PHOENIX – Construction is set to begin soon on a long-awaited new roundabout at a northeast Tempe intersection.
Work on the project at McKellips Road and College Avenue is scheduled to begin Oct. 20 and be completed in February 2026, the city said.
The project has been in the works since 2018, when Tempe officials held a public meeting and solicited feedback from the community.
The plans were put on hold for several years due to the lack of funding, but it was revived last year, when another public meeting was held.
The city now has funding available to complete the roundabout’s design work and expects to finalize the construction financing during the current fiscal year.
Why is Tempe building a roundabout at McKellips Road and College Avenue?
The project is designed to promote safety by calming traffic and discouraging heavy truck usage in the area of the intersection.
The new Tempe roundabout will have one circular lane with four exit/entry points.
The work also will include improvements such as new landscaping and street lighting.
A roundabout is a circular intersection without traffic lights where traffic flows counterclockwise around a center island.
In 2021, Tempe built a roundabout at the three-way intersection of Priest Drive and Grove Parkway.
What will happen during construction of Tempe roundabout?
While the new project is under construction, four-way stop signs will replace the intersection’s existing traffic signal. The stop signs will be removed after the roundabout is built.
The work will be done from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and require various traffic lane, turning movement and crosswalk restrictions.
Walkways and detours will be used to route pedestrian and bicycle traffic around the intersection.
In addition, segments of McKellips Road and College Avenue will be closed starting in November. The city will notify residents impacted by the closures beforehand with door hangers.
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