Roundabout projects planned for Freeland are being scuttled while federal grants will be returned because of public opposition.

Last week, Island County commissioners and Public Works staff discussed an April open house event in Freeland that was meant to inform the public and gather comments about three planned roundabouts, which would have been the first on South Whidbey. About 100 people attended the workshop and roundly panned the proposals.

As a result, the commissioners decided not to do the projects at all.

“The citizens are pretty clear they are opposed to this and I just don’t see a reason to shove it down their throats,” Commissioner Melanie Bacon said.

A proposed roundabout on Main Street at East Harbor Road received 40% negative comments and 14% positive. One planned at Main Street at Harbor Avenue received 26% negative and 13% positive thoughts. A third one planned on Layton Road at Harbor Avenue, however, received 38% negative comments and 62% positive.

Of the 52 miscellaneous comments about roundabouts, 71% were negative.

Public Works staff members explained that the county applied for and was awarded a federal road safety grant for the proposed roundabout at the intersection of Main Street at Harbor Avenue, which has a higher than normal number of collisions. The proposals would have been a compact roundabout within the current right-of-way with a pedestrian-friendly raised crosswalk. Documents show that the grant is $877,000 for a $1 million project.

In addition, staff members indicated that they expected the county will likely be awarded another federal grant for a second roundabout.

The county will now have to turn away both of the awards, which can’t be reallocated to other projects.

Bacon said she’s heard from many people who would much rather see roundabouts on Highway 525 at accident-prone intersections, such as the one at Bush Point Road. The county, however, does not have control over a state highway.

Commissioner Jill Johnson questioned how the roundabout projects got so far along when the board was iffy about them and the public doesn’t want them. She pointed out that the community has prioritized other projects, like improving Crawford Road on South Whidbey.

“We chose to spend our time talking about roundabouts that nobody is asking for,” she said.

In an interview, Bacon said county staff has had a tendency over the years to focus on simpler projects while the more complicated ones, like fixing the tide gate on Swan Lake, continually get left behind. She said it’s a pattern commissioners are working to change.

As far as the Freeland roundabouts, Bacon said she’s disappointed that they won’t happen. She said they would have beautified the city and increased safety.

“I am convinced this project won’t go away, but I think it’s premature,” she said.