Editor:

Whenever an issue like the proposed roundabout is brought before the Farmville Town Council, it must be determined: Will this change better serve the residents of Farmville? Will it truly make this intersection safer for vehicles and pedestrians? What will be the financial burden for our residents?

It has been noted on several occasions that the location of the proposed roundabout has a low accident rate, and it would probably not qualify for grants from VDOT. Therefore, why would we inconvenience the residents of Farmville for the lengthy duration of the project, and spend taxpayers money needlessly?

It was previously stated by Mr. Pope from Longwood that safety is paramount. Is this intersection as it is currently configured deemed to be unsafe?

In 2016, Channel 8 News did an independent study of older roundabouts in the Richmond area. They analyzed accident reports for the five years before and the five years after the roundabouts were built and, surprisingly, found in almost every case, there was a slight increase in crashes, not a decrease. Also, studies done by NACTO, The National Association of City Transportation Officials, stated that there is very little data on pedestrian incidents to be able to substantiate the effects of roundabouts on pedestrian safety.

It seems to me that the studies of the safety of roundabouts do not appear to be conclusive. If it were not for the Master Plan developed by President Reveley of Longwood, we would probably not be talking about a roundabout today. Are we looking for a problem to suit a solution? Our tax dollars could be better spent elsewhere.

James Fauci

Farmville