Public Meeting on Roundabouts Set for Wednesday

After a and more than 75 percent of voters “no way” in , it’s clear Sussex Patch readers don’t want to see roundabouts along Main Street.

Now that the public has seen the designs, Sussex wants to hear what they think. Concerned residents are invited to the on Wednesday anytime between 4 to 7 p.m. to share their thoughts and feelings on the designs. The project managers will be giving three, hour-long presentations to fit into as many schedules as possible, so come at either 4, 5, or 6 p.m.

The village is extremely interested in feedback from residents, but it seems to be clear which way the public is leaning. People like longtime resident Margee Claudon commented on explaining her frustrations.

“After living in Sussex for 13 years, I have never noticed a ‘traffic problem,’” Claudon wrote. “In this economy, it doesn't make sense to spend all of this extra money. It's also going to kill the businesses on Main Street if they tie up the road with lots of construction. People will just go to Pick N Save instead of the Pig to save the hassle.”

"It's also going to kill the businesses on Main Street if they tie up the road with lots of construction."

The owner of , Dennis Lipofski, says he’s already been getting complaints about possible roundabouts, according to the Sussex Sun. Lipofski said he’s worried he could lose customers if the new street designs are implemented.

Feedback like Lipofski’s is exactly what Sussex officials are looking for. Melissa Weiss, the assistant to the village administrator, said Sussex sent out invitations to the property owners on Main Street so they know to attend Wednesday's meeting and raise concerns.

While it will eventually be up to the Village Board to decide on the street’s design, the members will take the publics' comments into serious consideration when making the final decision. However, staff still agrees roundabouts are the safest options when controlling Main Street traffic.

"If it were just about traffic, yes, it would be roundabouts, but it is much bigger than that," said Village Administrator Jeremy Smith.

Editor's Note: Want to learn more about the Main Street Reconstruction project? Visit Patch's page outlining all the details.