Safety tips for drivers navigating new Columbus roundabouts

COLUMBUS, MISS. (WCBI) – With a new roundabout open in Columbus and another one expected to be ready in January, area drivers may need time adjusting to the new traffic flow.

Roundabouts can speed up traffic and reduce the number of crashes in busy areas but they can take time for local drivers to get used to.

“We just wanted to make sure that drivers in the Columbus area know how to use the roundabouts because it is a new traffic control device for some people,” says Mississippi Department of Transportation Public Information Officer Jace Ponder.

For Columbus drivers, the roundabout at the intersection of Military Road and Highway 82 opened up the week of Thanksgiving after being closed for construction for much of November. The roundabout features newly paved roads with new lights and new curbs to increase the flow of traffic at one of Columbus’s busiest roads.

The Mini Roundabout Project in downtown Columbus is nearing completion after construction began in July. It’s meant to decrease the number of accidents that happen as drivers come into town.

But for that to happen, drivers need to remember some simple rules when using the roundabouts.

First, slow down.

“Roundabouts are built to allow you to continue moving without having to come to a complete stop but they are built so that you’ll slow down,” Ponder says.

Next, no matter how much someone may want to be polite, keep going.

“When you’re in the roundabout, you’ve got the right of way, don’t stop,” Ponder says. “The drivers behind you won’t be expecting that.”

Finally, drivers should stay in their lanes and give large vehicles like tractor trailers their space.

“Smaller passenger vehicles are able to navigate the roundabout on the roadway but for some of those larger vehicles, they may need to take up that entire lane,” Ponder says.

Ultimately, Ponder says drivers can’t go wrong with a little patience.

“Just slow down and be patient,” he says. “Some drivers are going to adjust quickly and some drivers may be encountering it for the first time.”

Ponder adds that while the Military Road and Highway 82 roundabout is open, crews are still working outside of the lanes along the shoulders.

He says they hope to be finished by the end of January.

City Engineer Kevin Stafford hopes to have the mini-roundabout downtown open around the same time, weather and contractors permitting.