Boyette Road Traffic Detoured Through March 15

For the next month, drivers who frequent Boyette Road south of Bell Shoals Road will have to find a new route.

The road was closed Feb. 14 so that Newland Communities can construct a roundabout on Boyette near Rhodine Road for its planned Circa FishHawk development. The developer also will do utility work along the road in preparation for the development. 

This means non-local drivers are being detoured west on Boyette Road at Bell Shoals to McMullen Road, then to Rhodine Road where they can reconnect with Boyette Road. 

According to the county, the roundabout design, or traffic circle, is being used more frequently in road construction projects to avoid signalization at intersections. 

A roundabout was recently put in at Wheeler and Highview roads in Brandon. 

Not only do they require no signalization because traffic merges into the circle, but the roundabouts require less right of way, according to the county. 

Formerly known as Lake Hutto, Circa FishHawk is a 1,100-acre master-planned community located south of FishHawk Boulevard, between Boyette Road and FishHawk Ranch. The development has approval for 3,192 housing units consisting of single-family homes, townhomes and apartments, and 360,000 square feet of office space.

However, with the economic downturn, Newland is requesting permission from the county to scale down the number of housing units by 18.7 percent, to 2,599 units. Newland also is asking for the addition of 25,000 square feet of retail space and 135,000 square feet for medical and professional use.