Calabasas Council awards West Calabasas Road roundabout contract, cites safety and regional funding
April 08, 2026 | Las Virgenes Unified, School Districts, California
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The Calabasas City Council on a 5-0 vote approved awarding the construction contract for the West Calabasas Road Roundabout to Sully Miller Contracting Company, aiming to reduce collision severity, add sidewalks and improve large-vehicle navigation at the intersection of West Calabasas Road and Morro Road.
City engineering staff and consultant M and S presented the project as part of the West Calabasas Road Master Plan. Sam Potts, senior project engineer for M and S, said the roundabout will introduce splitter islands and slower entry speeds to reduce T-bone crashes and improve pedestrian crossings and stormwater handling. “We're able to ease a lot of these conflicts and reduce them,” Potts said during the presentation.
Jay (city staff) told the council that the majority of project funding comes from Metro Measure M and that no general fund dollars will be used. He said the city will use Measure M first and rely on the ad valorem fund largely as contingency; any cost overruns would first be routed back to Metro for potential amendment before using local contingency.
A public commenter with civil engineering experience, Bill Cunningham, supported the design and said the roundabout will reduce instances of car carriers getting stuck in the existing median and blocking traffic.
Council discussion focused on safety evidence, alternative options and cost. Councilmembers asked staff to provide links to federal and local studies on pedestrian safety and roundabout operations; staff agreed to post additional materials on the project website and to include information at the city'staffed Earth Day table.
Councillors also discussed the bid spread disclosed in the presentation: staff noted low bids in the roughly $5.9'$6.5 million range and a higher outlier bid around $8.5 million; councilmembers said the low and second-low bids were close enough to proceed.
Some councilmembers questioned why the county, whose residents and through-traffic benefit from the intersection, did not contribute; staff said Metro is providing regional funds and that formal requests to the county could be made but were not pursued prior to contract award. Staff also noted Caltrans encroachment requirements for limited state right-of-way included in project costs.
The council approved the contract award by voice vote, recorded as 5-0 in favor. Construction is expected to follow city outreach and contractor coordination on closures, traffic impacts and schedule.
The council'approved award is the first phase of a sequence of corridor improvements intended to align with the city's 2030 General Plan circulation element and to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians along Calabasas Road.
City engineering staff and consultant M and S presented the project as part of the West Calabasas Road Master Plan. Sam Potts, senior project engineer for M and S, said the roundabout will introduce splitter islands and slower entry speeds to reduce T-bone crashes and improve pedestrian crossings and stormwater handling. “We're able to ease a lot of these conflicts and reduce them,” Potts said during the presentation.
Jay (city staff) told the council that the majority of project funding comes from Metro Measure M and that no general fund dollars will be used. He said the city will use Measure M first and rely on the ad valorem fund largely as contingency; any cost overruns would first be routed back to Metro for potential amendment before using local contingency.
A public commenter with civil engineering experience, Bill Cunningham, supported the design and said the roundabout will reduce instances of car carriers getting stuck in the existing median and blocking traffic.
Council discussion focused on safety evidence, alternative options and cost. Councilmembers asked staff to provide links to federal and local studies on pedestrian safety and roundabout operations; staff agreed to post additional materials on the project website and to include information at the city'staffed Earth Day table.
Councillors also discussed the bid spread disclosed in the presentation: staff noted low bids in the roughly $5.9'$6.5 million range and a higher outlier bid around $8.5 million; councilmembers said the low and second-low bids were close enough to proceed.
Some councilmembers questioned why the county, whose residents and through-traffic benefit from the intersection, did not contribute; staff said Metro is providing regional funds and that formal requests to the county could be made but were not pursued prior to contract award. Staff also noted Caltrans encroachment requirements for limited state right-of-way included in project costs.
The council approved the contract award by voice vote, recorded as 5-0 in favor. Construction is expected to follow city outreach and contractor coordination on closures, traffic impacts and schedule.
The council'approved award is the first phase of a sequence of corridor improvements intended to align with the city's 2030 General Plan circulation element and to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians along Calabasas Road.
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