'Roundabout' proposed to slow traffic in front of Quarry Residential development

   RICHMOND - A proposed new traffic-safety wrinkle has been added to the Quarry Residential project proposal up for discussion Wednesday night when the City of Richmond Design Review Board holds a public hearing on the 200-unit project.
     The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the multipurpose room of city hall at 440 Civic Center Plaza.
     The traffic-safety wrinkle - a roundabout traffic circle - is being proposed by the Brickyard Cove Alliance for Responsible Development as an answer to repeated citizen concerns about the safety of Seacliff Drive.

Concept illustration of a roundabout on Seacliff Drive

     The proposed Quarry project has a single entrance and exit onto Seacliff Drive, a street numerous area residents have described as being manifestly unsafe.
     The roundabout idea is contained in a memo sent to the city planning department and members of the Design Review Board.
     "This solution would force all cars to slow down ... and would provide safe access to and from the property in all directions as well as a safe continuation route for thru traffic in both directions," the BCARD memo states.
     The issue of traffic on Seacliff was discussed at length at the Nov. 16 meeting of the planning commission. Planning commissioners indicated they favor hiring an outside consultant to study the traffic issue and various alternatives to make the road safer.
     The planners also said they wanted a more thorough analysis of the proposed rezoning - from Parks and Recreation to residential - reflected in the final Environmental Impact Report.

Proposed alternative entrance

     Another traffic safety alternative was also suggested by BCARD. It would be to have the entrance and exit from the project directly off Canal Boulevard (see photo at left), crossing city-owned land to get to the development proposed by New West Communities of Las Vegas.
     The Design Review Board will also be discussing the 316-unit Terminal One project on Dornan Drive.
      It will take up Terminal One prior to discussions of the Quarry Residential Project.
      For an earlier story about the two projects under review, follow this link:
   

DRB PUBLIC HEARINGS WEDNESDAY.