Will County’s first roundabout is advancing to the final public meeting phase, with construction tentatively scheduled for 2027.

County Engineer Jeff Ronaldson announced that the Department of Transportation will hold its final public meeting for the Exchange Street and Beecher Road intersection project in the Crete area. Materials will be available on the county website starting April 7, with public notices going out the same day.

“The project is fully funded in our multi-year plan,” Ronaldson told the Public Works and Transportation Committee.

The engineer noted that the intersection has been identified as a high-safety issue area where fatalities have occurred. The federal government is participating in 90% of the project funding because of these safety concerns.

Unlike traditional circular roundabouts, this one will have a more oval shape due to the unique geometry of the intersection. It will include an outside lane to accommodate high volumes of east-west through traffic.

The announcement sparked discussion among committee members about roundabout safety and driver education. Member Steve Balich expressed concern about navigating roundabouts in unfamiliar areas.

“If you don’t live in the area and you don’t know the roundabout, it’s not safety, it’s probably a hazard,” Balich said, citing experiences where he had to drive slowly to avoid going in the wrong direction.

Member Amanda Koch countered by highlighting their safety benefits. “I think roundabouts have made safety better if we can get people to understand that you’re supposed to go in and go around,” she said, adding that the selected intersection “looks like it would be a prime candidate for a roundabout.”

Ronaldson explained that roundabouts are designed to reduce severe accidents like T-bone collisions at traditional intersections. “They’re lower speed by design. When you enter it, you come in at a lower speed,” he said, noting there’s extensive documentation from safety experts demonstrating their effectiveness.

The public meeting will include educational materials showing drivers how to navigate the new traffic feature.