A Dublin traffic roundabout that’s become known for both the speed at which drivers pass through and the numbers of accidents that happen there is getting some updates.
The city’s signature roundabout at state Route 161 and Riverside Drive will be renovated to better accommodate traffic. The city of Dublin says roundabout will be closed from Friday evening to Monday at 5 a.m.
Detours will allow for traffic through the area during the construction.
Once the intersection reopens Saturday morning, northbound drivers will have a new traffic pattern. They will use the left lane to go straight or turn left, the center lane to go straight, and the right lane to turn.
Under the original set up, the left lane was only for drivers turning left and drivers in the middle lane could do straight or turn left.
Along with lane assignment changes, there will be improved pavement markings and signage to more clearly guide drivers.
About 40,000 vehicles a day go through the roundabout. It was a signature piece of Dublin’s Bridge Street redevelopment, which included the realignment of Riverside Drive. At a cost of $23 million, the roundabout opened two years ago.
Roundabouts are generally considered safer alternatives to traditional intersections because they lower the risk for direct-impact collisions.
The state Route 161-Riverside intersection was one of Dublin’s top three crash location intersections for a number of years and the roundabout was expected to cut down on accidents, but it led to a sharp increase in the number of crashes.
