Gurnee mini-roundabout project complete

The project to install a mini-roundabout at the intersection of Almond Road and Dada Drive in Gurnee to alleviate rush-hour congestion wrapped up Tuesday, and, according to the village staff, all is running smoothly.

More than 12,000 vehicles used the intersection in the first 48 hours and there have been zero incidents, accidents or issues, said Jack Linehan, the assistant to the village manager.

"There will definitely be some growing pains as people are learning it," Linehan said Friday. "But the results have been positive, and we're satisfied so far with how it's gone."

The village decided to put a mini-roundabout at the intersection to alleviate the backed-up traffic that had long plagued the area during rush hour. Where there used to be stop signs are now yield signs to encourage continuous traffic movement.

The mini-roundabout was built as part of the $1.2 million village project to resurface Almond Road from Grand Avenue to Washington Street. Construction began July 9.

The day before the intersection reopened, the village invited Woodland District 50 bus drivers to practice navigating the roundabout, Linehan said.

The raised circle in the middle of the mini-roundabout is low enough to allow big vehicles to drive right over it when going straight or making left turns.

Linehan said the turn radius of a bus is good enough for the vehicle to make it around the traffic circle without having to pop a wheel onto the concrete circle.

"They can go over it but in most instances they can go around it," Linehan said, adding that bigger commercial semitrailers are more likely to drive over the traffic circle.