Council directs staff to advance rehabilitation of 10th and Main roundabout after safety and cost briefing

The Stillwater City Council voted 4–1 on May 18 to direct staff to advance a plan to rehabilitate the roundabout at 10th Avenue and Main Street rather than convert the intersection to a four‑way stop.

Bill Milis, the city’s director of engineering, said staff had asked Ghost & Associates to prepare a conceptual cost and evaluation comparing the two alternatives. Consultant Steven Ghost described options that would retain the roundabout’s outer dimensions while replacing failing pavement, adding upgraded striping and signage, installing solar-powered embedded pavement markers and new planter stone to better match downtown aesthetics. The four‑way stop alternative would require pulling back curbs and full pavement replacement, Ghost said.

Ghost presented a conceptual cost comparison and told the council the two options produced materially different demolition and paving costs; the slide indicated a several‑hundred‑thousand‑dollar difference and included a line saying one option was roughly $174,000 different from the other. Ghost and staff said the figures were conceptual and would be refined during design and after bid openings.

Residents and business owners who addressed the council largely urged keeping or enlarging the roundabout. "I’m a huge proponent of keeping it," Evan Frank said during public comment, calling the feature effective at calming downtown traffic. Bobby Winel cited published safety statistics and told the council roundabouts reduce severe crash types; Stone Lambert and Cory Williams also said the roundabout slows traffic and benefits pedestrian safety and downtown businesses.

Council members questioned staff about pedestrian detection, statue and island lighting, and truck routing. Staff said the city would install solar ground lights and enhanced striping in either option and add signage to discourage truck traffic on Main Street; enforcement also was discussed as a complementary measure.

Council discussion reflected differing tastes and priorities: one councilor said the existing roundabout was poorly sited and favored removal, while others cited safety, community character and cost as reasons to keep and rehabilitate it. After a motion and second to advance the roundabout option, the council voted in favor 4–1.

Next steps, as stated by staff, will be to proceed with design work and return to council to request authorization once construction bids are received.