Reconsidering Santa Ynez Valley’s Roundabout

I grew up in Ireland, which has been a land of roundabouts for as long as I can remember. Roundabouts on slow roads in Ireland are smaller, and those on faster roads are of larger diameter and often have multiple lanes. There are plenty of warning signs on approach to these roundabouts. The population is used to roundabouts, and people, having grown up with them, know how to negotiate them.

Ever since the roundabout was constructed at Highway 246 and Purisima Road near Lompoc, I have had very uneasy feelings about it, and I have felt that here was an accident waiting to happen. It seems to me that the diameter of this roundabout is far too small for a much-travelled commuter road such as 246 and that the approach is not very obvious from either direction. I have a livestock trailer and a large utility trailer, and, when I am pulling one of these, if I must drive via the roundabout, I need to be extra careful as the turn radius is so tight.

The recent tragic accident that took place at this roundabout, in which a firefighter lost his life, has made me feel compelled to share my views. I think that county and/or state officials need to take a long hard look at the road design in this area so that further accidents can be avoided.