Countdown starting to first Lehigh Valley roundabout, in Upper Saucon Township

Crews are scheduled to start construction next week of the first and only roundabout on public roads in Lehigh and Northampton counties. The project to construct the circular traffic pattern in Upper Saucon Township will include closing Preston Road to through-traffic from Tuesday until at least mid-August.Road Warrior: Time to get used to roundabouts in PennsylvaniaConstruction was scheduled to coincide with the summer closing of Southern Lehigh High School and Middle School, township Manager Thomas Beil said. The schools have entrances and exits on Preston Road, which is heavily used by vehicles going to and from both schools.Residents living on Preston Road between Camp Meeting Road and Route 378 will be permitted to use the road but access will be only from Route 378 or Camp Meeting Road. Beil said the road is limited to those two access points because the roundabout will be under construction about the midway point, preventing through traffic. Work started on the project last year: though stormwater management was completed in 2018, the roundabout and repaving were pushed to this year, Beil said.Road Warrior: How do you navigate a roundabout anyway?He said the completed work included a series of drain pipes and one underground and two above-ground stormwater detention basins.But the unavailability of several precast concrete components needed for the stormwater project caused a delay, which set construction of the drainage back and pushed construction of the roundabout to this year.“The stormwater project is done except for some touch-up work like grading and planting grass,” Beil said.The entire project cost $1.5 million and, according to Beil, the roundabout will be the first constructed on a public road in Lehigh and Northampton counties.The PennDOT website lists other roundabouts nearby, in Smithfield Township, Monroe County, Richmond Township, Berks County, and on Old Bethlehem Pike near Quakertown in Bucks County.Paul Muschick: Roundabout provides welcome relief to Route 222 congestionRoundabouts are circles where incoming traffic yields to traffic in the circle. According to the township, a roundabout was found to be the most effective traffic device, over a traffic signal and additional lanes.If roundabouts bring images of old New Jersey traffic circles, bent fenders and profanities, forget about it. Beil cited a PennDOT study that shows roundabouts are safer on moderately traveled roads.“When comparing a roundabout to a signal, studies show roundabouts provide a 90% reduction in fatal crashes, 30%-40% reduction in pedestrian crashes and 10% reduction in bicycle crashes,” PennDOT found.Charles Malinchak is a freelance writer for The Morning Call.
Source: Morningcall