Public meeting set to gather input on proposed rural roundabout

GENTRY — The Arkansas Department of Transportation will hold a open house in Gentry to discuss proposed plans to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Arkansas 12 and Arkansas 43 in far western Benton County.

Transportation Department officials say the change is needed for safety reasons, citing the number of serious accidents at the intersection.

The public is invited to visit any time during the scheduled hours to view displays, ask questions and offer comments.

Officials will be available from 4 to 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Gentry Public Library, McKee Community Room, 105 Main St.

For more information, contact the department’s public information office at (501) 569-2000 or info@ardot.gov.

Highway officials said there one fatal and three serious crashes were at the intersection while they were studying the need for improvements. There have been six crashes since all-way stop signs were installed in April 2015.

Half the crashes at the intersection are angle crashes, which have a greater potential for serious injury, officials said.

Officials said roundabouts reduce the types of accidents that kill or seriously injure people by 80 percent.

Officials said the all-stop configuration is contrary to driver expectation of not having to stop on a rural section of highway. A roundabout will allow drivers to proceed with minimal delay and often without having to yield.

Various improvements have been made to the intersection since 2009, including signs and pavement markings.

The intersection was identified among 55 statewide needing safety improvements and one of three where a roundabout would be appropriate. Money from the Highway Safety Improvement Program is being used to build the roundabout.