Love it or hate it, Warrenton's first roundabout opens

By James Ivancic, Times Staff Writer

Warrenton’s new mini-roundabout has gotten mixed reviews so far from drivers who’ve driven it.

“Too small” and “too tight” are most often the complaints describing the traffic circle at the intersection of Falmouth Street and East Shirley Avenue. It opened last week.

“Way too small and hard to get in the lane to go to Walmart;” “Just watch a school bus navigate it;” and “Those can cause accidents if not done properly;” are a sample of posts concerning the roundabout on the Fauquier Times Facebook page.

But drivers, not the design, are to blame, according to an opposing post: “I think the problem is not the traffic circle but the drivers who have no idea how it works … It is not that hard, people.”

Warrenton At-Large Councilmember Sean Polster has seen the pro and con reviews.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “It’s something new and people haven’t gotten used to it.”

The mini-roundabout is meant move traffic more efficiently and with fewer potential points of contact between motorists. It’s doing that, he said.

“When VDOT [Virginia Department of Transportation] presented it to us it was described as safer and for the same money” over time as a traffic signal, which would require maintenance, Polster said.

Interim Warrenton Police Chief Timothy Carter said there haven’t been any reported accidents in the traffic circle either since it opened last week or during construction, which started in September.

“The only thing is that some people aren’t used to moving through the roundabout. There was one who drove through the middle rather than go around,” Carter said.

“It was designed for larger trucks to go up on the center piece if the back rim can’t make it. It’s been designed to do that,” the chief said. “I don’t think this one is as high.”

Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. James Hartman said the problem of trucks with trailers clearing the circle is one that he heard.

Warrenton’s assistant director of public works said he’s heard the mixed reviews about the roundabout.

“There are always people who don’t like change, but others have said this is just what is needed,” said Paul Bernard.

“VDOT over the years has been finding out through their traffic analysis that traffic circles reduce accidents and the severity of accidents. They also act as a traffic calming feature,” Bernard said in explaining the rationale.

The road network, traffic flow and available right-ofway made the Falmouth-East Shirley intersection suited for it, Bernard said.

The $420,000 project was half funded by the town and half by the state through VDOT. The contractor is M&F Concrete of Manassas, which was the lowest bidder among four companies that submitted bids.

“They’ve been very responsive and have been a good contractor from what we observed,” Bernard said. It rained during the first week of construction and yet the company got the work underway.

“These guys just worked it hard. They kept plugging away,” Bernard said.

Work started Sept. 24 and was finished weeks ahead of its projected mid- or late-November completion.

Reach James Ivancic at jivancic@fauquier.com

Warrenton’s new roundabout has opened to mixed reviews from drivers.

TIMES STAFF PHOTO/ KAREN CHAFFRAIX