Whiteland roundabout will open Saturday

Commuters, you’ll need to wait one more day for the county’s newest roundabout to open.

The opening of the new roundabout at Whiteland and Graham roads was originally set for today but was pushed back by a day.

But when drivers finally get to use a busy route off Interstate 65 again, their route will be a little smoother.

This week, the town approved a project to mill down and repave Whiteland Road from just west of the I-65 exit to Graham Road. That work is being finished today.

Town officials initially wanted to open the new roundabout, which is expected to significantly improve traffic, today. But that was cutting it too close to when work would be done, town manager Norm Gabehart said.

So the official reopening of the intersection that has been closed for two months was pushed back.

You will be able to pass through the county’s newest and largest roundabout Saturday, after a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., Gabehart said.

Officials had hoped to repave the section of Whiteland Road while the intersection was still closed to traffic, since that makes the most sense, Gabehart said. The project is expected to cost about $103,000 and can be paid for out of local road funding, an additional distribution local communities are getting in income tax collections from the state or the money borrowed for the roundabout project, he said.

As long as the weather cooperates, that work can be done in two days. Crews should pave and stripe the road today, he said.

The new roundabout, which cost about $1 million, will improve traffic that would back up at what was a four-way stop sign, especially during rush hour, town officials said.

The town has to get the road open because the state is closing nearby Hurricane Road to replace a bridge over 65.