AROUND WE GO
New Diamond Hill Road roundabouts getting mostly positive feedback so far
CUMBERLAND — Ariele Lee has driven through the new roundabouts on Diamond Hill Road a few times already and although she found it confusing at first, she’s getting used to the new traffic pattern and believes it will go a long way towards improving traffic flow in an area long known for its backups and congestion.
“I think it’s a good thing,” says Lee, who was filling up her car Friday morning at the Seasons Corner Market Shell station at the intersection of Diamond Hill Road and Bear Hill, which is located about a quarter-mile from one of the roundabouts at the Route 114 interchange with I-295.
The new roundabouts are part of a $11.3 million intersection safety improvement project on Diamond Hill Road (Route 114) started nearly two years ago by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.
“There’s still a lot of construction going on and it can be tricky to drive through at night because there aren’t many lights, but for the most part it’s been okay,” she says.
The first roundabout opened on Sept. 13 and the second opened this past week with a new traffic pattern change affecting the intersection of Diamond Hill Road and the I-295 South on- and offramps. All traffic now flows to the right, as it does in all roundabouts. This means traffic headed toward the Chapel Four Corners area should use the inner or left lane and drive around the roundabout. Traffic coming off the highway and bound for points north, toward Broadview Avenue and Industrial Road, use the right lane at the end of the exit.
The DOT intends to establish the same initial roundabout pattern at the Route 295 South ramps in early October.
Construction by Cardi Corporation will continue on the roundabouts through the end of this year, finishing next spring. The Chapel Hill Road realignment and other improvements also will be ongoing next spring and summer. The entire project is on time and on budget, and final completion of all improvements is set for fall 2020. Construction will continue on the roundabouts through the end of the year, finishing in the spring.
“They’re easy to navigate – when there’s no construction going on,” noted Cumberland resident Michael Lauzon, adding the ongoing construction, trucks and heavy equipment in the roundabouts during the day may be adding to the frustration of motorists navigating the new traffic patterns for the first time.
Thirty-year town resident Patty Boutiette says she had her doubts the project would improve traffic congestion on Diamond Hill Road.
“I didn’t think it was going to work, but it seems like the traffic is flowing pretty good,” she said. “As far as I know there haven’t been any accidents so far, so I guess people are figuring it out.”
Cumberland Police Chief John R. Desmarais said the new traffic configuration has been relatively problem-free so far. “There’s still a lot of construction going on, but there haven’t been any accidents or major problems. I think it’s just a matter of people are getting used to it.”
Desmarais did say that on Thursday night an elderly driver became confused and ended up driving in the wrong direction before he was assisted by police.
As a result, the Police Department is asking the DOT to put up additional signage.
In addition, Desmarais has two detail officers assigned at both roundabouts daily and additional car patrols in the area to make sure traffic flows as safely as possible.
“We realize not everyone likes rotaries and that they can be confusing at first,” he said. “We’re out there to make sure everything is moving as smoothly and as safely as possible.”
Not everyone is thrilled with the months-long project.
“It’s a big pain in the butt,” said Lucille Landry who moved to Cumberland from North Providence a little over a month ago. “It’s taking too gosh-darn long and I can’t wait until it’s done.”
The roundabouts are designed to improve traffic flow and increase safety on Diamond Hill Road and the Chapel Four Corner intersection. The project has widened traffic lanes running into the roundabout north of Diamond Hill’s highway bridge over Route 295, and continuing to the second roundabout on the other side of the highway bridge to the south, resulting in a new traffic pattern allowing some vehicles to move through the Chapel Four Corners exchange through right turning lanes, and a specially-timed traffic light pattern.
The concept behind the changes overall is designed to keep traffic moving through the area with a minimum of back up or stopping.
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