Six years ago, the City of Lafayette was considering how to move more cars through the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road, with a new roundabout design. Bike East Bay fiercely advocated for a safe roundabout design—one with low speeds, that would be friendly for people biking and walking, not just for people traveling by car. But the city moved forward with a car-centered design, and last month Joe Shami, affectionately known as the legend of Mount Diablo, was killed by a driver while bicycling through this very intersection. We know that roundabouts can be designed with people walking and biking in mind. But to date not one roundabout in the East Bay is up to this standard.
We are working with staff in Lafayette, recommending both quick-build and longer term safety solutions for this intersection. In the short term, the city should install speed humps in advance of crosswalks, add more green paint and clearer signage, and test traffic flow without the two high-speed right turn slip lanes. Slip lanes are the part of intersections where cars can slip through and turn right without having to enter the intersection itself. Long term, the slip lanes should be converted into two-way bikeways around the roundabout.
Several more roundabouts are planned for cities across the East Bay, including Berkeley, San Leandro, Alamo, and Alameda. We won’t stand for cities continuing outdated designs from the past. We’re working to make sure that these intersections are safe, comfortable, and accessible for people biking and walking.
Want to get involved advocating for better roundabouts in your neighborhood? Contact us at Advocacy@BikeEastBay.org, and become a member today.