Temporary Traffic Circles

Background

In 2021, the City of East Palo Alto staff applied to take part in the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) School Travel Fellowship Program (Fellowship Program). The City was selected to participate in the fellowship program. The goal of the program was to help improve safety for students walking and biking to school.

As part of the program the SMCOE Fellowship Team conducted a walk audit for Cesar Chavez Middle School, Los Robles-Ronald McNair Academy, Costaño Elementary School, and Belle Haven Elementary School. The walk audits included the use of the Stanford’s Discovery Tool App through the Our Voice initiative. Students, parents, and community members were able to use the app to give feedback on what made it hard or easier to walk or bike to school. The team then went to the school to talk to students and parents about the feedback received. The findings from the study were used to select a demonstration project.

The demonstration project involves the installation of a temporary traffic circle at two intersections of concern in the City that are also nearby schools. Locations are as follows:

• Pulgas Avenue and Runnymede Street
• Pulgas Avenue and Beech Street

The traffic circles being installed as a part of this program are temporary and will remain in place for the near future. If the community is supportive of the traffic circles and they are effective as a traffic calming feature, they can be converted from temporary traffic circles to permanent traffic circles or roundabouts which would serve as a more permanent traffic calming measure.

Timeline:

• The City installed the two temporary traffic circles on 10/10/2022
• The City plans to work with nearby schools to host a community event related to the traffic circles. Check this page for updates.

What's a Neighborhood Traffic Circle?

• Round center Island, typically in residential and lower speed areas

• Reduces speeding because drivers must slow down to enter. This helps reduce the frequency and severity of crashes that may occur and can reduce the number of drivers exceeding the speed limit.

• Traffic calming circles should not be confused with roundabouts, which are designed to handle much higher traffic volumes and reduce vehicle delay.

How do I use a Neighborhood Traffic Circle?

• Treat the intersection as a multi-way stop sign with an obstruction in the center

For questions please email engineering@cityofepa.org and to submit feedback please complete the survey here.