Roundabout coming to Lincolnshire

An experiment in traffic control could begin soon at Everett and Riverwoods roads in Lincolnshire.

Four-way stop signs will give way to a circular intersection without traffic signals at Lake County's first true roundabout.

"We've been promoting roundabouts for about five years and we're finally going to get one built," said Chuck Gleason, project manager for the Lake County Division of Transportation.

Details are being finalized for the $2.2 million project, which could begin next week, barring a strike of equipment operators and laborers. Completion at this point is scheduled for early November.

And no, it will not be the same as the decades-old traffic circle at Golf and Wolf roads in Des Plaines, which does not have uniform entrances and exits and requires drivers to stop before entering.

The closest thing to a modern roundabout in Lake County is on Schwerman Road in Hawthorn Woods, although traffic is required to stop at each entrance to the circle.

The Lincolnshire roundabout, and several others in various stages of planning, will require traffic to yield rather than stop.

Studies show that roundabouts are safer than intersections controlled by signals or stop signs, reducing head-on collisions and permitting a freer traffic flow, according to LCDOT.

"We're excited to finally get started in building one. We think they have a lot of promise," said Glenn Petko, LCDOT's engineer of construction.

About 7,000 vehicles a day go through the intersection of the two-lane road. Gleason said roundabouts perform better on roads with lighter traffic.

"Technically, on paper you can make them work but it gets difficult when you have a lot of volume at these things," he said.

Right of way acquisition continues for roundabouts on Hunt Club Road at Millburn and at Wadsworth roads in Old Mill Creek. Planning also is underway for roundabouts at Monaville and Cedar Lake roads in Lake Villa, Nippersink and Wilson roads near Round Lake and River and Roberts roads in Lake Barrington.

The center of the roundabout in Lincolnshire will be shifted away from the existing center of the intersection, allowing it to remain open during construction.

"I don't think it will be as big an impact as the Route 22 (at Milwaukee Avenue) is now," said Jennifer Hughes, the village's public works director.

For more information, visit lakecountyil.gov/Transportation/Roundabouts.