LUMBERTON – Three rural highway intersections will be improved with roundabouts after the N.C. Department of Transportation won federal grants this fall for reducing carbon emissions.
The state agency will use the grants to build roundabouts at the following locations:
The three projects have a combined estimated cost of $10.2 million, with 80% of that amount to be funded through the federal Carbon Reduction Program. The remaining 20%, or about $2 million, will come from NCDOT funds.
“This is wonderful news as we continue to look for ways to reduce traffic deaths across our county," said Grady Hunt, a member of the N.C. Board of Transportation. “Because these important projects can be expensive, we're grateful to our federal partners for helping us make a real difference in our communities."
Roundabouts have a demonstrated record of reducing crashes involving fatalities or injured drivers or passengers by more than 60%, according to a 2020 study conducted by NCDOT's Traffic Safety Unit.
Hunt, a Pembroke attorney, leads the Robeson County Vision Zero task force that includes elected officials and community leaders seeking to drive down highway deaths.
The grant, which was carved out of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, seeks to reduce travel delays caused by congestion and engine idling. Roundabouts eliminate the traditional stop-and-go nature of a conventional intersection.
These three intersections also warrant roundabouts due to their traffic volumes, crash patterns and current design, such as the five-legged junction of N.C. 130 and N.C. 904.
The three projects still must be designed, and some additional right of way will be needed. The department aims to start construction on them in 2026.
People can learn more about roundabouts, and how to navigate through them, at this NCDOT website.