CLINTON TWP — State, county and municipal officials say a new roundabout intersection at Route 228 and Saxonburg Boulevard will improve safety and ease traffic.

The state Department of Transportation presented the preliminary design of the intersection at the township building on Saxonburg Boulevard Thursday.

Mark Rozich, PennDOT project manager, said the roundabout, which is slated for construction in 2016, would address safety and traffic issues at the current intersection.

Known as Cox’s Corner, the existing intersection is a fork in the road with an uphill slope obscuring the view to oncoming traffic.

“The roundabout is a good solution,” Rozich said.

Township Supervisor Ed Boyd, board chairman, said in an interview there have been dozens of accidents, counting fender benders, at the intersection over the years.

“There are a lot of near misses,” he said.

The roundabout will be located farther west than Cox’s Corner.

The estimated $4 million to $5 million project is federally funded.

Eric Meyer of the Seven Fields architectural and engineering firm Whitman, Requardt & Associates, which PennDOT hired to work on the project, said the roundabout would have better sight distance and reduce backup on both state roads.

“The cars sit out there,” he said about daily traffic tie-ups.

The firm’s report indicated daily traffic flow in that area. The number of westbound vehicles on Route 228 is 8,900, eastbound travelers reach 5,700 with 5,500 others coming down Saxonburg Boulevard.

Daniel Fritz of Whitman said studies show roundabouts reduce the frequency of accidents up to 40 percent and lessen the severity of wrecks up to 80 percent.

Fritz explained how Cox’s Corner has multiple points where a vehicle can pass another, creating more opportunities for accidents.

“The existing intersection has nine points of conflict,” he said.

Circulating traffic will have the right of way.

A concrete truck apron several inches higher than the car lane will be inside the circle, so tractor-trailers and other longer vehicles can maneuver through the intersection.

The first phase of construction will be the circle, which is not expected to impact traffic through Cox’s Corner.

The second phase will be making Route 228 connections to the circle while the third phase adds Saxonburg Boulevard.

Meyer said any road closures would not exceed a week and should be minimal.

The design does not require the state to use eminent domain for land acquisition.

“We’re not displacing any property,” Rozich said.

After the meeting, Boyd credited former township Supervisor Mary Zacherl for initiating efforts to improve safety at the intersection.

He was satisfied with main design aspects.

“I am happy with it,” Boyd said.

However, he wants PennDOT to consider adding a turning lane on Saxonburg Boulevard for traffic turning left onto Knoch Road.

PennDOT is altering that intersection into a 90-degree turn to improve sight distance there as well.

Dave Johnston, Butler County planning director, said in an interview the roundabout is needed.

“It’s a project we’ve been advocating for years,” Johnston said.

Saxonburg Police Chief Joe Beachem, whose department assists state police in covering the township, also supports changes to the intersection.

“Having driven it, I think the roundabout is a really good idea,” Beachem said.