A new roundabout is just one of several key changes that were made to the intersection of  Good Hope and Town Line roads.
Work on overhauling the intersection — which previously was a two way stop for Good Hope traffic — occurred from  Sept. 6 to Nov. 30. The project cost just under $675,000.
Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas noted that 10,000 yards of cubic soil was moved to drop the hill and increase the elevation of the intersection.
Vrakas cited comments from Lannon Trustee Jerry Newman, who indicated there was “almost an accident a week” near the intersection.
Vrakas also cited the benefits of the modern roundabout, which he said have been shown to reduce the potential for serious accidents by 85 percent.
“This was one of the most dangerous intersections that we had in the county highway system. That was the reason we got the project done,” Vrakas said later.
Vrakas said that when Waukesha County now prepares for construction at intersections, roundabouts are considered as well as traffic lights.
“They’re not appropriate everywhere. Some (intersections) we do roundabouts, some we do lights,” Vrakas said.
County Board Chairman Jim Dwyer added that the changes to the intersection “will take one of the high accident corners in Waukesha County and make it one of the safer ones. It’s about public safety.”
In addition to safety benefits, there will be reduced maintenance costs as the LED lights at the intersection will use 25 percent of the energy of a high pressure sodium light that has been used in the past.
“Big savings in terms of long term costs. Plus they last about ten times longer,” added Gary Evans, engineering service manager  for Waukesha County.
—By Thomas J. McKillen, Managing Editor