DES MOINES, Iowa — The Des Moines City Council voted 6-0 Monday night to give Des Moines one of its first traffic circles, meant to slow down traffic at an intersection where 70% of drivers speed.
The council's decision gives the city approval to build this roundabout at the intersection of SE 36th Street and East Army Post Road in the southeast corner of the city.
"This will help that intersection, and it will slow folks down," said Councilmember Joe Gatto at Monday's meeting. "As far as your property goes, we will be fair."
The roundabout will affect four different properties, including that of resident Ken Ross, whose family owns a farm right alongside the intersection.
Ross told Local 5 he's concerned he won't be able to get farm equipment in from East Army Post Road once construction starts. He also said the farmer who grows beans on his land will also struggle to maneuver with his large farm equipment.
However, Ross said this roundabout would be a good thing, because he's seen drivers zip by and flip onto two wheels because they're going so fast over the years. He thinks a traffic circle would help prevent anything from going wrong.
The city council didn't officially decide if they would take any of Ross' or other properties' land to create the traffic circle, so now Ross just has to play the waiting game.
Aside from Des Moines, there are other metro cities with roundabouts: Waukee and Johnston.
Waukee has several roundabouts they've constructed, like the one on Hickman Road and North Warrior Lane.
City Administrator Brad Deets says their roundabouts have been a success, which he thinks would be the same in Des Moines.
"We've had very few instances of crashes, and certainly when there is a crash, it's less severe than if you have say, sort of a T-bone situation or just a four-way controlled stop," Deets explained.
Deets also told Local 5 that not only are these traffic circles safer for drivers, but also they're safer for pedestrians, because of the designed crosswalks drivers must yield to.