City puts 'pause' on developing three roundabout projects

City officials have “paused” development of plans to build modern roundabouts at three Toledo intersections while they conduct “further review and community engagement” about the projects.

The proposed locations are at Central and Detroit avenues in central Toledo, Main Street and Starr Avenue in East Toledo, and Secor Road and Kenwood Boulevard in West Toledo. The latter would be built as part of a broader plan to add a median along Secor between Central and Kenwood to tackle collisions involving left turns at nearby cross streets and driveways, including entrances to the Westgate Village shopping plaza.

The city announced the “pause” with a posting to its website and its mailchimp account.

In that statement, officials remarked that roundabouts are “highly effective” at improving traffic safety for both vehicles and pedestrians as well as improving traffic flow and reducing pollution, travel delays, and maintenance costs compared to “traditional intersections.”

All three of the targeted intersections now have traffic lights.

During public meetings about them, however, certain residents have objected to roundabouts, largely on the grounds drivers consider them confusing — particularly regarding when and to what degree drivers should yield to other traffic — and that they are also difficult for pedestrians and bicyclists to navigate.

“We remain fiercely committed to improving transportation safety for all residents,” the statement said. “However, we have heard the concerns from residents and members of [Toledo] City Council regarding the proposed locations of these roundabouts.”

The city’s posted plans listed a 2025 construction start for Central and Detroit, 2026 for Secor Road including the Kenwood roundabout, and 2027 for the Main and Starr roundabout, which is listed as a component of work to repave Main between Starr and Front Street and rebuild Front between Main and I-280 with streetscape elements.

“Roundabouts remain an important part of Toledo’s future infrastructure planning, but we recognize the need for greater public understanding and dialogue around these projects,” officials wrote. “Our next step will focus on education and outreach to ensure that residents have the information they need to understand the benefits of roundabouts and how they fit into our broader transportation strategy.”

Further detail about how long the planned review might take was not immediately available Monday.