Traffic circle coming to Rock Hill’s Constitution Boulevard

The city’s latest roads move could have traffic going around in circles.

At least, that’s the plan.

The Rock Hill City Council has approved a $4.1 million contract to build a roundabout at the intersection of Constitution Boulevard and Columbia Avenue. The project also will connect the new traffic circle to West White Street.

Blythe Development Co. will begin construction of the roundabout at the beginning of November, project manager Jennifer Wilford said.

The project will form a “gateway” into Winthrop University and the redeveloped Knowledge Park area on the former Bleachery industrial site. A roundabout for the intersection was approved in the 2011 Pennies for Progress referendum. Wilford said this is the first of the 2011 projects to begin construction.

Besides improving traffic flow in the area, the circle also will serve as a chance to beautify one of the main thoroughfares through the city’s midsection. The traffic circle will feature a public art exhibition, Wilford said, whether inside the circle itself or around the outside.

“Just like with the Woolworth Walkway, we’ll evaluate all our options with the stakeholders there,” she said, referring to the civil rights-themed walkway under construction off East Main Street.

The two projects are tied together. The city received a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in July to pay for the walkway alongside a new downtown apartment building. A portion of that grant also will be spent on artwork for the new roundabout.

Construction is expected to last one year, Wilford said. In the meantime, traffic will likely be affected.

Different detours will be in place for each street involved during various phases of construction, a city spokeswoman said. Blythe Development would be responsible for erecting barricades during the construction process, Wilford said..

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Traffic circle coming to Rock Hill’s Constitution Boulevard."