he also is concerned about having a roundabout with multiple lanes to accommodate the four lanes of traffic on Owen Drive. "There are definitely some obstacles to overcome for that to be the alternative," Zarosinski said. Councilor Kevin Stine said he expects the council to debate the costs to build a roundabout versus a signal, while keeping in mind the long-term maintenance costs. The city is developing a long-range transportation plan, and more roundabouts are being talked about for other intersections in town, Stine said. "I like roundabouts," Stine said. "We only have one for our big city, and then look at Bend — they have them all over the place." — Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm.