San Rafael, CA – Construction of a roundabout intersection on a busy Sausalito-Mill Valley multiuse pathway is to be completed next week, with the ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, March 6. The roundabout is the first of its kind on any Marin pathway and is designed to bring significant safety improvements to the high-use junction at the eastern end of Sycamore Avenue, behind Mill Valley Middle School.
The Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW), Marin County Parks and the City of Mill Valley decided last year that a roundabout would serve as the best option to improve connectivity and minimize user conflicts at the intersection, and construction began in October. The roundabout is located in one of the busiest stretches of the multiuse pathway network, which extends from Sausalito to San Rafael.
Part of a larger maintenance project to improve safety and functionality of the path, the roundabout is the second in a three-part series of funded pathway improvements. Last summer the City of Mill Valley added a multiuse pathway alongside the east end of Sycamore Avenue, which allowed users coming from Camino Alto to more easily connect with the main pathway. The next phase will involve resurfacing the stretch of path from Almonte Boulevard up to East Blithedale Avenue.
Although plans for the roundabout have been in the works since March 2014, injuries sustained on the path in the fall renewed the public’s focus on improving safety between cyclists and pedestrians.
“The idea is to cause people to pause and slow down as they navigate the intersection … which will go a long way to increase safety and calm some nerves,” said DPW Principal Civil Engineer Ernest Klock at an October Board of Supervisors meeting as construction began.
But safety might not be the only reason cyclists will slow down at the intersection. Marin County Parks designed a small plaza, equipped with a bike map kiosk, water fountain and landscaping, and installed it adjacent to the new roundabout. It provides a safe and welcoming place to stop along the path.
“This roundabout is a wonderful reminder to slow down and acknowledge one another’s presence as we come together for walking, biking, field use and recreation at Mill Valley’s Bayfront Park along Marin’s most heavily traveled multiuse pathway,” said Supervisor Kate Sears, who represents Southern Marin. “I’d like to thank Marin County Parks and Public Works, and the City of Mill Valley for their careful planning and collaboration, bringing together resources and expertise to enhance safety for all.”
Construction of the roundabout was funded in part by Parks and Open Space Measure A dollars as well as County National Model Program funds. It was completed by Ghilotti Construction Company for $367,797.