Politics & Government

Smyth Talks Roundabout with Homeowners

Residents question whether roundabout will address traffic issues on Hunter Mill Road

With the construction of a roundabout at Hunter Mill Road and Mystic Meadow Way on the horizon, residents are asking questions to understand the long-term impact of the project.

To address concerned homeowners along the Hunter Mill Corridor, Supervisor Linda Smyth (Providence) hosted a meeting in her Lee Highway office Monday.

The meeting allowed residents to speak directly with county engineers about the project, which is slated for completion in 2013. Eric Teitelman, chief of the county's Capital Projects and Operations Division, and W. Todd Minnix, chief of the Transportation Design Division, attended.

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Because plans are in place to develop Oakton Community Park in the near future — Smyth said she expected the playground portion to be completed by the end of this year — Smyth wants the roundabout to be constructed at the same time to address the expected increase in traffic and to save costs.

But with plans still not finalized, some residents want to make sure their concerns are heard.

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Residents complained about not being able to exit from the side streets, at times waiting 10 or 15 minutes to be able to take a left turn and often giving up to take a right to find a place where they can make a U-turn.

"We hope for a gap in traffic based on the lights at [Route] 123 and Vale Road," said Dottie Poulos, a resident of Oakcrest Farms, whose residents use Lewis Knolls Drive as an exit and entry point to and from Hunter Mill Road. "The wait just isn't worth it sometimes."

Teitelman and Minnix explained that because the speed limit will be reduced, drivers will have to yield to side traffic when approaching the roundabout, and drivers slow down for traffic treatments such as roundabouts or splitters, traffic gaps will be larger for those entering Hunter Mill Road from a side street.

A 2006 traffic study found between 16,000 and 18,000 vehicles travel Hunter Mill Road every day.

"We're far past the point of arguing whether the roundabout is going to happen. It's going to happen, we know that," said William McCurdy, a resident of Hunterbrooke, which will be directly impacted by the roundabout because Mystic Meadow Way is its entrance. "I just want to make sure it's happening the right way."

McCurdy is also the homeowner at the edge of the neighborhood, and current plans show the corner of his property being cut into by about 8 or 9 feet. The part of his property being affected is in front of Hunterbrooke's brick sign.

Residents also expressed concern about not being as involved in the discussion about the upcoming traffic calming measures as they would have liked.

"We do feel communication with residents was not properly handled," said Poulos' husband, Bill, in a phone call. "I was shocked when my wife came home and filled me in on some of the deatils [of Monday's meeting with Smyth]."

Bill Poulos said Smyth has been helpful in followup phone call conversations, but he was not aware of the large community meetings in 2004 and 2006.

"I just think the county may not be using the proper tools to effectively reach out to the community sometimes," he said.

Bruce Bennett, chairman of the Hunter Mill Traffic Calming Committee that was charged with helping to develop a plan, said everyone was welcome to attend the community meetings held in 2004 and 2006, both of which attracted hundreds of residents.

"I do understand that people are busy, and they miss things like this. It happens," he said. "But we, all the residents involved, did consider options very carefully. I'm confident in the plan, but none of us will know for sure until it's done, unfortunately."

For background information on the planned roundabout at Oakton Community Park, click here.

President of Hunterbrooke Home Owners Association writes a letter to Supervisor Linda Smyth.


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