Traffic circle delayed til spring

Published 12:00 am Monday, September 30, 2013

Now, it appears the roundabout on U.S. 158 entering Bermuda Run won’t happen until spring 2014.
Town manager Lee Rollins talked about the possibility of starting construction in the fall on the long-awaited roundabout in the August Town Council meeting.
However, after last Tuesday’s monthly gathering in September at Town Hall, Rollins said that the approaching winter season and DOT’s schedule precluded that from happening.
“It really is not a delay,” Rollins said. “This is our first project in federal funds with DOT. We contracted with an engineer and were advised that we were not going to make the deadline for DOT review. They’ve got a blackout period from Dec. 1 to March 15 for asphalt application. So rather than try to push through, we’ll move it to the spring.”
Actually, Rollins had concerns about doing the work in the fall because of the busy schedule of activities, such as Twin City Soccer and the Country Club, around the roundabout.
He added the new spring 2014 might allow for the coordination of another project with the roundabout.
“It may actually work out to our benefit because it will be spring, and moving it to the next budget year, we’re looking at that 1.5 mile multi-use path that would connect Kinderton residents along the 158 corridor,” Rollins said. “We hopefully can work to tie those both in together because the tie-in will be the roundabout.”
The town has completed a conceptual plan for the multi-use path that will begin on the north side of I-40 at Kinderton Village Residential, using a tunnel under I-40 that is still in place. From there, it will go south and run between Hillsdale Dental and Steelman’s Ace Hardware to U.S. 158.
It is then proposed to run along the north side of U.S, 158 and connect in front of WinMock Barn and the Soccer Complex Drive to the roundabout.
Residents can then cross over to the south side of U.S. 158 and follow the sidewalk on the Yadkin River bridge over to Tanglewood.
The total estimated cost is $510,000 for the roundabout, which will be constructed at the Bermuda Run entrance across from BB&T …