By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

Photo by Morgan Pilz
Several charts explaining what traffic circles are and why they could be beneficial are set up inside the Assateague Room in the Ocean Pines Community Center during a special town hall meeting regarding a conceptual roundabout on Thursday, July 11.

(July 18, 2019) The only certainty regarding the proposed roundabout at the North Gate of Ocean Pines is the State Highway Administration’s uncertainty about how to proceed following a two-hour community meeting last Thursday that failed to produce any kind of consensus.

Nearly 200 people attended the informal town hall meeting in the Assateague Room at the Ocean Pines Community Center, where state highway officials heard the objections and attempted to answer the questions of property owners concerned about the possibility of circular connector between Ocean Parkway and Route 589.

Even though, few doubters were converted, it seemed, District Engineer Jay Meredith characterized the meeting as successful.

“I think that it was successful because a lot of people had an opportunity to ask questions,” Meredith said. “We had our staff here to provide answers and we also have comment cards that people can supply additional questions and our goal here was try to get people to understand more about roundabouts and how they work and why it would be successful there.

“A lot of people don’t like change, so they were not receptive to that, but we had a lot of people who were,” he continued. “Everybody was fairly reasonable with their concerns and questions.”

Meredith emphasized, however, that the roundabout concept was just that … an idea without a real plan.

“It’s not funded for construction,” Meredith said. “We’re not going to be out there building it. We’re going to have to evaluate all the comments and concerns that people had and sit down and try to analyze all that to decide whether there’s a better option or whether we just don’t do anything at all. It’s hard to say what direction we’ll go in.”

Some homeowners liked the question-and-answer session and others shrugged it off as an incomplete meeting about a traffic engineering idea that won’t work as advertised.

“I thought it was very informational,” homeowner Susan Sewell said. “I thought they answered the questions completely. I think it’s a great idea that we all got some input into the idea that they have. So, hopefully, they take our ideas and take a look at them, revisit them, and go from there.”

Others contended that, while roundabout might have worked in other areas, the circumstance in Ocean Pines might dictate otherwise.

“I think that they’ve got an idea in their minds that should work because it’s worked in other places. However, I don’t think they have taken the demographics of OP into complete consideration,” homeowner Judy Neustadt said.

“After I’ve spoken with the gentlemen, they are going to look at that … I think that [the traffic circle] would not serve the purpose that they think it will. Traffic gets backed up on 589 and having a roundabout isn’t going to let people out of Ocean Pines any easier than the traffic light does.”

Others were even more disappointed and demanded a formal meeting and presentation. Elections Committee Board Member Ginger Sutula and former members of the board of directors, Slobodan Trendic, asked homeowners to sign a petition demanding a formal meeting with the SHA representatives.

As of earlier this week, the team had collected over 200 signatures.

“What we want is enough to make it known that the community is not happy with not being consulted,” Sutula said. “It’s not so much even about the roundabout, it’s the not consulting us of what’s the best way of doing that. We want other options.”

Trendic agreed, especially since other options were not really offered before or during the meeting, he said.

“I believe the meeting itself, first of all, was not suitable for the audience,” Trendic said. “I believe a formal public hearing with a formal presentation by MDOT representatives would have been more informative, more transparent and effective and, hopefully, would have provided the information that the community really wants to have.

“What other options have they considered,” Trendic asked. “If there were [others], why were they ignored? I believe the petition is asking the community to get involved and, if successful, we will present the results to the MDOT officials and … that will lead to more interactive dialogue in a formal setting where the answers can be provided.”

Sutula did offer an alternative approach that included widening 589 at the  North Gate and installing a U-turn signal with a center lane coming in from PRMC, located right next to the North Gate.

“Make it a U-turn demand-only lane that they can do a U-turn right in front of there,” Sutula said. “Then they wouldn’t have to go into Ocean Pines and go a U-turn to go around and wait for the light again. That to me seems cheaper than putting in a roundabout.”

Despite the criticism, Meredith said the roundabout had been the best option, although with enough disapproval, the project might not move forward.

“If we bring several options to the table but one that’s really the best option, we don’t want to bring these other options because they just create more confusion and dissention,” Meredith said. “An alternative might be we put it on hold for now and don’t do anything for a while. We have to see how it all shakes out … nothing has been decided yet.”