Ordinance would block roundabout at A.P. Hill Monument

Richmond may have to come up with another way to improve traffic safety and flow around the A.P. Hill Monument on the city's North Side.

Officials have accepted a state grant that would allow the Laburnum Avenue-Hermitage Road intersection to be converted into a two-lane roundabout, which would be designed to reduce speeds from 35 to 40 mph to 18 to 23 mph.

But the $315,000 state-approved project has been stalled for nearly a year before the City Council over concerns that the new design could confuse drivers and create other safety problems.

Early last week, the council's land-use, housing and transportation committee considered a proposed ordinance that would block construction of the roundabout. Committee members talked with city engineers about further design changes and public outreach.

But Councilman Chris A. Hilbert who represents the North Side and has proposed prohibiting the roundabout, said he was later informed that the project cannot be redesigned without the city reimbursing the Virginia Department of Transportation for $75,000 in costs.

Officials have hoped to avoid any reimbursement and have been concerned that scuttling the roundabout could make it difficult to secure grants in the future.

Hilbert has suggested blinking lights or other measures to reduce speeds as vehicles approach the roundabout. But administration officials said such features aren't supported by traffic engineers, in part because they could increase cut-through traffic in neighborhoods.

The council could discuss the issue tomorrow, but Hilbert said he won't request a decision on his proposal. However, he said he doesn't want to wait much longer because he wants to begin looking at other solutions.

"The community is not accepting of this proposal," he said.

Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or .