The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC), in partnership with Orion Township, today, Friday, Aug. 16, opened its 42nd roundabout at the intersection of Baldwin Road and Clarkston Road in the township. The new roundabout is part of RCOC's ongoing commitment to improving traffic flow and enhancing safety across the county.
The Baldwin Road/Clarkston Road roundabout is designed to reduce congestion and minimize the potential for serious crashes at this busy intersection. Roundabouts have been shown to significantly decrease the severity of accidents compared to signalized intersections, making them a key component of RCOC's road-safety strategy.
"We're proud to open our 42nd roundabout in Oakland County, continuing our efforts to create safer and more efficient roads for our residents and visitors," RCOC Managing Director Dennis Kolar said. "This roundabout is a critical improvement for the area, and we are confident it will serve the community well."
Kolar also noted that with the completion of this roundabout, the Baldwin Road corridor in Orion Township constitutes the longest roundabout corridor in the state with seven roundabouts in the section between I-75 and Indianwood Road.
During construction of the roundabout, a video camera of the construction provided a live feed to the Road Commission’s website. The Road Commission will shortly post a time-lapse video that shows the construction from start to finish.
The project contractor, Walter Toebe of Wixom, completed the roundabout's construction on schedule. Crews worked diligently to ensure the intersection was reopened to traffic as quickly as possible and before the start of school. The project also included new signage, updated road markings and improved pedestrian crossings to enhance accessibility and safety for all road users.
While the roundabout is now open, there are some remaining tasks that must be completed, some of which will require lane and sidewalk closures. The remaining work includes:
- Installing the High-intensity Activated crosswalk (HAWK) beacons at the Baldwin Road pedestrian crossings. This will require the sidewalks at Baldwin Road remain closed until mid-November to ensure pedestrian safety. Mastarms for the HAWK signals are delayed in production and are expected to arrive in early November.
- Removing the temporary road at Baldwin Court/West Baldwin Road and Baldwin Road that had been used as a detour during construction.
- Landscaping the medians, which the township will complete in 2025.
Residents and motorists in the area are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new traffic pattern. As with any new roundabout, drivers are reminded to yield to traffic already in the roundabout, to watch for pedestrians and cyclists and to exit the roundabout when an emergency vehicle is approaching (do not stop within the roundabout). For information on roundabouts, visit https://www.rcocweb.org/374/Roundabouts.
-- ### --
