Work begins on Lexington, Route W roundabout

Work began Monday on a roundabout at the intersection at Lexington Avenue and Route W. Missouri Department of Transportation officials say the circular intersection will be safer, cause less congestion and cost less to maintain than typical traffic signals.

Roundabouts have been shown to reduce fatal and injury accidents by as much as 76 percent in the United States, 75 percent in Australia and 86 percent in Great Britain, according to Nicole S. Thieret, customer relations manager for MoDOT, pointing to data from RoundaboutsUSA.

"The reduction in accidents is attributed to slower speeds and reduced number of conflict points in comparison to a standard 4-way intersection," the website for RoundaboutsUSA said. RoundaboutsUSA collects information about roundabout projects in the United States.

The roundabout will include pedestrian refuges and be safer for walkers because of reduced vehicle speeds, and will create fewer delays than traffic signals, Thieret said.

In considering the roundabout versus a typical signal, she said there is not enough distance between the proposed site and the signal at Lexington Avenue and Mount Auburn Road to provide adequate "left-turn storage" for such a heavily-traveled area.

No matter what control is used at a busy intersection, there's still a chance for crashes, said Darin Hickey, public information officer for the Cape Girardeau Police Department. He said the police department will work as usual to ensure safety for travelers. Current accident statistics for the intersection were not available Monday, but in February 2012, former police chief Carl Kinnison said there had been 20 during the previous two years.

In addition to safety reasons, Thieret said the design is smart from a cost standpoint. Roundabouts eliminate signal maintenance, which can amount to about $3,500 per year, per intersection, she said. In addition, about $1,500 per year, per intersection in electricity charges will be saved, she said.

The project will add dual left-turn lanes from Mount Auburn Road to Kingshighway, from Kingshighway to Lexington Avenue and from Lexington Avenue to Kingshighway. A right-turn-only lane will be added from Kingshighway to Lexington Avenue and a second lane will be added to Lexington Avenue from Kingshighway east to Abbey Road. Signal improvements will be made at the Kingshighway intersection.

The roundabout design will be the first of its kind in the state. It has two lanes, but only for parts of its circumference. To travel all the way around, drivers will need to move into the inside lane, but it is possible to exit the circle from the inside or the outside lanes.

The center of the roundabout will contain a grassy area, according to David McMullin, vice president of Fronabarger Concreters Inc. of Oak Ridge, which was awarded the $1,465,295 contract last month.

McMullin said crews are moving materials in this week and passers-by should expect to see construction begin next week. The entire project is slated for completion by the beginning of October, but McMullin said he expects to finish ahead of schedule.

Kingsway Drive at Lexington Avenue closed Monday and will be closed throughout construction, McMullin said. Lexington Avenue will stay open through construction. Route W will be closed at some point for approximately one week.

McMullin asked that drivers drive slowly and be cautious as they approach and drive through the construction site.

Fronabarger completed the downtown Cape Girardeau Broadway Corridor Enhancement Project in 2012 and built a roundabout of similar size in Blomeyer, north of Chaffee, Mo.

The city of Cape Girardeau will pay approximately half of the project's cost, according to city engineer Casey Brunke.

Construction updates will be released throughout the course of the project, Thieret said. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636.

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

Lexington Avenue and Kingsway Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.