League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Sonoma County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Measure U Prohibit Construction of Roundabout City of Cotati Majority Approval Required Pass: 1,852 / 57.5% Yes votes ...... 1,367 / 42.5% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure U

Arguments Against Measure U

Vote Yes on measure U Yes means No Roundabouts in Cotati. The City has recently proposed changing Old Redwood Hwy from 4 lanes down to 2 lanes, with 2 Roundabouts in 1 block. Not that long ago, it was widened from 2 lanes to 4 to handle traffic. We believe that the Roundabout proposal will be detrimental to Cotati businesses, impact public safety, cause traffic congestion, and divert traffic through our residential streets. Our Downtown Specific Plan said the tree lined, 4 lane Downtown Boulevard is 25 mph can handle 3400 cars per hour, and is what the majority of business owners have recommended. The proposed Roundabouts only handle 2600 cars per hour; we are already at 2500 cars. Why build something that is already maxed out before it is built. The Fire Department raises concerns about 1 narrow lane and small roundabouts, making it difficult for emergency vehicles pass vehicles while responding to emergencies. Roundabouts have no stop signs or signal lights to stop traffic for safe pedestrian crossing, or bicycle lanes for bicyclist safety The Traffic Consultant hired by the city stated: a signal light will control traffic flow just as well, and allowing breaks in traffic for cars leaving businesses or parking. Also stated Roundabouts wouldn't be effective unless installed at every intersection, due to the signal light at the intersection before and after the proposed Roundabouts. Because they calm traffic by causing congestion, (traffic like water takes the path of least resistance), the traffic would be diverted onto the residential streets. Roundabouts will have a negative impact on the commute of the 90% of working residents who work outside of Cotati, and anyone who wants to visit or shop in Cotati. s/ Patricia M. Minnis Rebuttal to Arguments For Roundabouts are safer, cleaner, and more economical. The evidence is overwhelming. Yet Measure U supporters would have you believe otherwise, simply because they say so. Organizations such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety cite numerous studies demonstrating the safety of roundabouts over traditional signalized intersections. CalTrans states roundabouts improve the flow of traffic, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Measure U could cost Cotati taxpayers $3.7 million and, according to CalTrans, roundabouts are less expensive to maintain. Measure U's argument attributes statements to the traffic consultant that simply aren't true. Experts everywhere agree traffic flows more efficiently and is no problem for fire trucks and emergency vehicles. Their argument says, "the majority of businesses" agree, yet no businesses are named. Redwood Cafe, Animal Hospital of Cotati, Friar Tucks, are just a few of the long established Cotati businesses that are opposed to Measure U. Our ballot argument is signed by a business owner, a longtime environmental leader, Cotati's Chief of Police, the Chair of Sonoma County Transportation Authority and Cotati's Mayor. Measure U's argument is signed by one person who opposes roundabouts. Finally, their claim that roundabouts cause congestion because "traffic, like water, takes the path of least resistance;" truth be told, roundabouts are the path of least resistance. If the water analogy had merit, stop signs and traffic signals would cause traffic to flow onto side streets as opposed to roundabouts that keep traffic flowing freely in one direction. Don't believe their unfounded claims. No on Measure U. s/ Pat Gilardi Vice Mayor, City of Cotati s/ Michael McCullaugh Owner, Redwood Cafe s/ Prudence K. Draper Downtown Cotati Property Owner s/ Jay West Owner, Gardens West SONOMA COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION s/ Gary Helfrich, Executive Director

If you care about safety, if you prefer not to waste money and time, if you want a cleaner, healthier environment, vote no on Measure U. Defeating this measure means we can improve our Northern Gateway for $1.2 million less than the plan we'd be forced to use if Measure U passes. Roundabouts mean safer streets for you and your family, virtually eliminating fatalities, reducing injury collisions up to 80% and reducing all collision types up to 51%. The US Department of Transportation calls roundabouts one of the "Top 9 Life-Saving Measures." Roundabouts are endorsed by State transportation agencies across the country, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Caltrans, and numerous police and fire agencies, including the Cotati Police Department. Alternatively, signalized intersections, where cars are traveling at higher rates of speed and prone to "T-bone crashes," result in more accidents causing death and serious injury. Roundabouts mean less time at intersections waiting for a green light, wasting less gas, causing less vehicle pollution and noise. In addition, roundabouts create highly visible opportunities for landscaping and sculpture, making our city a more attractive place to live and visit. This ban makes bad financial sense, costing Cotati taxpayers up to $3.7 Million. It jeopardizes an existing $1.1 million grant to improve our downtown, while simultaneously jeopardizing any state or federal grant for roadwork for the next three years. Banning roundabouts anywhere in Cotati forever means we will never be able to use a proven approach that moves traffic safely and efficiently. This ban is simply too extreme. To the best of our knowledge, there is no similar anti-roundabout ordinance anywhere in the United States. This poorly written initiative has no place in our community. It's bad for traffic, bad for safety and bad for Cotati. No on Measure U. COTATI CITY COUNCIL s/ Susan A. Harvey, Mayor s/ Valerie K. Brown Chair, Sonoma County Tranportation Authority s/ Michael Parish Cotati Chief of Police SONOMA COUNTY CONSERVATION ACTION s/ Bill Kortum, President Emeritus s/ Claire Fetrow Business Owner, The Hub Cyclery Rebuttal to Arguments Against If you care about safety, you don't want roundabouts that don't have a signal light or stop sign that will force vehicles to stop for pedestrians increased traffic diverted through our residential streets. Roundabouts will make it harder for emergency vehicle responding to emergencies while trying to get around traffic in a single lane. Roundabouts will cost Cotati millions of dollars more, The traffic engineer hired by the city stated roundabouts to work effectively they need to be installed at every intersection through town, Installing the additional 3 roundabouts needed will cost us approximately $10 million more, disrupting traffic approximately 6 month per roundabout installed. 1 year, 6 months that our small businesses may not survive, and a bill we can't afford. Some Cities like Santa Rosa have had to remove roundabouts, Cotati had a temporary one they removed on Myrtle, because of citizen complaint and because a fire truck damaged it trying to maneuver around it. Roundabouts are too radical and too costly for Cotati. Yes on Measure U s/ Patricia M. Minnis Owner, Cotati Jewelers

Full Text of Measure U

Section 1. Purpose The purpose of this initiative is to prohibit the construction of roundabouts, traffic circles, and other similar traffic features anywhere in the City limits of the City of Cotati. Section 2. Amendment to Title 11 of the Cotati Municipal Code Title 11 of the Cotati Municipal Code is hereby amended by adding a new Chapter 1.11 entitled, "Chapter 11.11 - Roundabouts and Traffic Circles", and a new Section 11.11 thereto, which Section 11.11.010 shall read as follows: 11.11.101 - Roundabouts and Traffic Circles Prohibited. The city is prohibited from constructing or utilizing, and is prohibited from requiring any public or private person or entity to construct or utilize, the traffic features com- monly known as "roundabouts," "traffic circles," or any similar traffic feature on or with respect to any public street or roadway anywhere within city limits. In no event shall the City's standard or other street specifications or improvement require- ments include any requirement requiring the construction and/or utilization of any roundabouts, traffic circles, and/or any similar feature. In no event shall the City carry out or approve a project to construct any roundabouts, traffic circles, and/or any similar features as a condition to the approval of any project or the issuance of any permit or permission.