Plans begin for new roundabout at Kanan and Agoura roads

A traffic circle, or roundabout being planned for the intersection of Kanan and Agoura roads in Agoura Hills will be designed by Boyle Engineering Corporation, a Venturabased firm, city officials announced

The oneyear, $224,000 contract was approved by the Agoura Hills City Council at a Feb. 27 meeting. According to city engineer Ramiro Adeva, Boyle Engineering beat out three other firms for the job. Adeva said Boyle Engineering was unanimously selected because of their experience. The next lowest bid by KOA Corporation was $20,000 higher. RBF Consulting presented a bid that was $70,000 higher than Boyle's.

Adeva said the roundabout will offer "aesthetic appeal that the city will be proud of."

Bob Bombardier, Richard Leja and Michael Ip of Boyle Engineering presented an overview of the project. Ip displayed a picture of a similar roundabout the firm designed in Florida.

"It's functioning very well," Ip said.

The traffic circle will have three lanes, one of which will be used as a "bypass lane," Ip said.

"(The bypass lane) will minimize conflicts and alleviate concerns about it being too close to the intersection," Ip said.

Leja said the roundabout will "calm traffic," and trucks and emergency vehicles will have ample room for turning. The continuous flow will force traffic to slow down, he said.

The center of the circle will be landscaped, and may be highlighted by a sculpture or water feature, Leja said. He said it would be both "functional and aesthetic." The traffic circle would also be safe for pedestrians.

Roundabouts, which are routinely used in Europe, are relatively new in the United States. The cities of Calabasas and Thousand Oaks have used them with success.

Leja stressed that the public needs to be educated about what traffic circles can and cannot do. Community workshops will be conducted to familiarize residents with the roundabout.

The firm will present live action three dimension modeling to help people visualize the design and understand how traffic will circulate, Leja said. Anticipated construction dates will be released during the workshops and the public will have time to ask questions.

Bombardier said the design will be in keeping with the rural nature of Agoura Hills.

"We'll make it something beautiful you can arrive to," he said. He said the design will also take into consideration existing oak trees. If an oak tree cannot be saved, it will be relocated, he said. The company has successfully moved 400 trees in Calabasas and Lake Sherwood.

The public workshops are expected to begin in May or June, Adeva said.

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The Agoura Hills City Council meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall, 30001 Ladyface Court. Business hours are Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information on programs, services and meetings, call (818) 5977300 or visit www.ci.agourahills.ca.us.