PEORIA, AZ — At one intersection in Peoria, multiple crashes over just a three-month span at Vistancia Boulevard and Lone Mountain Parkway brought a big community push for change.
An online petition now has over 850 signatures and concerned neighbors contacted our Operation Safe Roads team in November asking for help.
Safety improvements now have the support of the Mayor and City Council which unanimously approved funding to start building a roundabout in the intersection. The report by the city says at Vistancia Boulevard and Lone Mountain Parkway, crashes increased by 375% in 2024 compared to the five-year average.
Cicely Tegler started the petition to change the intersection and also spoke at the December meeting when the roundabout project was approved.
She originally wanted a stop light, but now agrees with the council that a roundabout is the best way forward.
“It’s going to slow down the traffic, so no one will rush to take a left or run the red light," Tegler said. "The crosswalks will be moved back so the pedestrians will have a short distance.”
Kenny Gaddis signed the petition and says crossing the intersection as a pedestrian is scary. At the end of October, his neighbor was hit by a car there and was badly hurt.
"I have young children, one with disabilities," Gaddis said. "It worries us to cross it with him at any time of day. So having a roundabout coming in is exciting news."
There are more than a dozen lanes and only stop signs control traffic flow. Often multiple drivers at once are left to determine who has the right of way.
In the short term, the city re-painted the pedestrian crosswalks to make them more visible to drivers. They're also looking into adding "Crosswalk Buckets" containing brightly colored flags people can hold while crossing the street.
City Councilman Brad Shafer says the change was brought by all community members asking for help, including local students who walk or drive through the intersection daily to get to school.
“That takes courage," Shafer said. "It touched the heart of the mayor and council and we’re moving forward with this. Really just hope this intersection is safe in the future."
The city hopes for construction to begin in the summer of 2025.
Have an Operation Safe Roads problem you want to bring to our attention? Send us an email at roads@abc15.com.