The City of Brentwood’s newest roundabout, at Murray Lane and Holly Tree Gap, opened Friday, Aug. 2, improving safety and driving times in that area.
Contractors will continue to work near the roundabout, so drivers should remain alert when entering this circular roadway.
For years, the intersection functioned as a three-way stop, causing traffic delays during peak commuting hours. The City hired the civil engineering firm Neel-Shaffer to conduct a traffic study in 2019, and that study concluded that a roundabout would “provide a significant improvement in traffic operation at this intersection.”
The study also found that a roundabout could lead to a 35% reduction in vehicle crashes and a 76% reduction in crashes with severe injuries.
The City began work on the $1.9 million project in late May, closing the intersection and diverting vehicles through clearly marked detours. The Brentwood Engineering Department managed this project throughout the summer to prevent construction from disrupting traffic during the school year.
Brentwood is home to several roundabouts, including one at the intersection of Crockett Road, Green Hill Boulevard, and Raintree Parkway. These circular intersections are becoming more popular in communities across the country, with the Federal Highway Administration naming them to its list of “Proven Safety Countermeasures.”
Motorists who have never driven on a roundabout should remember they will always turn right, and they must yield to oncoming traffic on the left.
A brief video is available here.
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