New Pattern Around the Square will be Effective Late Next Week
During construction planning for the roundabout at US 31E and US 62 in Bardstown, engineers and local officials discussed the need to create consistency with the new design and the existing traffic condition around town square. Though many center-of-town traffic circles closely resemble roundabouts (and have common objectives of keeping traffic flowing without stop conditions while creating safer conditions for motorists and pedestrians), there are differences in "rules" while navigating each. One of the main differences relates to yielding inside the circle. Roundabouts allow for traffic in the circle to have right of way while town squares may require traffic in the circle to yield for traffic entering the circle.
For consistency of these two nearby circular intersection designs, the courthouse square is being converted to a true roundabout configuration. All four legs entering the square will be required to yield to any traffic already in the circle. Signing and striping will be added indicating the new yield conditions.
Work to reconfigure the square as a roundabout will take place Wednesday night, with motorists driving on the new layout starting the morning of Thursday, August 31st.
For information on roundabouts and video demonstrations for education and instruction on how to navigate them, visit the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet SAFERoads website: www.transportation.ky.gov/saferoadsolutions/Pages/Roundabouts.aspx
