Taxpayers to Fund Flawed Roundabouts, WSDOT Admits Build Unneeded

Feb. 7, 2010 - PRLog -- Blaine, WA February 6, 2010—The taxpayer is about to get a $6,100,000 bill for an unnecessary and improperly designed road project.  WSDOT officials have lied and mislead the local community in order to force two unwanted roundabouts into the Central Business District.  The project eliminates parking and is predicted to permanently devastate local business and disrupt marina traffic.  Due to fatal flaws in the project, 95% of local business, and majority of Blaine City Council unite to request delay.

Lorena Eng, NW Regional Administrator for WSDOT has declined the plea from a united group of 53 Blaine Businesspersons and Council to study the roundabouts further.  WSDOT Project Engineer Dina Swires stated to Commercial District property owner Laurie Bridge the project is not needed currently.

WSDOT authored a Traffic Analysis of the intersections, which used traffic counts done in 2005.  The study uses increases in traffic and corresponding decrease in “level of service rating” to justify the build.  Debbie Morley, who can see the intersection from her store every day said, “traffic has dropped so much since 2005, we could go back to the stop signs we used to have.”  In fact, Administrator Eng has agreed traffic levels have decreased to below 2005 levels and would likely take “some years” to get back to those levels.

In the WSDOT study, 4.5% per annum increase in traffic is used to justify the traffic revision.  The earliest  “intersection failure” DOT predicts is 2022.  That is 17 years from the date of the traffic count.  “Look, it is simple math,” said Ross Burns, President CEO of Tamerlane Ventures Inc ”if it takes is 3 years to get back to 2005 traffic levels, the existing lights will last 20 more years.”  In a new project design phase, a 20-year life span is all WSDOT have to prove to show any project meets longevity standards.  The current intersection meets those standards and has no injuries for the 5-year study period.  The intersections are signaled.

There is a BNSF “at grade” rail crossing within a short distance of the proposed roundabouts.  Citizens have long been confused by WSDOT’s plan for dealing with cue backups with longer train delays.  A cue backup in a roundabout defeats all traffic flow, unlike a signalized intersection.  Illegally passing on the left, within the roundabout, is WSDOT’s primary solution.  Police closure is the backup plan.  The Federal DOT recommends gating the entrances to a roundabout with these issues.

For 8 months the public has voiced concern for the vital marine services business and oversized loads to WSDOT.  The community was told the twin roundabout design would accommodate such traffic.  At a meeting on 3 Feb 2010, Engineer Swires admitted to marine services operator Bob Brooks, the project needs redesigning for oversized loads.  Brooks, who stands to loose his business of commissioning larger boats said, “I can’t believe their own engineers don’t know the maximum legal oversize limits in Washington State.”

Roundabout expert and expert witness Steve Crooks states, “What they (roundabouts) also do is totally neglect the impact to impulse type retail businesses directly adjacent to the property.”  Studies back up this claim.  There is a loss of essential parking with this project directly in front of existing businesses.  Silva Gore, longtime owner and operator of a local bakery, said, “I don’t know how I am going to make it,” with the project as it is currently designed.  She hasn’t paid herself since October.

Business United, formally, Businesses in Opposition to Blaine Roundabouts started as a response to the low priority WSDOT officials have placed on local input to their project.  Our membership is limited to current operating businesses and landowners in two zoned areas of Blaine, the Central Business District and the Warf District.  We are currently circulating a public petition to stall the roundabout construction.

If you would like more information about this topic, please visit our website http://businessunited.viviti.com, or to schedule an interview with Spokesperson Thomas Bridge, please email at BusinessUnited@live.com

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Business United, formally, Businesses in Opposition to Blaine Roundabouts started as a response to the low priority WSDOT officials have placed on local input to their project.