Officials with the Indiana Department of Transportation recently met with contractor representatives and design consultants at the Seymour District offices to review plans for constructing a west-end roundabout on the U.S. 50 bypass in North Vernon.

Operations at the U.S. 50/Walnut Street-County Road 400W interchange — located two miles west of North Vernon—are expected to begin in early April.

Milestone Contractors of Columbus is the state’s contractor for this $1.9 million intersection project to replace the existing stop-control configuration with a single-lane roundabout measuring 166 feet in diameter.

Plans call for splitter islands to be installed on rebuilt road approaches. The roundabout’s 16-foot-wide single lane will encircle a center hub designed to accommodate semitrailers on a 14-foot truck apron. Lighting is included in the project.

U.S. 50 roundabout construction will require closures at the Walnut Street and County Road 400W approaches.

A preliminary timeline calls for the roundabout to be built in four phases:

Phase I: Construct east half, shift traffic to westbound side of U.S. 50, close Walnut Street and County Road 400W.

Phase II: Construct west half, shift traffic to center of roadway, Walnut Street and County Road 400W remain closed.

Phase III: Build splitter islands and the center island, normalize U.S. 50 traffic pattern, Walnut Street and County 400W remain closed.

Phase IV: Build western curb entrance to the roundabout, normal traffic pattern on U.S. 50 continues, Walnut Street and County Road 400W reopen to motorists.

The U.S. 50 bypass has a traffic count of 8,355 vehicles per day.