Construction Under Way on US 60 'Mini-Roundabout' at Farmers Near Bath-Rowan Line
Part of $600,000 highway safety project
FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (April 5, 2021) – Construction's under way on a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet highway safety project to replace the US 60-KY 801 intersection near the Bath-Rowan county line with a mini-roundabout.
Contractors are currently working on drainage, lighting, and other parts of the intersection, and expect to begin pavement changes next week, the week of April 12. Construction will take about two weeks, weather permitting.
During construction, motorists on US 60 and KY 801 should watch for lane changes, lane closures, and flagged traffic. No road closures are planned, but traffic impacts could take place 24-hours a day at times. Delays can be expected.
The mini-roundabout is part of a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) project along US 60 at Farmers.
Despite flashing beacons, oversized stop signs, and rumble strips, the existing four-way-stop intersection at KY 801 has a history of high-speed, T-bone (right angle), and other types of severe crashes.
An engineering study showed a roundabout-style traffic flow would be the most viable safety alternative because merging traffic promotes slow speeds and decreases the number of places where traffic crosses paths – as compared to right-angle crossings at signals or stop signs – thereby helping to reduce severe crashes. The yield condition of roundabouts also provides more efficient traffic flow as it keeps cars moving.
Because the crossroads is the entrance to the popular Cave Run Lake recreation area, engineers chose a mini-roundabout design – a style of roundabout that has a low-profile, easily driveable center island that can be used by RVs, campers, and boat trailers, as well as tractor trailers, when making turns.
Also, a mini-roundabout's smaller footprint does not require additional right of way or property. After construction, the resulting intersection will be the same size as the existing intersection.
Work on the mini-roundabout is being done under a $617,492.45 Transportation Cabinet contract awarded to Walker Construction and Materials LLC.
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