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Construction to ameliorate traffic congestion at the Gilman Street exit of Interstate 80 is still some two years away, but the City of Berkeley hopes two “roundabouts” will fix the traffic problem by the end of 2002. 

The plan is to install a modern roundabout solution to control Gilman Street at the intersections with Eastshore Highway, the West Frontage Road, and on- and off-ramps for northbound and southbound I-80. Only in the preliminary stages of planning, the city is anticipating building roundabouts, but has not yet determined what the final result will be. 

This will be a joint effort between Caltrans and the City of Berkeley. 

“It has been much needed,” Councilmember Dona Spring said. “That is a dangerous traffic congestion where four or five major streets converge onto the freeway and there is confusion about who is supposed to go first.” 

The city just received a $100,000 grant from Caltrans to do preliminary design and environmental analysis projects. The City Council is expected to pass a resolution to secure this grant at Tuesday’s meeting. 

Spring said she is pleased that the grant has been awarded, since it will free up money to build a mural dedicated to Cesar Chavez and Doris Adurta at that location, a plan of hers that