Construction to start on Fitzgerald’s first roundabout
FITZGERALD – A contractor is expected to begin work soon on Fitzgerald’s first roundabout, which is intended to reduce the number and severity of crashes at State Route (SR) 90 and Lower Rebecca Road.
Clearing at the site could begin at the end of September or beginning of October. Construction is estimated to take 18 months.
Traffic at the existing intersection is controlled with stop signs on Lower Rebecca Road. SR 90 cross traffic does not stop. Of seven crashes reported at the intersection between January 2014 and December 2018, two resulted in injuries and one was fatal.
Installation of a roundabout typically results in a nearly 80 percent reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes and almost 40 percent reduction in property damage crashes. Everyone is traveling in the same direction and at a lower speed in a roundabout. If a crash occurs, it is generally rear end or sideswipe in nature. The more severe left-hand, right-angle (T-bone) and head-on crashes are virtually eliminated by a roundabout.
The single lane roundabout will be 130 feet in diameter and will accommodate all sizes of vehicles. It will have a truck apron, which is a raised section of concrete around the central island. The back wheels of larger vehicles such as buses or semi trucks, can ride up on the apron to easily make the turn. The roundabout will include accommodations for pedestrians.
