Large crowd views plans for roundabouts in Draffenville

More than 120 people met with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Tuesday to give input on a safety enhancement project that includes the addition of roundabouts along US 68 in Draffenville.

Participants viewed a video and exhibits that outlined how roundabouts work, and the specific route and placement of the roundabouts. Attendees also had the opportunity to talk directly with the project team and ask questions about how the proposal may impact them.

The Marshall County project will consist of adding four roundabouts and two new U-turn lanes to replace the existing four-way intersections and signals. A raised center median will divide US 68 to eliminate left-hand turns that are a large part of accidents.

Along the one-mile-stretch of US 68 from I-69 to US 641, there have been 148 crashes resulting in 21 injuries over the past five years. KYTC chief engineer Kyle Poat said that 33 percent of the crashes and 40 percent of the injuries could have been prevented if roundabouts had been in place.

Proponents say roundabouts reduce accidents by reducing speed of traffic and reducing "conflict points" where vehicles travel across the paths of other drivers.

Drivers must slow down and yield to traffic before entering a roundabout. Speed in the roundabout is typically about 15 miles per hour, so crashes are less likely and any accidents that do occur will be less severe. Fatalities are reduced by 90 per cent at intersections converted to roundabouts, according to crash statistics.

Poat said they've been exploring options to address safety concerns in this area since 2020. KYTC and its project team considered and evaluated several other alternative proposals, but those options cost more, necessitated acquiring more land, potentially eliminated some businesses and above all did not enhance safety as well as the proposed roundabouts.    

Construction on the project being funded by the Highway Safety Improvement Program is expected to begin in 2024. 

For anyone who was unable to attend the public meeting, project renderings and other display materials are available online at US68roundabouts.com and at the KYTC District 1 Office in Paducah.