Finally, construction of the $2.3 million roundabout first planned in 2018 at Cody’s Corner–the intersection of State Road 11 and County Road 304, one of the deadliest in the county–begins Monday.
The roundabout is one of two projects on State Road 11. The other is a 15-mile, $15.4 million resurfacing project. The roundabout is the result of two studies that confirmed what local residents have always known: the intersection is a magnet for crashes, with six deaths there since 2014–two in 2022 alone–and 15 injuries. Both studies recommended that a roundabout be built. A traffic signal was ruled out because traffic is too light to warrant it.
“The roundabout was found to have the greatest safety and cost-benefit,” an FDOT presentation concludes, as it would reduce traffic conflict points from 32 to eight. Numerous studies have found roundabouts to be the far safer alternatives at certain intersections, significantly reducing head-on and t-bone crashes, and reducing the chance of a fatal or serious injury crash by 80 to 85 percent. All vehicles are traveling in the same direction. Crashes tend to be fender-benders or sideswipes.
Roundabouts don’t eliminate fatal crashes–no traffic device used by human beings ever could. A man lost his life at the roundabout on U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway in September 2022, but he had been speeding at around 100 miles per hour, according to a witness, and barreled through, rather than around, the roundabout. Vehicles navigating the roundabout are expected to do so at 15 to 20 miles per hour.
Roundabouts in regions not used to them, like Flagler County before the U.S. 1 roundabouts were built (another one was built at the intersection with Matanzas Woods Parkway, also resulting in no fatalities there since), have tended to draw public opposition, at times vehement opposition, including from some elected officials familiar with the life-saving success of roundabouts. The Cody’s Corner roundabout was no exception. Local residents worried about the roundabout interfering with access to adjacent properties and the ability of semi rucks to navigate the structure.
The engineering of the roundabout is expected to address the concerns, with a “truck apron” in the center circle of the structure, designed to let trucks ride over it, intersection lighting and access openings at all four approaches to the roundabout to ensure access to nearby properties. Currently there are stop signs and rumble strips on 304 and flashing beacons on 11 cautioning about the intersection .
Aside from the safety improvements, roundabouts ensure that traffic never stops, reducing wear and tear on vehicles, reducing wait times, and reducing pollution from exhausts.
The resurfacing project of State Road 11 will stretch from the Volusia County line to U.S. 1 in Bunnell, skipping the intersection. In Bunnell pedestrian and cyclists will see further improvements, including lighting from just south of Haw Creek Road to U.S. 1, three crosswalks and a sidewalk. Two of the crosswalks will be raised and amount to traffic calming devices. A shared use path is being considered, but not certain, at the north end of the road.
Closures and detours: The operations will include the closure of the eastern side of County Road 304 at its intersection with State Road 11. This will necessitate a detour that will utilize U.S. 1 heading north to State Road 11 for access to the western portion of County Road 304. But while a detour was initially thought to be in place by Monday, April 22, FDOT said that will not happen until May 7.
