SRQ Daily Columnist Cathy Antunes serves on the boards of the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations and Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government. She blogs on local politics at www.thedetail.net.

Longtime City resident Rod Warner passed away on July 11, and with his passing Sarasota has lost a tireless community advocate. Rod Warner gave his time and expertise to supporting transportation solutions which improve public safety. In collaboration with his friends and colleagues in the group US 41 Momentum, Rod engaged in a decade long advocacy process to bring modern roundabouts to the City of Sarasota. The fruits of his labor have yet to be fully realized, but the modern roundabouts slated for City intersections like Fruitville and 41 promise to deliver significant decreases in fatal and serious accidents, while reducing traffic congestion and pollution. 

Rod was always careful to educate his neighbors on the difference between modern roundabouts and traffic circles.  In a letter to SRQ Daily he wrote “1930s-era traffic circles (Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C., radials in New England, circles in New York and New Jersey) are mistaken for modern roundabouts.”  Rod took pains to explain that modern roundabouts are designed to encourage slower speeds, with tighter diameters that slow down traffic and approach lanes that may utilize landscaping, curves, lane narrowing and other design elements to slow traffic as it enters the roundabout. The slower, continuous traffic movement reduces the pollution and wasted fuel created at signalized intersections, while improving safety.   

I spoke with Billy Hattaway, Sarasota’s District 1 Florida Department of Transportation secretary, about Rod Warner’s work on the Metropolitan Planning Organization.  Mr. Hattaway said he and Rod shared an enthusiasm for the safety benefits of modern roundabouts.  National transportation data shows a 90 percent overall reduction in fatalities where modern roundabouts have replaced signalized intersections, along with a 78 percent reduction in serious injuries, according to Hattaway.   

Recently, the Herald-Tribune reported on safety issues with the Venice roundabout at Jacaranda Blvd and Venice Avenue, citing a significant increase in crashes per year (from 11 to 50) since the roundabout was installed in 2010. Venice officials acknowledge the major purpose—saving lives—has been achieved, with zero fatalities since installation. But the increase in collisions is worrisome. The Venice roundabout was installed prior to Mr. Hattaway’s tenure as our FDOT district secretary, but he says he expect there are a number of factors that could be contributing to the increase in crashes, including design/engineering, educational and behavioral issues.   

I’m sure Rod would be encouraging us to look at the big picture: some people are alive today because the roundabout has eliminated fatal accidents! I know he’d be encouraging us to fix what needs to be fixed, and not throw the baby out with the bathwater. A tighter roundabout with angular approach lanes forces traffic to move slowly, reducing collisions. The Venice roundabout’s wide diameter, discontinuous curbs, wide and direct approach lanes are possible design flaws to be remedied.  

Rod Warner’s kindness and deep commitment to our community were an inspiration to all who were fortunate to work with him. To honor his memory, let’s carry on his work, and be sure that Sarasota brings the best solutions—including the modern roundabout—to our transportation system.

SRQ Daily Columnist Cathy Antunes serves on the boards of the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations and Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government. She blogs on local politics at www.thedetail.net.