ARLINGTON -- State transportation officials are proposing an unusual safety measure to alleviate problems at an intersection in front of the Starmont school campus.

The site where state highways 3 and 187 converge is being studied for a possible roundabout, a rare traffic feature in Iowa.

A roundabout routes traffic around a center island, slowing motorists to about 20 mph. The slower speed and circular motion reduce the chance of dangerous head-on or T-bone collisions possible with perpendicular intersections, said Dave Little, assistant district engineer with the Iowa Department of Transportation in Mason City.

The DOT picked the location because of overall concerns about traffic near rural schools.

"It's an attempt on our part to get out in front of the issue and be proactive," Little said.

Various factors, including a number of young, inexperienced drivers and high traffic times, create dangerous driving conditions. Though the intersection near Starmont isn't as dangerous as others, Little said the roundabout will address some of the problems seen there.

Superintendent Gary Stumberg said the existing intersection has witnessed several accidents. Traffic traveling north or south on Iowa Highway 187 must stop, while motorists pass going east or west on Iowa Highway 3. Many times drivers on Highway 187 pull out in front of other vehicles, even though the intersection has no blind spots, Stumberg said.

School administrators and board members like the idea of a roundabout because the design would slow traffic considerably in all directions while drivers navigate the circle.

"It probably won't make the intersection accident-free. But what it might certainly do is -- even if there is an accident -- it would be conducted at such a low speed that it would eliminate the injury possibility in an accident situation," Stumberg said.

A roundabout installed at a rural intersection in in Minnesota produced results, according to the Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State University. Prior to construction, authorities reported two fatal accidents and nearly 50 collisions. After the installation, only one accident occurred and that involved a motorcyclist traveling too fast

Little said no plans are drawn yet for a roundabout, however. Possibilities for the intersection near Starmont include wider turn lanes.

DOT officials want to gauge public opinion on the issue and hear alternatives before making a decision. They will hold a meeting at 5 p.m. Jan. 31 in the cafeteria at Starmont.

A dozen roundabouts have been installed in Iowa, though they are entirely in urban areas, like Coralville, Des Moines and Bettendorf.

In Black Hawk County, a rural roundabout is proposed for the intersection of Raymond Road and Independence Avenue, also known as Iowa Highway 281, in Black Hawk County. That intersection is identified as one of the deadliest in the state.

Richard King, Black Hawk County engineer, said the intersection was one of six recommended by the county to the DOT for improvement. Development of the plan has taken more than 18 months, King said.

If Black Hawk County approves the roundabout, $800,000 from state and federal transportation agencies will be available for the project. The work would also include repaving and widening about 3,600 feet of road leading to the intersection in all directions, King said. The overall cost of the project will be about $1.3 million.

A public hearing on the proposal will begin at 9:15 a.m. Jan. 30 in the Black Hawk County board room.

Contact Josh Nelson at (319) 291-1565 or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.

Learn more about it:

For information on roundabouts or the public forum at Starmont High School, call the Iowa Department of Transportation at (800) 477-4368 or visit the Web site at www.dot.state.ia.us/roundabouts.htm.