Meeting set for traffic changes; project to construct a roundabout in busy intersection

By the end of the summer, one of Greenwood’s busiest intersections is set to be converted to a roundabout, and drivers will need to be ready to detour and re-learn how to navigate the area once work is complete.

The city wants motorists to be prepared for the upcoming work at Smith Valley Road and Madison Avenue, and is planning a meeting Wednesday to talk about where the road will be closed, when work will be done and how drivers can detour around the area.

A $3.4 million project will add a two-lane roundabout at the intersection of Smith Valley Road and Madison Avenue. The project also will eliminate left turns from Smith Valley Road to U.S. 31 and from Meridian Street to Smith Valley Road. A jug handle turn will allow drivers traveling east on Smith Valley Road the ability to turn north onto U.S. 31 without making a left turn.

The long discussed project is meant to help with traffic congestion at the intersection that 30,000 vehicles that pass through daily. Work is expected to begin this spring and last through the summer.

City officials have said that all of these changes will help speed up the east and west traffic on Smith Valley Road, which often backs up at the intersection. But while the work is going on, motorists can expect detours and traffic delays.

In the public meeting, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Greenwood Community High School, a consultant with Crossroad Engineers will give a presentation detailing the project, what to do during construction and instructions about how to navigate the area once the work is complete. City staff also will answer questions from residents about the plans.

Besides the work on Smith Valley Road, several other planned projects stand to have an impact on downtown traffic, at least temporarily this year.

A quarter-mile connector road between Market Plaza and Surina Way will be constructed to replace Machledt Drive, which is being converted into a trail. The project will include lowering a hill at the southeast corner of the Surina Way and Meridian Street intersection, intended to provide better visibility for drivers. Road work is also planned this year for sections of Madison Avenue and Emerson Avenue.

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A public meeting about the planned roundabout at Smith Valley Road and Madison Avenue is planned for next week:

What: Presentation and open house

When: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Greenwood Community High School auditorium, 615 Smith Valley Road, door 32

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