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Chester County Press

New traffic circle opens in Pocopson

12/19/2014 03:04PM ● By J. Chambless

Traffic is flowing again at the new roundabout on Route 52 in Pocopson Township after nearly a year of construction work

New signs alert drivers to the roundabout.

 

After almost a year of construction, the new traffic circle at the intersection of Route 52, Wawaset Road and Lenape Unionville Road opened without fanfare on the afternoon of Dec. 19.

The Pocopson Township intersection has been redesigned to allow better sightlines and traffic flow. The roundabout is the first one built by PennDOT in the region, at a cost of $2,151,848.35, financed completely with federal funds.

Road-Con Inc., of West Chester, was the general contractor on the project, which began construction in January 2014. The intersection was closed in April.

“The new roundabout will move traffic safely and efficiently between these three roadways by reducing travel speeds, reducing conflict points and making it easier for drivers to choose their route,” PennDOT district executive Lester C. Toaso said in a PennDOT press release.

Adding the roundabout instead of the former three-way intersection was a decision made after research showed that roundabouts offer improved safety over other types of intersections and typically carry about 30 percent more vehicles than similarly sized intersections during peak travel times. Roundabouts also improve pedestrian safety by allowing pedestrians to cross a single lane of slow, one-way traffic at a time.
The project was constructed in three phases. During the first two phases, crews excavated, realigned and widened the approaching roadways. The single-lane roundabout was built during phase three. Crews also built a center island and installed new storm water drainage, pavement markings, lighting and signs. Landscaping will be completed in the spring, according to PennDOT.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, e-mail [email protected].

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