Prosper council considers roundabouts as traffic light alternative

Prosper officials are considering adding more roundabouts amid a wave of current and future road construction.

Prosper Town Council discussed possible ways to incorporate roundabouts at a Feb. 10 meeting.

The discussion

Roundabouts are safer than intersections with traffic lights, and although they are more expensive to install than signals, they require much less maintenance, according to a presentation by a representative from engineering and design firm Kimley-Horn.

Town Council favored roundabouts on minor roads and directed staff to explore possible roundabout locations on major roads like Coit Road as well.

Council members opposed replacing existing traffic lights with roundabouts, which can cost up to $3.5 million, according to the presentation.

“If I had my way, yeah, we’d have roundabouts everywhere, but the bottom line is the die is already cast,” council member Craig Andres said.

Diving in

Town staff have identified 34 intersections that could be suitable for a roundabout, according to a presentation by senior traffic engineer Robert Gey.

These intersections are controlled by the town of Prosper and avoid roadways that will eventually be expanded to six lanes, Gey said.

Gey said that now is an ideal time to consider adding roundabouts because several roadways are under construction, with more construction planned for the future.

“We need to know sooner rather than later,” Gey said.

Next steps

Based on Town Council’s feedback, town staff will refine the map of possible roundabouts and conduct further studies on whether a roundabout makes sense based on each location’s primary use, transportation needs and nearby housing or businesses.