© 2012 NCSU Student Media
The roundabout is about to get downsized.
The roundabout on Hillsborough Street next to the Belltower will undergo a lane reduction, from two lanes to one, this summer as the city of Raleigh attempts to improve safety.
The reduction of lanes will cost the city $10,500 and construction will end before school starts in August.
In the past 20 months, the Raleigh Police Department reported more than 100 crashes at the roundabout. This alternative to the traditional stoplight has been a topic of contention since the Hillsborough Street renovations in 2009.
The project is part of the ongoing construction and renovation of Hillsborough Street, with repaving and remarking taking place from the Morgan Street roundabout to the former chancellor’s residence, and repaving between Dixie Trail and Gardner Street.
Tim Sudano , public works project engineer of the original traffic circle, said the city didn’t foresee safety issues during the design of the project and doesn’t understand why drivers are having problems.
“It’s hard to look into the future when you’re building it,” Sudano said. “We put out fliers to educate the public, and to be honest…I never had a problem navigating the circle.”
Wolfline transit will not face major changes with the traffic adjustments, according to Brian O’Sullivan, transportation assistant director of planning and operations. He cited more Wolfline problems during the construction phase of the roundabout vis-Ã -vis the current state of the traffic circle.
“If you’ve driven it, some folks seem to not get the system down, and some drivers seem confused, but it’s well signed,” O’Sullivan said. “Maybe a single lane around will eliminate confusion, as long as folks are yielding more.”
Hillsborough Street retailers and restaurants do not predict the construction to affect business, according to Jeff Murison , the executive director of the Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation.
“We hope the project will improve the safety of Hillsborough Street dramatically after considerable review,” Murison said. “It will be moderately disruptive for a moment, but we’ll have long-term positive implications for the street.”
Until the end of the lane reduction this summer, Raleigh drivers will need to mind the two lanes and construction-and each other.