Update: Roundabout Study Still Taking Place

The Town of Brookhaven voted in February to construct a traffic roundabout at Five Corners and have been in the midst of a traffic study for the area since the board voted.

When the town released information about the board vote, they said construction could possibly begin in September 2011, but there has been no movement at the location since.

An email from a Brookhaven representative last week sent to Patch said they are still looking into the traffic study and nothing new has come of it.

The intersection is located within a half mile of four schools, a community center, church, park and a retail strip mall that generate a substantial amount of automobile and pedestrian traffic.

“Heavy traffic at the ‘Five Corners’ creates a serious hazard for both drivers and pedestrians, especially children walking to and from school,” said Supervisor Mark Lesko in a statement earlier this year. “Thanks to the work of Deputy Supervisor Walsh, the new roundabout will improve and calm the traffic flow at the intersection and make it much safer for everyone.”

According to the Town’s Department of Traffic Safety, accident rates at the intersection for the most recent three-year period (July 2007 to July 2009) were four times higher than the statewide average for similar intersections. Currently, the traffic flow is controlled by traffic signals, which will be removed after the roundabout is completed.