A traffic roundabout will be installed here this summer at an intersection that has been the scene of numerous accidents, including two fatalities, in the past decade.
The roundabout will be built at the intersection of Wellington Roads 8 and 12.
“The decision to proceed with a roundabout was based on accident history at an intersection that has sight lines for sufficient distances in all directions. A roundabout will prevent the high-speed collisions that have been occurring in the past,” stated construction manager Mark Eby of the Wellington County roads division.
Information supplied by Mapleton Fire Chief Rick Richardson indicates there have been more than 20 accidents at the intersection in the past 10 years. On April 2, 2006, a bus/car collision claimed one life and another fatal two-vehicle accident occurred at the intersection on March 25, 2012. Fire department records indicate that a total of 19 people have been injured in accidents at the corner and firefighters were required to use extrication equipment on three occasions.
“It’s a safety issue,” said Mapleton mayor Neil Driscoll, a member of the county roads committee. “There have been a lot of accidents at that corner.”
The most recent incident occurred on Feb. 28, when a two-vehicle accident caused injuries to three people and required extrication efforts by firefighters. Drayton station firefighters responded to the accident, which occurred just as Mapleton firefighters were preparing to take on Wellington OPP officers in a charity hockey game at the PMD arena.
The $900,000 roundabout project was approved by Wellington County Council in January. The budget includes finalizing the design, tendering, construction, contract administration and inspection during construction. Eby said the tenders are expected to be let soon in order to allow time to obtain roads committee and council approval by the end of May.
The roundabout will be a single lane design, similar to two constructed in Puslinch Township on Wellington Road 34 in the summer of 2013.
“Agricultural equipment movement through the roundabout has been considered through the design process,” Eby noted. Construction is expected to start at the beginning of July at the latest, said Eby and completion is anticipated sometime in August, before school starts.
Traffic will be maintained in all directions, but will be only one lane during working hours.
