Grey County has officially opened a new roundabout at the intersection of Grey Roads 3 and 4 east of Hanover.
The County says in a release, “This new roundabout represents a major safety enhancement, designed to reduce serious accidents and create a smoother traffic flow for road users travelling in all directions.”
Several years ago, a Grey County review by staff found it had the highest accident history in Grey County as an intersection which only had top signs on the north-south route, Grey Road 3, while traffic on Grey Road 4 passed through uncontrolled.
Typically, a four way intersection has 32 points where collisions can potentially occur. By comparison, a single-lane roundabout has eight.
The County says, according to the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), roundabouts reduce the risk of fatal and severe injury collisions by as much as 78 per cent compared to traditional signalized intersections. By requiring drivers to slow down and directing all vehicles in a single flow, roundabouts enhance safety and reduce the severity of incidents at intersections.
The roundabout has been designed with wide lanes and banked curbs to ensure large vehicles like transport trucks and farm equipment can safely navigate the route.
“This new roundabout at Grey Roads 3 and 4 exemplifies our commitment to improving roadway safety across Grey County,” said Grey County Warden Brian Milne.
He adds, “We are grateful for the support of our federal and provincial partners in making this critical safety enhancement a reality. Together, we’re making travel safer for our residents and visitors alike.”
The $3.3 million project was made possible with funding from the Rural and Northern stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure program. The Government of Canada contributed $910,000 to the project and the Province of Ontario contributed $606,600.
To help drivers navigate the roundabout safely, Grey County has launched a Roundabout Safety web page with tips at www.grey.ca/roundabouts.
