On Friday, Aug. 25, the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the county’s new roundabout project at the intersection of U.S. Highway 12 and Sargent Road Southwest, according to a news release.
The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. on the northwest corner of the intersection with parking available adjacent to VJ’s Builder Barn, located at 6525 196th Ave. SW in Rochester. Aside from the BOCC, the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, the Thurston County Public Works Department and other partners were involved in this project.
Representatives from involved agencies will be present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“The newly constructed roundabout at U.S. Highway 12 and Sargent Road SW in Rochester will provide safe and efficient access to homes and businesses, optimize traffic flow for cars and large trucks, improve emergency response, and is designed to accommodate increased traffic from anticipated future development in southwest Thurston County,” the release stated.
Aside from the anticipated traffic flow and safety improvements, the project included upgrading stormwater drains, sidewalks, street lighting and other urban features, according to the Thurston County Public Works website.
Additionally, the website stated research has shown roundabouts lead to a 37% decrease in traffic collisions, a 75% decrease in collision-related injuries, a 40% decrease in pedestrians being hit and a 90% decrease in fatal collisions.
The project’s total cost was $6 million, with $2 million coming from Thurston County, $2.1 million from the Chehalis Tribe and developers, and $1.9 million from developer fees.
For more information, contact the Thurston County Public Works Department at 360-867-2300 or visit https://tinyurl.com/muvwvc8h.
