Timeline released for road changes

The construction of a new roundabout will close a major Greenwood intersection for months, but once work is done, the improvements are expected to cut traffic congestion nearly in half.

Work on a long discussed $3 million project to add a roundabout at the intersection of Smith Valley Road and Madison Avenue is set to begin in June. The project will include a bevy of other improvements intended to speed up traffic through the area that more than 30,000 vehicles pass through daily. Consultants estimate that the improvements will result in a 45 percent reduction in traffic congestion.

The overall goal is to move east-west traffic through the area quicker by eliminating issues that slow down traffic, such as left turns from Smith Valley Road to U.S. 31 and from Meridian Street to Smith Valley Road.

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For residents and business owners who drive through that area on a regular basis, the coming improvements are a relief, but leave some questions about the new design and traffic flow once the work is done.

Bob and Donna Whiteside, who have lived in the neighborhood east of Madison Avenue and south of Smith Valley Road for more than four decades, say turning onto Madison Avenue can be incredibly difficult at times.

“We’ve always had trouble getting out,” Donna Whiteside said. “You sit there and hope for an opening.”

They hope that the roundabout and other improvements will make getting out of their neighborhood easier, but are concerned that the additional cars that will be directed onto Madison Avenue may actually make their wait longer.

At a public meeting Wednesday evening, engineers and city staff gave a presentation to more than 50 people on the construction plans and how drivers should navigate the area during and after the work is complete.

Construction on the roundabout and a jug handle turn at the southeast corner of U.S. 31 and Smith Valley Road — the first phase of the project — will start in June and go through August, requiring the closure of the intersection of Madison Avenue and Smith Valley Road.

The second phase of work, which will last about 30 days, will take place on Madison Avenue, south of the roundabout, where crews will be widening the road and adding lanes near U.S. 31; at the intersection of Smith Valley Road and Meridian Street, where a concrete median will be added at the intersection to limit left turns; and on Smith Valley Road on the west side of U.S. 31, where an additional westbound lane will be added.

The city is also planning improvements to the intersection of Meridian Street and Surina Way, just north of Smith Valley Road, but that work will be completed before June to not interfere with the project.

While Smith Valley is closed at the Madison Avenue and Meridian Street intersections, drivers will be directed to use Main Street as a detour. Semi drivers, who aren’t allowed on the downtown section of Main Street, will be directed to use either County Line Road or Worthsville Road, and signs will be placed on Interstate 65.

Once work is complete, drivers will no longer be able to make left turns from Smith Valley Road onto U.S. 31 and from Meridian Street onto Smith Valley Road. Instead, drivers will head into the new roundabout at Smith Valley Road and Madison Avenue. Left turn lanes will be extended on Madison Avenue, making more room for traffic heading south on U.S. 31.

For drivers who want to turn left from Smith Valley Road to go north on U.S. 31, they will need to get used to a new intersection design. A turn, called a jug handle, is being added at the southeast corner of U.S. 31 and Smith Valley Road. Drivers will drive a loop to reroute them north, instead of turning left at the intersection. Signs will be placed on Smith Valley Road to tell drivers how to get onto U.S. 31.

For Cheri Gardner, who lives in Valle Vista Apartments along Smith Valley Road where it turns into Emerson Avenue, her concern is that drivers new to the area could be confused by the new design of the intersection.

For business owners near the roundabout, the concern has been trying to figure out how customers will still have access to their properties both during and after construction. Tina Daniels, who owns the Tanning Hut, a tanning salon in a strip mall on the southeast corner of Madison Avenue and Smith Valley Road, expects that the new roundabout and other improvements will eventually make it easier for customers to access her business.

The current state of Smith Valley Road already makes getting to and from her business difficult at times, she said.

“It’s congested horribly,” Daniels said. “You can hardly make it out of the parking lot when it is busy.”

She’s satisfied with the solution the city has come up with to provide access to the strip mall, she said. During the first phase of construction, customers will be able to enter from Meridian Street and exit by going south on Madison Avenue. During the second phase, they’ll be able to access the area through Madison Avenue. She plans to post signs at the business to let customers know ahead of time what they can expect, she said.

When construction is complete, the only change for traffic heading to businesses at that corner is that they won’t be able to turn left onto Smith Valley Road from the parking lot.

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Here’s a look at the timeline for the construction of a new Greenwood roundabout and other planned improvements in the area of Smith Valley Road, U.S. 31 and Madison Avenue:

Phase 1

Start: June 1

Length: 90 days

Work: Roundabout constructed at Smith Valley Road and Madison Avenue. Jug handle turn constructed on southeast corner of U.S. 31 and Smith Valley Road.

Areas closed: Intersection of Smith Valley Road and Madison Avenue

Phase 2

Start: After Phase 1, around Sept. 1

Length: 30 days

Work: Smith Valley Road widened west of U.S. 31. Madison Avenue widened between U.S. 31 and Smith Valley Road. Improvements to intersection of Smith Valley Road and Meridian Street.

Closed: Intersection of Smith Valley Road and Meridian Street

Being worked on, but still open: Madison Avenue north of U.S. 31 and Smith Valley Road west of U.S. 31

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Wondering how to navigate the new roundabout? Here are the key changes once the project is complete:

  • No more left turns from Smith Valley Road to U.S. 31. Drivers will need to use Madison Avenue or a new jug handle turn instead.
  • No left turns from Meridian Street onto Smith Valley Road. Drivers will need to make a right turn and then use the roundabout to turn around if they are wanting to go east on Smith Valley Road from Meridian Street.

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