Construction of a roundabout at a busy downtown Whiteville intersection will soon be underway.
The Dept. of Transportation (DOT) announced today that work will begin in March on the roundabout that will replace the stoplight crossing at Lee, Franklin and Madison streets. Work is expected to be completed by December. Highland Paving Co. of Fayetteville is handling the project.
Roughly 16,000 vehicles a day pass through the intersection, according to the DOT.
Roundabouts eliminate traffic lights and reduce idling time, the DOT said in a press release. The state says crashes involving fatalities or injuries are reduced by 79 percent. Drivers approaching a roundabout intersection yield to traffic in the circle, then merge and pull through.
At some point during construction, the contractor will need to temporarily close this intersection and detour traffic onto Lee and Franklin streets and onto Main Street. NCDOT will post those details in advance of the closure at DriveNC.gov; motorists can search under “Columbus County” for real-time updates to local road conditions.
Roundabouts have been installed at the intersection of U.S. 701 and U.S. 75, Peacock’s Crossing near Chadbourn, and Chauncey Town Road and N.C. 214 at Lake Waccamaw. Several more are planned for the county in coming years.
