The new $3.2 million Pearland Parkway roundabout was fully completed Aug. 12, providing drivers with a smaller circle that is designed to slow down incoming traffic. Under the old style, every driver, regardless of where they were going, had to get on the circle, which created multiple unprotected left turns, according to project documents.
“The existing traffic circle [was] 25-ish years old, so it’s not exactly new by any means,” Pearland Director of Communications Joshua Lee said. “The increase that we will see [from McHard Road once the extension project is complete] ... the impact of that traffic coming onto Pearland Parkway could be substantial.”
Under the new configuration, drivers on the south portion of Pearland Parkway coming from Beltway 8 going west to McHard Road, drivers on the east portion of McHard Road coming from Hwy. 35 going south onto Pearland Parkway and drivers on the north portion of Pearland Parkway coming from Broadway Street staying on the same road toward Beltway 8 do not need to enter the traffic circle and instead have an outside turning lane designed for higher speeds, according to the city’s designs.
Only Pearland Parkway southbound drivers heading to Broadway Street, McHard Road eastbound drivers needing to get on the north portion of Pearland Parkway toward Beltway 8 and Pearland Parkway northbound drivers heading west onto McHard Road need to get on the circle, according to the city’s designs.
Lee said the city also needed to reconfigure the circle because of the anticipated increase in traffic once the McHard Road extension is complete by early 2023.
The extension will connect the thoroughfare from Pearland Parkway to Hwy. 288 and beyond. The design is meant to slow down drivers, Lee said.
Concerns raised by residents who reached out to Community Impact Newspaper via email mirrored a theme of messages shared on social media about the new traffic pattern at the circle.
Pearland resident Amy Pyle said while she was in the traffic circle coming from Broadway Street ready to enter McHard Road, a car coming from Beltway 8 had to slam its brakes to avoid hitting her.
“I think local drivers were so used to the previous traffic pattern they are confused with the new pattern,” Pyle said.
Lee said the city is planning to put out content through the city’s outlets to help explain to drivers how to navigate the intersection.
“It is really meant to help that specifically,” Lee said. “Slow that traffic down appropriately to prevent accidents but to also keep traffic moving in all directions.”
