Workers continue to make forward progress toward installing Polk County’s first roundabout at a busy intersection in the Cedartown area.

A project announced by the Department of Transportation way back in 2021 is fully underway after starting back in the winter months at the intersection of Highway 278 West, Canal Street and the Highway 100 cutoff.

The busy intersection was targeted by the state for a roundabout after many fatal collisions have happened at the four way and much smaller wrecks that have caused injuries. The hope is that by installing the new traffic pattern and eliminating the stop signs, it’ll force drivers to slow down upon their approach and allow for a greater flow of vehicles moving in and out of the area.

Especially as the number of tractor trailers utilizing the route westward from Alabama to gain entry in and out of Cedartown, along with Highway 100 North to Cave Spring or continuing onward toward Highway 27 South or North via Canal Street and MLK Jr. Boulevard.

The increase in traffic from trucks – along with increasing flow of passenger vehicles in the area and those coming to Canal Street’s recently improved Silver Comet Trailhead – is expected to grow in the coming years and the intersection became the first target of a roundabout to decrease the amount of time a vehicle has to sit and wait at the intersection.

Work began in February on the new intersection design with drainage, and has now moved onto creating the circle that’ll connect the four way intersection.

Roundabouts allow vehicles to yield into an intersection so long as another doesn’t enter before, and provides exits for each direction or the opportunity to make a full U-turn safely.