Plans for casino will have some Four Staters driving in circles
Posted by Jeff Stensland: March 13, 2008 06:57 PM CDT, KOAM-TV website, Pittsburg, KS

A new roundabout is planned to deal with a potential traffic danger. It would create a safer intersection by slowing traffic in a one lane circle. The intersection of US-400 and Highway 66, west of Riverton, Kansas has seen several serious and fatal accidents over the years.

Officials with the Kansas Department of Transportation says a roundabout is better than a signal in that traffic can always be moving, but at a slower pace. The already busy highway is expected to see more traffic with area growth, and the opening of a destination casino in the area.

County Commissioner Rodney Edmondson says the idea of a roundabout is new to the area, but it should greatly reduce accidents in the area. "I think there probably is some foresight in that area," Commissioner Edmondson says. "A roundabout will slow traffic down but keep it flowing. It will handle high volumes of traffic without stop-and-go traffic."

Work is expected to begin in early April, with a detour ready by July. The entire project could be finished as early as November. To learn more about roundabouts, a guide is provided by the Kansas Department of Transportation: http://www.ksdot.org/burTrafficEng/Roundabouts/roundabout.asp