CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Construction will begin in a few weeks on a roundabout at the Whitfield/Needmore Road intersection, and the opinions of neighboring residents seem divided.
According to city spokesman Henry Kilpatrick, the roundabout is part of a larger project, valued at $16 million, to improve and expand Whitfield and Needmore roads. It’s included in Tier 1 of the Transportation 2020+ Plan.
Construction is expected to begin in October. Design and right-of-way acquisition have been completed, and the city is working on relocating utilities.
Why a roundabout?
Clarksville’s Street Department considered many options for the intersection before settling on a roundabout, as opposed to other solutions like a traffic light.
We aren’t the only Tennessee city to adopt roundabouts in recent years. Jackson completed a roundabout at their downtown intersection on North Highland and East Deaderick Street in November 2018.
Despite initial pushback from the community, the Jackson roundabout has been a success, Jackson Planning Director Stan Pilant told Clarksville Now.
“(The previous intersection) had its problems at peak times. It was an intersection we were going to have to improve,” Pilant said. “The roundabout has proven successful in slowing traffic down, and it achieves what you want with traffic: The closest you can get to free flow, the better.”
Pilant did say there is a learning curve to roundabouts when a community isn’t used to them.
“Yes, there is a learning curve. We had brochures that showed how things worked, and we provided information, but you still get people that don’t understand that you yield to someone in the traffic circle,” Pilant said. “I don’t know that we’ve seen a lot of that; but yes, a roundabout is more complicated than straight lines.”
Neighbors respond
Residents in the area agree that improvements are needed at the intersection, which has become notorious for long lines and frequent crashes.
“I’m happy about (the roundabout) because of traffic. I think it will help. There’s a lot of traffic on this road, and I think it will move things faster,” said resident Jackiel Thompson.
Some aren’t happy about the roundabout solution.
“I think it’s a really horrible idea. Most people don’t know how to properly use a roundabout, and I think that it’s going to make things 10 times worst,” said resident Madison McDuffy. “Something does need to be done. I just don’t think a roundabout is the way to go.”
Thompson, along with several of his neighbors will be losing some property for the project but told Clarksville Now he was willing to make the sacrifice.
“I’m willing to do it if it will speed this traffic up.”
Roundabout planned at Tylertown/Oakland
The Whitfield/Needmore roundabout is not the only one in the Transportation Plan. Another is included in an improvement project for the intersection of Tylertown and Oakland Road (also included in tier 1 of the Transportation Plan).
Kilpatrick told Clarksville Now that the Tylertown/Oakland roundabout is still in the often lengthy right-of-way acquisition process. The project could still be two to three years away from completion.