ROAD ADVISORY: Zeeb/Miller Intersection to be Closed April 15th

April 15th this year will be taxing in more ways than one for some motorists.

The Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) will close the intersection of Miller Road and Zeeb Road in Scio Township. The closure is to reconstruct the intersection into a roundabout, with an anticipated completion of approximately 12 weeks, subject to the usual weather and contractor availability variants.

This location’s traffic circle construction comes after the WCRC secured a federal safety grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) via the Highway Safety Improvement Program in the fall of 2022. The decision to construct a roundabout at this specific location is based on the WCRC’s ongoing evaluation of county intersections, coupled with detailed traffic and safety analyses.

WCRC’s reasoning for the intersection reconstruction is the historical data indicating that the Miller Road and Zeeb Road intersection has been the site of numerous serious accidents. The road commission points to studies consistently showing that roundabouts can significantly reduce the incidence of severe collisions, particularly side-impact crashes. By implementing a roundabout here, the WCRC aims to enhance safety by lowering the potential for dangerous incidents while also ensuring a continuous flow of traffic. This infrastructure improvement is part of broader efforts to address identified road safety challenges within the county, reflecting a targeted approach to reducing crash rates and improving overall road safety for motorists.

The total cost of the project is an estimated $1.5 million.

Image: WCRC