New roundabout coming soon to Lakebottom Park - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

New roundabout coming soon to Lakebottom Park

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COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) -

After nearly two years of discussion the roundabout project near Lakebottom Park will move full steam ahead.     

Tuesday, Columbus City Council approved a $300,000 contract to move forward with construction on the roundabout. It will be placed in the Lakebottom Park area near St. Elmo School and St. Elmo Place.

Traffic Engineering Manager Ron Hamlett says, "We have had problems with traffic control -people that are going around [to the] right, go too fast around the curb and people who try to go north on 18th Avenue don't even touch their brakes at the stop sign."

Sandy Dawson owns a costume shop across from where the roundabout will be built. She says the intersection is a danger and while construction will be inconvenient it will be well worth it when the roundabout is finished.

"Right now it's hard to tell who has the right of way unless you read the manual from the driver's license department," says Dawson.

According to traffic records, there have been nine accidents at that intersection in the last five years. City Manager Donna Newman says the new roundabout will hopefully change those statistics.

"It's a lot of school children in the area. We are going to improve the safety for the pedestrian traffic in that area as well."

The roundabout is similar to the 13 others in Columbus and will allow cars to drive into a circular interchange and pick their desired street. The new roundabout will be what is called a peanut shape and have four entrance and exit points.

The project is expected to start in the next two weeks and will be finished within three to six months.

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