First Clare County roundabout opens on Surrey & Old State intersection

By Pat Maurer
Correspondent

The second traffic roundabout in the area and the first one in Clare County opened to traffic last Friday with a special Ribbon Cutting ceremony.
Area drivers have been using a roundabout that opened on the south side of the City of Clare (in Isabella County) in 2019, but this is the first one constructed inside Clare County.
County Officials, Michigan Department of Transportation officials, County Commissioners, business owners and officials from the Clare County Road Commission including Clare County Road Commission Manager Dewayne Rogers and Clare County Sheriff John Wilson attended the ribbon cutting in the center of the roundabout that officially opened the intersection to public travel Friday, October 27th.
A roundabout, also known as a rotary or traffic circle, is a type of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction (counterclockwise) around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction
Wikipedia posted, “Roundabouts improve traffic flow and are better for the environment. Research shows that traffic flow improves after traditional intersections are converted to roundabouts. Less idling reduces vehicle emissions and fuel consumption. Roundabouts generally are also safer for pedestrians.”
Roundabouts have also been proven to reduce the number of traffic crashes at intersections.
Clare County Road Commission Manager Dewayne Rogers said, “According to Clare County Sheriff’s Office records, there were 22 traffic crashes on that corner in a five-year period from 2017 to 2022.”
In the 1960s, the “Modern Roundabout” was developed with many safety features and has become the standard for safe intersections since that time.
The new roundabout in Clare County was built for $974,000. Construction began August 14th and was completed October 27th. State and federal funds paid about 80 percent of the costs with the Clare County Road Commission using road commission funds for the other 20 percent.
Clare County Sheriff John Wilson told the Morning Sun in an earlier interview, “I’m truly happy to see this roundabout finished. After years of handling car crashes at this intersection, I feel this should reduce not only the number of crashes, but the crashes that result in serious injury and/or death.”
Wednesday Wilson continued, “It will take time for travelers, especially those driving east or west, to learn how to use the new roundabout correctly. They will need to remember to yield the right-of-way to vehicles that are inside the traffic circle and merge smoothly through the intersection.” He added, “Traffic should not stop when entering a roundabout, but should yield to traffic that is already inside the circle.”
Rogers added, “Use caution, obey posted signage, yield to traffic, drive safe.”