By 1808Delaware
If you’ve driven Delaware County lately, you’ve probably noticed the cranes, cones, and temporary signs. What you may not have noticed yet is the county’s pivot to roundabouts as a core safety and congestion fix.
Over the next two years, crews will build a series of single-lane and peanut-shaped roundabouts at some of the most crash-prone and delay-heavy intersections, while also widening key roads that feed fast-growing neighborhoods and job centers. The goal is simple: fewer severe crashes and easier daily drives on local roads.
Why Roundabouts, Why Now
Roundabouts slow vehicles to safer speeds and cut the angle of many serious crashes. They also keep traffic flowing during rush periods better than traditional stop-controlled intersections. County engineers are matching that safety win with targeted investments where development has outpaced old layouts, including corridors that now serve commuters heading toward the Intel area to the west.
What’s First In 2025
Two projects lead the shift this construction season:
• Worthington and Lewis Center Road
A peanut-shaped roundabout will replace the current cross-intersection. Utility relocation will begin while traffic is maintained, followed by a two-month closure with access for residents inside the work zone.
• Big Walnut Road and Tussic Street
A single-lane roundabout comes with a new shared-use path on Big Walnut Road and a sidewalk on Tussic Street to Totten Springs Drive. Expect initial utility work under traffic, then a two-month closure on Tussic.
Countywide repaving, bridge work, and corridor upgrades round out the year. Among the larger items: a pony-truss rehabilitation on Warrensburg Road over the Scioto River, phased Bale Kenyon Road improvements in Orange Township, and widening on Steitz Road between Harvest Point and Hyatts Road. Some of these jobs will maintain one-way traffic; others require short, full closures.
The Intel-Area Commute
County Line Road will see two new roundabouts funded by state economic-development dollars, built sequentially to keep people moving as Licking County upgrades its side of the line. One will be a circular layout at Fancher Road, the other a peanut-shaped design at Center Village and Duncan Plains to handle the five-leg intersection. Expect two to three-month closures at each location, one after the other.
Cheshire Road’s Three-Stop Makeover
Beginning in 2026, Cheshire Road will add three single-lane roundabouts, each built with a short closure before shifting to the next. The plan is to minimize the footprint at Africa Road to protect access to the Cheshire Market area, tie Millstone Drive into a new circle at Golf Course Road, and shape a peanut-style design at South Galena and Rome Corners to handle five approaches safely.
Neighborhood Connectors And Safer Crossings
Several smaller intersections will trade stop signs for circles in 2026, including Rome Corners at Dustin Road, Peachblow at Piatt, and Hyatts at Section Line. Each is slated for a two-month closure with local access kept open for residents. On Shanahan Road from US 23 to North Road, crews will widen to three lanes and add a shared-use path on the south side while keeping one-way traffic during construction.
What To Expect If You Live Or Work Nearby
• Shorter, sequential closures instead of one long shutdown
• One-way operations on select corridors to maintain access
• Utility relocations ahead of main construction, often with traffic still moving
• New sidewalks and shared-use paths bundled with road fixes where possible
Looking Ahead: Bridges Over Rails And A Smoother Home Stretch
By 2026 and 2027, Home Road’s extension will fly over CSX and Norfolk Southern tracks on a new bridge, connecting to the Lewis Center roundabout near Evans Farm and adding a shared-use path across the span. The county’s bet is that these pieces will knit together into a network that moves people more predictably, whether they’re heading to school, work, or the grocery store.
How To Keep Your Sanity During Construction Season
• Check closure dates before you leave and save alternate routes in your map app
• Give roundabouts a fair shot: slow to posted speeds and yield to traffic already inside
• Remember that most closures are measured in weeks, not months, and that crews are staggering work to keep you moving where they can.
