RIDOT Opening Centerville, Toll Gate, Gilbane Street Roundabout Wednesday

WARWICK, RI — RIDOT plans to open another roundabout at the intersection of Route 117 (Centerville Road), Route 115 (Toll Gate Road) and Gilbane Street Wednesday as the Apponaug Circulator Project advances on time and on budget.                            

Tomorrow, the traffic signal governing travel through the intersection will be removed, and the roundabout system will take effect.

While the new roundabout will be open to traffic, components will remain under construction. The roundabout will not be in its final configuration until RIDOT completes other components of the Circulator Project, including the new Veterans Memorial Drive Extension. When that work ends in early Fall, two-way traffic will begin between the five planned roundabouts.

In case you’re still not sure how to handle the change on Wednesday, don’t worry: The state of Michigan has put together an instructional video to show drivers how to navigate roundabouts:

RIDOT has been incorporating roundabouts into its intersection improvement projects throughout the state wherever possible. In these intersections, traffic flows one way around a center island, with those entering the circle yielding to traffic already in the roundabout. There are no traffic signals.

Roundabouts have been proven to reduce fatalities by 90 percent, and greatly reduce injuries and the severity of crashes. With their lower speeds, these intersections are safer for pedestrians, cyclists, older drivers and novice drivers. Roundabouts are also less expensive to operate in the long term as compared with conventional intersections since they do not have the maintenance or electricity costs associated with signalized intersections – an average savings of about $5,000 per year, per intersection. More information on roundabouts, including tips on using roundabouts, is available atwww.dot.ri.gov/roundabouts.