Mini Roundabout Endorsed For Intersection In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A mini-roundabout for an intersection in a subdivision of Alexandria was endorsed by the city's Traffic and Parking Board on Monday. This would be the first mini-roundabout in the city, city staff confirmed at the meeting.

The mini-roundabout at Hickory Street and Kennedy Street was requested by the Warwick Village Citizens Association. The Traffic and Parking Board voted to recommend the city's director of Transportation and Environmental Services reconfigure the intersection into a mini-roundabout.

According to the board's docket report, city staff received multiple requests in February for an all-way stop. The intersection currently has a two-way stop and service roads that feed into it.

One resident request for an all-way stop noted the intersection has a "blind corner" that makes it unsafe to enter Kennedy Street. Another claimed drivers speed in the area and ignore crosswalks, which put children at risk.

City staff's report to the Traffic and Parking Board noted there have been no crashes at the intersection since 2018. Overall, staff observed traffic mostly stopping for pedestrians, which are more frequent during school hours.

But another resident who drives to work daily and walks the dog reported three near-accidents at the intersection.

"At some point, someone is going to be hit at that intersection and we need to prevent that," the all-way stop request said.

City staff reviewed various options to improve the intersection, such as an all-way stop, mini-roundabout, curb extensions, enhanced sidewalks and raised features like speed humps. But several factors led city staff to recommend the mini-roundabout, including poor visibility due to the service roads, parking and size of the intersection as well as poor stop compliance at an adjacent all-way stop intersection — Kennedy and Sycamore Streets.

In a mini-roundabout, traffic typically yields to vehicles already in the roundabout before entering. Vehicles then proceed in the one-way direction and exit the roundabout back to the street. According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, a mini-roundabout has extra room for larger vehicles like trucks and buses to use on the paved central island. Pedestrian crosswalks are typically located outside the roundabouts.

According to the docket report, the mini-roundabout would slow vehicle speeds to a 15 mph speed at the approach and 7 to 10 mph inside the roundabout.

The report noted the Alexandria Fire Department is supportive of the mini-roundabout for the intersection.