Road commission says the innovative design grew from conversations with local cyclists and traffic modeling
When construction begins next year on the new Dexter Five Points roundabout, motorists won’t be the only travelers getting special attention.
The Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) has incorporated a dedicated bicycle feature into the unusual peanut-shaped roundabout planned for the intersection of Mast Road, Huron River Drive and Joy Road in Webster Township, a design officials say was developed specifically to improve safety for one of the county’s busiest cycling corridors.
The approximately $2.5 million project is funded through a combination of a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant and Michigan Transportation Funds. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with work lasting about 16 weeks, although the exact start date has not yet been determined.
Designed With Cyclists in Mind
While the new intersection is intended to improve safety and reduce congestion, Project Manager Kevin Dubnicki said planners recognized early that thousands of recreational cyclists also use the corridor.
“During the design phase, WCRC communicated with local cyclists and specifically with the Ann Arbor Touring Society to get input on the design. A designated five-foot-wide bike path was integrated into the roundabout island to help maintain movement of cyclists going into the city of Dexter from Huron River Drive. Cyclists will have a yield sign and must yield to traffic when merging,” Dubnicki said during the WCRC’s July 8 virtual town hall.
The dedicated bike connection allows cyclists traveling toward Dexter from Huron River Drive to cross through the center splitter island rather than ride completely around both circles of the elongated roundabout.
Not every bicycle movement, however, receives that accommodation.
Dubnicki said cyclists traveling north on Mast Road or west on Huron River Drive will instead be encouraged to ride through the roundabout like any other vehicle.
“Cyclists traveling north on Mast Road or west on Huron River Drive will utilize the roundabout and are recommended to take up the entire lane. This is for your safety so that you are treated like a vehicle due to limited space and to prevent unsafe passing,” he said.
During the question-and-answer session, several residents praised the effort to better accommodate bicycles while asking whether additional education or signs would accompany the new design.
Dubnicki said the project will include signage for cyclists entering and exiting the dedicated crossing.
“This is the first time we’ve incorporated this into a project. We thought it was safer for the cyclists to be able to try to accommodate this and their needs instead of running them through the full roundabout if we could avoid that. Also, with conversations with the cyclists… they were in agreement that this seemed like a good, feasible option and that it was pretty self-explanatory for themselves when we went through it with them,” he said.
How the Bike Crossing Will Work
Later, Dubnicki explained that cyclists using the dedicated crossing will still be responsible for yielding before entering traffic.
“A cyclist is considered a vehicle, and they can traverse the entire roundabout just like a vehicle would. What we did at the intersection of Huron River Drive and Mast Road is include a designated safe zone for bicyclists because we know there is increased bicycle usage there. When they approach the intersection, they will need to yield. The traffic is not yielding for the cyclist. The cyclist must yield to the traffic that is already in the roundabout,” he said.
Why a ‘Peanut-Shaped’ Roundabout?
The elongated, or “peanut-shaped,” design was selected after engineers evaluated several alternatives, including a single large roundabout and two separate roundabouts.
Dubnicki said traffic modeling showed the chosen design would better handle peak traffic volumes while minimizing backups on Mast Road.
“We actually flew a drone over the intersection and monitored the number of vehicles and the turning movements they were making. After we did the modeling, we found the other configurations would cause delays and backups. The oblong design allowed the traffic to flow appropriately without the same significant queue lengths,” he said.
During construction, all five approaches to the intersection will be closed, although nearby homes and businesses will remain accessible via detours. WCRC expects to remove any necessary trees before April 1, 2027, after the project receives final state approval and is awarded for construction.
Featured photo: Traffic moves through the five-point intersection of Huron River Drive, Mast Road and Joy Road in Webster Township, where the Washtenaw County Road Commission plans to construct a peanut-shaped roundabout in 2027. The design includes a dedicated bicycle crossing through the center splitter island, a feature intended to improve safety for cyclists traveling one of the region’s most popular riding routes. Photo by Doug Marrin
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