Travelling in a circle is officially the way to go on Queen’s Line west of Chatham now, as the roundabout on that roadway is now open.
The roundabout, which impacts the intersection of Queen’s Line and Merlin Road, was to open Sept. 26.
The change to the intersection, which had just featured stop signs in both directions on Merlin Road, now features the single-lane roundabout, changes to the approaches to the intersection and rehabilitation to the Queen’s Line Bridge just west of the intersection over Government Drain No. 1.
Huron Construction did the job with a budget of about $6 million.
Municipal officials said the new roundabout was recommended following safety studies and has been built to accommodate larger vehicles, including transport trucks and farm equipment, consistent with other rural single-lane roundabouts in Ontario.
It features a mountable curb and concrete apron on the inside, as well as a mountable curb and paved shoulder at the entries and exits, providing additional driveable width for oversized vehicles.
“From a traffic safety perspective, roundabouts are proven to reduce both the frequency and severity of collisions,” municipal officials claimed in a media release. “Unlike conventional intersections, roundabouts have fewer conflict points and promote lower-speed, angled movements, significantly reducing the risk of right-angle and high-speed collisions.”
The project included road improvements along the approaches to the new intersection, replacement of guiderail, realignment of underground services, and grading improvements.
“The municipality thanks motorists and residents for their patience during this critical work,” said Marissa Mascaro Amyotte, director of engineering services, for the municipality. “
The intersection was closed at times during the lengthy construction period, and Merlin Road traffic was impacted the most.
The Municipality is currently undertaking design work for landscaping and art installation in the centre island of the roundabout. This work is expected to be completed next spring.
What is the Final Cost?
$6.6M, which includes the bridge rehab.
why the fuck do we even need this? weve gone years without and been fine. how about spending our money on things that actually benifit the people living here? that would be nice.
That intersection has been especially bad for half a century you don’t know what you’re talking about
waste of money