MADISON COUNTY. Ala. (WHNT) – The intersection of Homer Nance Road and Jordan Road near Mt. Carmel will have unincorporated Madison County’s first roundabout before winter, after it officially closed to traffic June 1.

Madison County Commissioner Craig Hill told News 19 the road work will be worth the wait because driving through the roundabout will mean drivers won’t really have to wait.

“We try to keep traffic flowing. We try to keep it safe, and a roundabout is a good option,” Hill said. “There was some concern about the traffic light that had been installed (in the mid-2010s. It caused congestion there. Traffic flow wasn’t good, so we started looking at an alternative.”

According to the Federal Highway Administration, switching from a signalized intersection to a roundabout can reduce crashes by 78%.

The five-month contractor plan will eat up almost a million dollars, but half comes from state funds and 15% from the City of Huntsville.

Hill said that’s a bargain in the long run, and wouldn’t be surprised if other North Alabama counties make the same investments.

“It’s a good value for Madison County, what it’ll cost our taxpayers,” he said. “There are a lot of residents that expect good travel routes, and we continue to improve those. I think it’s going to be important to consider roundabouts.”

The only needed maintenance the intersection will need in the future after its completion would likely be general road resurfacing, Hill said.