Jul 22, 2015 2 min read

Drivers may experience a traffic pattern they have not encountered before when one of two roundabouts opens to traffic Friday at the intersection of Route 519 with Brownlee and Thomas-Eighty Four roads in North Strabane Township.

Work began last fall on the $5 million project to construct the double roundabouts at the intersection that had been the scene of numerous crashes over the years as drivers on Brownlee and Thomas-Eighty Four often were not certain whether motorists on Route 519 were turning or going straight. The two roundabouts will be separated by about 500 feet of road.

Officials for the state Department of Transportation said they looked at putting in signals at the intersection, as well as building one roundabout with a signal and one large roundabout before ruling out those options.

“It is something we are using,” said Scott Faieta, assistant construction engineer overseeing the project for PennDOT, of the roundabouts. “Eventually, there will be one as part of a project in Bentleyville.”

The contractor for the project, Allison Park Contractors Inc. of Allison Park, closed Brownlee near Route 519 to realign the intersection including excavation, placing sub-base, drainage and paving work, July 6.

Thomas-Eighty Four Road will close in the next several weeks for about two weeks so similar work can be done to construct the second roundabout. Drivers will be detoured on Linden and Walker roads to Route 519.

Faieta said the project will be completed in late October or early November.