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Council opts to maintain Canterbury Road modification as-is

by

Lexi Coon.

Lexi Coon.

Mountain Brook City Council met on Feb. 12 to discuss a number of items important to community members, including traffic studies and a public hearing for the roundabouts project in Mountain Brook Village.

Many community members noted they are not against the roundabouts or don’t have an opinion about the roundabouts — they are concerned about the safety and convenience of the modification.

Former Mountain Brook mayor Terry Oden spoke at the meeting, voicing his support of the project. "This is a time where the good of the whole must take precedent over the objections of the few," he said in regards to the Mountain Brook Village traffic modifications and the roundabouts project.

Since the modification, some merchants said they have noticed decreased foot traffic in front of their stores but backed-up traffic during peak hours and around school times. Others mentioned that the inconvenience of the current traffic patterns are not only costing time, but are also a safety hazard to drivers and pedestrians in the village.

Resident John Steiner called the modification a “palpably dangerous situation,” mentioning in particular that many drivers don’t stop for pedestrians at the stop sign that was placed at Canterbury Road and Village Circle. A merchant from Canterbury Road said, “I don’t think any of us would have dreamed of the mess we would have found ourselves in now.”

But according to the study, Alicia Bailey with Sain Associates said the traffic and queues along Cahaba Road are better, which was the goal of the project. She said that by turning off the signal at Canterbury Road, green time for cars to pass through Village Circle has been distributed to other lights at the intersection, lessing those waits.

Bailey and council member Billy Pritchard also addressed concerns of community members that not enough studies had been of the intersection, stating that the city specifically requested additional studies be done to ensure they would not be causing another problem in the future and to answer any questions that may arise.

In the end, council members debated reopening the Canterbury Road modification until it was needed at a later date — possibly four years down the road — for the roundabouts themselves. As Bailey and the council have stated previously, keeping the intersection of Canterbury Road and Village Circle closed is required for the roundabouts to be effective and to receive federal funding for the project.

Councilman Lloyd Shelton believed the modification should be reopened as a way to benefit the merchants and give them more time to adjust to the modification, however the remaining council members were more in favor of keeping as it stands now since it will have to be in affect at a later date. After much discussion, the council decided to leave the modification as is.

“I wish there was a middle ground,” said Pritchard. “I just think sometimes, hard decisions have to be made.”

Council members did agree, however, to have Bailey and Sain Associates conduct studies “every so often” to check in since the dynamic of Mountain Brook Village is changing so rapidly.

“I think we’re all in agreement with that today,” said council president Virginia Smith. Having frequent updates regarding the roundabouts will also allow for the discussion to continue. “The conversation is not closed for now,” she said.

The theme of traffic studies was shared in the precouncil meeting as well as when Richard Caudle with Skipper Consulting discussed three intersections: Old Leeds Road at Glencoe Drive and Beechwood Road; Mountain Brook Parkway at Cahaba Road; and Montevallo Road at Glencoe Drive and Stonehurst Green.

After studying the first intersection, Caudle said there were significant traffic cues on eastbound Old Leeds Road during the morning and evening hours due to a defective traffic loop. He recommended the city repair this loop, to which council members agreed. Caudle said it is scheduled to be repaired this week.

While this alone would clear up congestion, he said to make the intersection go “from good to great,” the city should consider installing a traffic signal with a left turn arrow over a green signal. This would allow for extra time for vehicles to turn left, thereby lessening traffic queues as well. Caudle estimated it would cost $3,500 to change out the traffic signal.

Council members agreed this would be immediately beneficial to the city and approved the project. 

Caudle then presented recommendations for Mountain Brook Parkway at Cahaba Road which is part of a previous APPLE grant and focuses on pedestrian safety and lighting the intersection. Because they are waiting for additional information and feedback from the Friends of Jemison Park, however, council members opted to wait on a decision.

Caudle also spoke about a separate traffic study on Montevallo Road. The study was requested by a resident and looked at signage and safety along Montevallo Road’s reverse curve between Glencoe Drive and Greenbriar Lane. 

Due to the sightline for drivers along that road, Caudle suggested many sign modifications which effectively recommends installing two flashing beacons near the curve with posted speed limits of 15 miles per hour around the curve and additional corresponding signage. 

Caudle also reviewed a request for a crosswalk at Montevallo Road and Stonehurst Green, which he did not recommend due to a limited sight distance on Montevallo Road and the speed of that section of the road.

Council approved all of Caudle’s suggestions regarding these sections of Montevallo.

Also during the council meeting, council members:

The next council meeting will be on Feb. 26. 

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