Roundabouts Are a Driver's Nuisance and a Waste of Taxpayer's Money

The Cranberry Township Supervisors have approved a large Roundabout at North Boundary and Marshall Roads. It is bad enough we have to put up with the roundabout nuisance on Glen Eden Road, every weekend when we go to Beaver County, now they want to put one practically on our doorstep! THIS WILL AFFECT ME, MY FAMILY, AND MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS, EVERY DAY, EVERY TIME WE GO OUT, ( and EVERY TIME WE COME HOME), FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES! Who dreams up this kind of stupidity? I live on Franklin Road and I take North Boundary every day for everywhere I go, and have been driving this road for nearly 40 years. Just because the concept exists does not mean it is the best option.

I spoke to a township engineer who said the goal was to slow traffic down. Surely rumble strips and/or a or slow sign would suffice if that is the goal. Has that idea been explored? There is no need for a roundabout. There are no wrecks there. If you want to slow people down, wouldn't rumble strips and signs be cheaper? He said a red light would cost $600,000. How does the cost of this roundabout compare, and why do we need anything? I saw the blueprints for this monstrosity and they are terrible, with a 35 ft radius, it is much wider than the one on Glen Eden Road , which will make it that much more of a nuisance. I see tire marks up over the one on Glen Eden all the time. All those curbs should be painted yellow for people driving at night. Roundabouts are very confusing at night, especially for older people. I am speaking for my mother and some of the older neighbors on that point.

Even though it was in the newspaper, many people do not know about this, or there would be more complaints. The neighbors I told are extremely upset, much like the Glen Eden residents I know. Ask anyone who lives below the one on Glen Eden Road how they feel about it. The failure of the roundabout on Glen Eden should be enough to tell them not to do another one. How do they plan such stupidity without notifying the people it will affect on a daily basis, for the rest of our lives? I have started to organize a petiton with local signatures to keep this out. There is also talk of a jobsite protest if it comes to that. Approved or not, this is too ridiculous to stand by and let it happen. If they keep building these roundabouts, it will be difficult to go anywhere in the township. Surely our tax money could be better spent.

The Daycare center at this intersection should have never been approved in a residential area, regardless of the zoning, and if they want to do business here, let them deal with the traffic like everyone, everywhere else. They just recently spent money to install a brick cross walk there. If we do anything, I suggest a stop or slow sign and /or rumble strips, much cheaper than a roundabout. The road we should be trying to slow traffic down on is Franklin Road, with all the new housing developments, it is used like a highway. I realize it is a state road, but surely local government could request some slow signs or rumble strips for it. Perhaps we should also slow down the approval of every new development idea that is proposed by someone wanting to make fast money in the township. Too many new housing developments are being approved for the existing infrastructure.

I wanted to make people aware of this before it goes out to bid on March 24. PIease let everyone know who takes North Boundary Road to get to Route 19. I am begging Cranberry Township officials not to pursue this project. For the most part, the board and planning commission do a very good job on new projects, and the township in general. But on this particular project, surely our tax money could be better spent.

Please sign the petition to let the supervisors know we do not want this roundabout. In the comments section, you may include your street and town, email address, or phone number if you wish.