Work has finally begun on making improvements to the Business 30 and Hwy. 1 roundabout in Mount Vernon. Work began on the project Monday, Sept. 18.
Motorists should expect minor delays when using the roundabout.
The work will take roughly 20 days to complete, including improvements to the roundabout damaged during the Hwy. 30 bypass completion as well as taking the roundabout from two lanes to one lane throughout. Turning lanes will be more visually distinct to get vehicles making right hand turns into the appropriate lanes.
Iowa Department of Transportation was bidding the project back in the summer of 2021, for possible completion in 2023. Improvements to the roundabout are being explored to reduce crashes.
The matter was discussed at a July 2021 council meeting.
According to Catherine Cutler of the Iowa Department of Transportation, the project received a grant from the Federal Highway Management Association, covering $90,000 of the improvements, with the remaining $10,000 the Iowa DOT’s responsibility. The City of Mount Vernon provided design work totaling $15,000 to move the project forward.
In 2018, MSA Traffic and Roundabout Engineering company completed a study of the current roundabout and evaluated the types of crashes that happened in the roundabout.
The report indicated 22 percent of the crashes at the roundabout at Business 30 and Hwy. 1 were crashes with injuries. The national average is 8 percent.
Business 30 was Hwy. 30 when the roundabout was built, and with the new Hwy. 30 completed, the expectation from MSA is that traffic at Business 30 and Hwy. 1 could move to a single lane.
Improved painting and signage for the roundabout was also recommended.