Blue Springs, Mo. – The City of Blue Springs is alerting motorists that the intersection at Woods Chapel Road and Walnut Street will transition to a roundabout on Tuesday, December 23.
“We are excited to transition this intersection into a roundabout,” said Mayor Carson Ross. “That being said, we will all need to learn how to navigate through a new traffic pattern. Please give yourselves a few extra minutes for your first commute through the newly configured intersection.”
A roundabout is an intersection that accommodates traffic flow in one direction counterclockwise around a central circular island. Roundabouts can reduce conflict points commonly seen at traditional intersections from 20 to eight and can decrease the possibility of crashes as much as 75 percent. In Missouri, St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia and Springfield all have roundabouts.
How a Roundabout Works
• As drivers approach a roundabout they slow down and yield to traffic already circulating. This keeps vehicles from clogging up the circle, and it allows vehicles to enter when there is an opening
• When a gap in traffic appears on the left, drivers enter the roundabout by turning right and following the circle until reaching their exit
• Splitter islands and lane stripes help keep traffic moving in the right direction
Tips for Using a Roundabout
• Slow down before you enter the roundabout
• Yield to all traffic already in the roundabout
• Only enter in front of a vehicle already in the roundabout if you have enough space to do so safely
• Vehicle speeds should be 20 mph or less
• Vehicles in the roundabout do NOT yield to entering traffic
• If you miss the exit, DO NOT STOP! Simply travel around the circle again and exit on the appropriate road.
• Do not block emergency vehicles
The motorist entry to Old Mill Park will reopen as a result of the new Walnut Street and Woods Chapel Road intersection configuration.
Phase II of Woods Chapel Road will continue through the winter with crews installing new water and sewer lines adjacent to the road. Once the weather breaks in the spring, work will begin in earnest to reach substantial completion in fall 2015. Substantial completion is the point when the road is fully open to traffic. Final completion is expected in spring 2016 when the last landscape pieces are planted and final cleanup is performed.
Woods Chapel Road will remain open throughout the course of the project but motorists should expect construction-related delays. For both the safety of construction workers and drivers, we urge commuters to be cautious in work zones.
For more information, contact the Public Works Engineering Division at (816) 228-0121 or Amino Brothers Company, Inc. at (913) 334-2330.
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