The Georgia Department of Transportation will begin work today to transform the roads around the Historic Courthouse in downtown Dawsonville into a roundabout.

Weather permitting, Thursday, Nov. 7, concrete and asphalt work will occur at SR 9/SR 53/Dahlonega Street approaching the Historic Courthouse and at SR 9 north approaching the Historic Courthouse. Work is scheduled 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 13 a striping crew will arrive in Dawsonville to remove the existing striping and lay down the new striping for the roundabout around the Historic Courthouse. Work will occur 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is expected to take 2 days to complete. Delays are expected as the striping occurs. Motorists are asked to avoid the area if possible.

Roundabouts can dramatically improve safety when compared to traditional four-way intersections,"said Georgia DOT District Engineer, Bayne Smith. "In fact, a study of 23 intersections converted to roundabouts showed a decrease in total crashes by 39 percent, a decrease in injury crashes of 76 percent, and a dramatic 89 percent decrease in fatal crashes."

To use a roundabout - yield as you approach the entry points; traffic inside the roundabout has the right of way. All entering motorists should yield to vehicles in the roundabout approaching and then enter the roundabout with a right turn. All traffic circulates around the central island in a counterclockwise movement and makes a right turn to exit the roundabout.

Please avoid the area while work occurs especially next week when the striping happens. Once the roundabout is operational, I think you will see a vast improvement in the traffic flow in the area. A roundabout is simple to navigate, just be cautious and do what the signs and pavement markings tell you to do, Smith said.