Council approves traffic study

The Mountain Brook City Council on Monday authorized Skipper Consultants to conduct a study evaluating the impact of Beech Circle’s upcoming closure. 

The council on Jan. 27 voted 4-1 to close the circle permanently to thru traffic in response to resident complaints about the number — and speed — of vehicles using their street as a cut-through to and from Montclair Road. 

The circle has been open to one-way traffic heading northbound toward Montclair, but that hasn’t deterred motorists from traveling southbound from Montclair. Homeowners have said the traffic poses a danger to them and their children. 

According to Richard Caudle, a traffic engineer at Skipper Consultants, the study will attempt to answer three questions. It will aim to determine the traffic impact of the circle’s closure on surrounding roadways, Caudle said, and assess the need to lower the speed limit on Beech Street. 

A Beech Street resident at the Jan. 27 meeting raised concerns about Beech Circle’s closure leading to an uptick in speeding vehicles on Beech Street as motorists seek an alternate route to Montclair Road via St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.  

“The other question that this is designed to answer is the need for additional signing on Beech Street, such as ‘no outlet’ or ‘no thru traffic,’ depending on what happens to the traffic on Beech Street,” Caudle said. 

Caudle said the study, which costs $8,300, also will evaluate the need for traffic calming measures such as speed bumps. The study will begin later this month before Beech Circle closes and continue after it closes, allowing traffic patterns to be compared. 

Steve Stine, an attorney representing the city, said March 17 is the target date to close the circle.