Roundabout set to open Saturday in Niskayuna

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Traffic on Balltown Road was interrupted so a new traffic pattern could be put into place at the intersection of Aqueduct Road in Niskayuna as the Rexford bridge project continued on July 16. The the single-lane roundabout on the Niskayuna side of the ...

On Saturday, the single-lane roundabout on the Niskayuna side of the Rexford Bridge is scheduled to open, weather permitting. Once the roundabout opens, the traffic signal at the intersection between Balltown Road and Aqueduct Road will be removed.

Roundabout safety tips from the Federal Highway Administration

Education is vital to the acceptance and success of a roundabout. Navigating a roundabout is easy, but because people can be apprehensive about new things, itâs important to educate the public about roundabout use. There are just a few simple guidelines to remember when driving through a roundabout:

1. Slow down.

2. If thereâs more than one lane, use the left lane to turn left, the right lane to turn right, and all lanes to go through, unless directed otherwise by signs and pavement markings.

3. Yield to pedestrians and bicyclists.

4. Yield at the entry to circulating traffic.

5. Stay in your lane within the roundabout and use your right turn signal to indicate your intention to exit.

6. Always assume trucks need all available space â donât pass them.

7. Clear the roundabout to allow emergency vehicles to pass.

This is a temporary configuration while the bridge is under construction. Once the Rexford Bridge project is completed in 2017, the roundabout will have two lanes. This will allow for easier traffic flow from the new four-lane bridge currently being constructed alongside the original bridge.

In order for the roundabout to open on Saturday, the weather conditions must be dry so that pavement markings may be placed. Should it be too wet to pave, the roundabout will open on Sept. 24.

Approximately 22,000 motor vehicles utilize the 51-year-old Rexford Bridge every day, making it a major roadway between Schenectady and Saratoga counties.

Motorists should expect delays as drivers become accustomed to the roundabout. The Department of Transportation will have flaggers on call to assist with traffic if necessary.

In the coming weeks, crews will also be installing additional curbs and sidewalks along the widened section of Route 146 on the north side of the bridge.

At this time, crews are on schedule to complete the $32.5 million project by December of 2017.