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E. Marlborough to start roundabout construction in June

The intersection at Doe Run and Unionville Roads is about to get a long overdue facelift.

And according to East Marlborough township manager Jane Laslo, the sooner the better.

"Traffic there has certainly become an issue there at this point," Laslo said.

The ever-increasing flow of traffic to and from the nearby schools is likely to continue to increase, and it is the main reason for the upgrade. The project, set to begin on June 15 and continue throughout the summer until school resumes August 27, will reconfigure the current intersection into a roundabout rather than another stop light.

In a phone interview late last week, Laslo recounted the details of the upcoming project and the reasoning behind the decision to go with the roundabout and not a traffic signal, being careful to avoid using the term "traffic circle."

"We don't call them that anymore," Laslo said. "Traffic circles have a negative mindset. And traffic circles are typically much larger; we have limited space here."

The most intense construction will occur very early in the project, where the roads will be completely shut down to relocate a utility pole to a section that is currently still part of the roadway. During this phase, detours will be in place to keep things moving. Ultimately, the roadways will be shifted slightly to the south and east where they enter the single lane roundabout. This will, according to Laslo, move vehicles along "more methodically" than a traffic signal, since the roundabout can handle "more traffic more efficiently."

"A traffic signal was investigated," Laslo said. "Ultimately, projections estimated that a traffic signal would have a 10 to 15-year life cycle, [whereas] the roundabout could have a 40 to 50-year cycle. And of course that depends on the pace of development."

The township met with everyone from school officials and community groups to the bus drivers themselves (who are more than familiar with the current traffic problems) when exploring options for the intersection. Laslo feels that the roundabout solution, however, was the wisest decision when considering their safety history.

"You just don't see fatalities in a roundabout," Laslo said. "You might get a few fender benders while people learn to navigate it, but the fact is you just aren't moving fast enough to cause a major accident."

The roundabout was designed by the township in conjunction with engineering firm Traffic Planning and Design. The project is estimated to cost just under $350,000.