Picture Vernon: Remember The Old Roundabout?

VERNON, CT — National Roundabouts week has come and gone, but on Thursday, the Connecticut Department of Transportation was still touting them on social media.

So, what the heck ... let's take a look at Vernon's old roundabout.

The roundabout was the inspiration for the Vernon Circle section of town and was located at the convergence of routes 30 and 83 and Kelly Road near the Tri-City Plaza shopping center.

The picture, courtesy of the Vernon Police Department archives, was taken on June 25, 1975.

The roundabout eventually gave way to the current traffic light system and the Interstate 84 interchange.

The area is still known as Vernon Circle.

National Roundabouts week ran from Sept. 18 to Sept. 22.

"Roundabouts improve safety, reduce congestion, and even reduce emissions," DOT officials said about the observance.

DOT officials went on the say, "After converting an intersection to a roundabout, data shows an 80 percent reduction in severe crashes and a 50 percent reduction in overall crashes."

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Picture Vernon is a periodic series featuring images of the town, past and present.