"R" most finished

Republic receives new roundabout at intersection near middle school
The construction of a new roundabout is finishing up in Republic at the intersection of Hines and Lynn. The roundabout is being placed at an intersection that is deemed dangerous by many in the area according to Garrett Brickner, the assistant BUILDS administrator of Republic. Brickner said that this intersection has been home to many crashes, this is due to the fact that both streets see a high volume of traffic, on top of that many of these cars are turning left.

A high number of left turning cars at four-way intersections is one of the main reasons roundabouts are put in place according to the Federal Department of Transportation or FDOT. Roundabouts have been proven to reduce fatalities by up to 90 percent because it forces drivers to slow down and only allows for a right turn. Left turns are vastly more dangerous than a right turn according to FDOT, this is because the driver has to assess the position of cars at every position of a four-way stop before the turn.

This specific roundabout is east of the Republic Middle School so the increase in safety is incredibly important.

"It was a good candidate for a roundabout intersection improvement,” said Brickner.

The roundabout is estimated to cost about $549,000 according to Brickner, but that doesn’t include the fees required for engineering and right-of-way acquisitions, which should run the city another $250,000. Though this is a large sum, the money is being pulled from a capital improvement sales tax that was passed in the summer of last year.

The construction effort is wrapping up, with the roundabout now brandishing the city's trademark "R" in the center. Currently, there is no set date for completion but the city hopes and expects to have the project completed before the school year begins in August. The intersection is currently closed until the construction is completed