This morning, the City of Sonoma installed a temporary roundabout at the intersection of Third Street West and Perkins Street, a primarily residential area. I have spoken out against this project since October 2025 to the Traffic Safety Committee and City Council.
This project is unnecessary, a waste of money, and potentially dangerous. Supposedly, it is to accommodate bicycle traffic, but from my observations, not enough bicycles go by to warrant such an intrusion. I have lived on that corner for over 30 years and am very familiar with the traffic patterns: buses, delivery trucks, USPS, UPS, Shred It, Amazon, Fed Ex, and more. Those large vehicles have to practically swerve up on the sidewalk to go around. Despite the concerns for pedestrians and people on electric wheelchairs trying to cross the streets with no painted crosswalks, the City has proceeded and will be installing a permanent roundabout later this year. I hope no one gets hurt.
Drive by, take a look, and express your concerns to the Traffic Safety Committee, the Public Works Director, and the City Council.
— Loretta Carr, Sonoma
I couldn’t believe it when I saw the “roundabout” signs on W 3rd Street – surely it was just a road repair with weird signs; that location is too off-path and minor to be the site of a REAL roundabout! The Kremlin (the source of roundabouts, since they totally confuse us Americanski’s) usually hits more well-known streets. I hope Sonoma is ready for the massive increase in traffic – there will be crowds to admire such a construction, and all the tour buses (not to mention delivery vehicles, fire trucks, and satellite news trucks) will have to be routed by! And that area is already designated for PTBREB1’s (Pre-Teen Boys Riding Electric Bikes on 1 wheel), so it’s gonna be a site. And to think we saw it built!
Mark Williamson – a couple of blocks away; I’m going to set up a drink stand.
Good Lord, who is getting a kickback for installing these everywhere? Heavy traffic intersections, I get it. Keep them out of residential aress.
Such a bad idea, unnecessary, expensive and hazardas. Who in the world thought this in the middle of a residentail area good idea? The money needs to be spent on homelessness and making sure our students are properly educated. NO!