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Engineers hope double-decker road will alleviate concerns
HARTINGTON — Traffic engineers have designed, bid and built what they are calling a “simple, common sense upgrade” at the intersection of Highways 81 and 12.
A new, fully operational, two-story roundabout was designed and installed to “keep things moving” while also giving local drivers something new to argue about at the coffee shop.
After all, ever since it was announced a roundabout was planned at the intersection, that’s all people have been doing — arguing about the benefits or problems with the idea.
All those complaints, officials say, led to the new design and a quietly executed construction project.
“Boy, people have sure been complaining about the first design,” state officials said. “For as much complaining as they did, you’d think we were asking people to get out of their cars and push them through the intersection or something.”
The innovative design allows motorists to choose between ground-level confusion or an elevated loop of even greater uncertainty, depending on how adventurous they’re feeling. Officials say early feedback has been “encouraging,” noting that while no one is entirely sure where they’re going, traffic has never been more continuously in motion.
Transportation planners added that the two-tier system is intended to reduce hesitation at the intersection by eliminating any illusion that there is a “correct” way to navigate it. Instead, drivers are encouraged to commit fully to a lane, embrace the experience, and trust that eventually they will end up somewhere familiar — or at least somewhere with a clearly marked county road.
Engineers also confirmed the upper level was added late in the process after a planning meeting concluded that “one roundabout simply wasn’t enough to contain all the opinions.” The second level, they said, provides additional capacity for both traffic and second-guessing.
State officials insist the investment will pay off — especially once drivers figure out which lane they’re supposed to be in before entering, during navigation, and ideally sometime after exiting.
Area residents are encouraged to approach the intersection with confidence, a full tank of gas, and at least one passenger willing to admit, “I think we missed our turn about three loops ago.”
To learn more about the project, check out www.AprilFoolsDay.com.
