Roundabout at Hwy. 7/9 Split Now Open

The new roundabout at the Highway7/9 split is now open, announced the Mississippi Department of Transportation Friday morning.

Construction of the project began in April.

“The roundabout at the SR7/SR9W split was originally designed some years ago. We’re glad to have moved this safety project forward,” said Northern District Transportation Commissioner John Caldwell.  “Still, it is just one link in a chain of projects needed to further improve the safety and service of this vital corridor.”

The new roundabout will improve traffic flow, and provide motorists with an easier method of merging into traffic where the two, state routes meet. 

Roundabouts promote a continuous one-way flow of traffic, and have fewer points of conflict than a traditional intersection, making roundabouts safer and more efficient than stop-controlled or signalized intersections, according to MDOT.

Studies have shown roundabouts can reduce small collisions by 37 percent, and can reduce fatality collisions by 90 percent.

Talbot Brothers Inc. out of Nesbit was awarded a $1.7 million dollar contract to construct a roundabout at the intersection. 

Staff report