A new roundabout was recently installed at the intersection of Spencer Road and Mt. Sterling Bypass in Montgomery County. It replaces an intersection that had a long history of severe crashes.
Montgomery County Judge Executive Chris Haddix credits the establishment of the roundabout to the mother of a high school girl who died in an accident at the Spencer Road intersection three years ago.
“Emilee Grace-Collins. She was a junior at Montgomery County High School. She was in a fatality accident at that intersection. And her mother, Denise, really started to spur this effort,” said Haddix.
Haddix grew up on Spencer Road and saw severe and even fatal accidents regularly when driving in the area where the roundabout now exists. He said the solution to this issue was thoroughly discussed before the roundabout was installed.
“There was a lot of debate, you know, as to what direction we wanted to go as far as the traffic control device that we were going to use,” said Haddix. “Would a stoplight be sufficient? Is the roundabout the right answer?”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roundabouts are a proven safety countermeasure, forcing drivers to slow down and reducing conflict points.
Haddix said the only other roundabout in Montgomery County is a small one inside a subdivision. There was an initial fear of using an unfamiliar traffic device, but ultimately, Haddix believes the roundabout was the correct decision.
Since the installation of the roundabout minor collisions have occurred, but officials report the severity of the accidents has been limited.