Five Corners Getting Rounder and Rounder

A roundabout.

A rotary.

A traffic circle.

No matter how you like to phrase it, the Five Corners intersection is getting rounder.

The official terminology from the state Department of Transportation-authorized redesign is a "modern roundabout." It is geared toward alleviating confusion and improving safety at the five-way intersection on the Vernon-Ellington line.

It is heavily traveled for those traversing between those two towns and also those heading in and out of East Windsor.

The roundabout has been taking shape since construction began on April 1, and motorists can now actually get a taste of how to navigate it.

The Five Corners intersection includes routes 74 and 286 and Skinner, Pinney and Windsorville roads. It features notoriously clunky stop-and-go traffic, particularly during the morning and evening rush hours.

The $1.2 million, federally funded project will include new sidewalks, crosswalks and a storm water drainage system for the area. A truck apron will be built around the center island of the roundabout and the mountable splitter islands will be constructed of a stamped colored concrete.

The goal of the DOT is to have the project nearly done, with the exception of some minor finishing touches, by November. The entire project should be finished by June 2012, the DOT has said.

Colossale Concrete, Inc. of Berlin is the general contractor.