The project called for a major traffic change, replacing a congested signal-controlled intersection in a primary commercial corridor with a three-lane roundabout.

The plan had to meet strict technical and safety requirements and the concerns of local residents unused to such a roadway configuration. An extensive outreach program before and during construction helped familiarize seniors, first responders, local officials and other groups with the roundabout’s design and function, which contractor Allan Myers says helped to turn project skeptics into supporters.

With two existing, outmoded bridges slated for removal, the project team made a successful case to the Virginia Dept. of Transportation for using reinforced earth double-wire wall structures to help maintain four lanes of traffic through the area during construction. The walls, 21 ft high and more than 200 ft long, act as a column that safely supports an active roadway.

Construction was carefully sequenced with roadway relocation—and later bridge demolition—which the project team says allowed motorists to adjust to the changing traffic patterns safely as work progressed. The approach reduced costs and expedited project completion. The $15.4-million roundabout opened to traffic as scheduled in just 20 months. Extensions to adjacent Interstate-95 entrance ramps further enhance the area and improve connections to adjacent commercial centers.

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