After months of impacted traffic and route redirection, the roundabout at the intersection of Baptist & Terrazzo is now complete.

The roadway improvement project from Colorado Department of Transportation including the construction of a two-lane roundabout at the intersection of Baptist Road and Terrazzo Drive in Monument was deemed completed by CDOT Nov. 22, and the last of the work-zone and traffic control devices were removed that day. The roundabout includes concrete sidewalks and median construction as well as various drainage improvements adjacent to the intersection. The project also included clearing, grubbing, removals, utility relocation, striping, signage and erosion control.

CDOT determined the roundabout was appropriate for the intersection, given the amount of types of traffic vehicles which use the intersection, just north of the Pilot and QuikTrip travel stations and a single-lane existing roundabout to the west on Baptist, to reduce the amount of time needed to get through the intersection.

The roundabout, instead of a traffic signal, is better because it promotes a continuous flow of traffic and improves safety, CDOT resident traffic engineer Matt Jagow said.

“Drivers do not have to wait for a green light to move through the intersection,” he said. “Drivers will be only expected to yield to other vehicles in the roundabout and to pedestrians before entering the roundabout. This allows the roundabout to handle a larger capacity of vehicles through the intersection, which is a factor given the area’s increasing traffic growth.”

Roundabouts also increase safety and reduce incidences of crashes by preventing left turns across oncoming traffic. When crashes do occur, they are typically less severe than traditional intersections, the project’s website stated.

“There are fewer points of conflict, the way vehicles could crash into each other or pedestrians in the intersection,” Jagow said. “The severity of crashes are reduced due to low entry speeds and travel speeds through the roundabout.”

The third and final phase of the project was originally projected to be completed at the end of October. The timeline was anticipated to end in September when the project first started in June.

For months leading up to Nov. 22, through all phases of the project, access to businesses along Baptist Road and Terrazzo Drive remained open and west-bound traffic including commercial vehicles on Baptist was diverted to the west-existing roundabout, south on Woodcarver Road and east on Squadron Drive to access the travel centers as well as the UPS Distribution Center.

Construction cost for the project was $3.9 million.