A Look At The Route 10 Roundabout In Granby

GRANBY, CT — In observance of National Roundabouts Week, which runs from Sept. 18 to Sept. 22, we take a look at one of the newer roundabouts in northern Connecticut, on Routes 10 and 202 in Granby.

The junction of the state road with East Street and Notch Road was reconstructed as a roundabout beginning in 2019, with the project completed in 2020. It is one of 16 roundabouts currently operational in Connecticut, with 14 new projects ongoing, according to state Department of Transportation officials.

"Roundabouts improve safety, reduce congestion, and even reduce emissions," DOT officials said Tuesday. "After converting an intersection to a roundabout, data shows an 80 percent reduction in severe crashes and a 50 percent reduction in overall crashes."

People often refer to the roundabout as a rotary. What is the difference between the two?

According to federal transportation officials, "roundabouts are designed with slow vehicle speeds in mind and their central island and traffic separator islands make drivers react to them and force them to slow down. Rotaries are large circular intersections with wide sweeping lanes that allow vehicles to drive at much higher speeds."