On Wednesday, NDOT advertised for contractor bids for upcoming construction of a compact roundabout at the intersection of State Route 88 and Centerville Lane near the Gardnerville Ranchos.
This March, NDOT is scheduled to perform a review analysis of bids received and select a contractor, with construction anticipated to take place through spring and early summer. For expedited construction, drivers should anticipate an approximately two-week closure of the SR 88 and Centerville Lane intersection during construction, with nearby detour available via Mottsville Lane and Foothill Road.
A smaller version of a modern traffic roundabout, the approximately 80-foot diameter compact roundabout will be slightly smaller in size than the existing SR 88 roundabout at Mahogany Drive. Sloping, raised concrete curbing will make up the roundabout’s 22-foot round middle island. Buses and freight and haul trucks will be able to slowly drive over the raised concrete median to travel through the roundabout. Concrete curbing will also be used to define the outside of the roundabout. The roundabout won’t feature landscaping in part due to limited available space in the middle island.
When completed, the posted speed limits on State Route 88 will be reduced to 45 mph approaching the new roundabout, with an advisory speed of 20 mph through the roundabout.
A one-way circular intersection in which traffic flows around a center island without stop signs or signals, the roundabout is being installed to enhance traffic safety. Because traffic enters and exits through right turns only, the occurrence of severe right-angle crashes in roundabouts is substantially less than in many four-way intersections. Roundabouts also have the ability to reduce potentially deadly rear-end crashes which can occur at certain traffic lights. In fact, an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found converting 23 specific intersections from traffic signals to roundabouts reduced injury crashes by 80 percent.
In coming years, NDOT will evaluate the potential of purchasing neighboring land to expand the size of the roundabout.