Contractor crews will begin work on a new roundabout at Highway 12 and Anderson Road in Rochester July 6.

The project is for a single-lane roundabout large enough to accommodate emergency vehicles, logging trucks and farm vehicles, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Roundabouts reduce the potential for collisions and this one will make it easier for Anderson Road traffic to merge, according to the agency.

Both Highway 12 and Anderson Road south of the highway will remain open during most of the construction. Drivers can expect lane shifts, alternating traffic controlled by temporary traffic signals and reduced speed limits.

When the work is completed this fall, drivers will use a “three-legged,” single-lane roundabout. Anderson Road north of the highway will close permanently. Drivers who use that roadway will reach the highway via Sickman-Ford or Moon Road Southwest.

More on the project can be found at www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/us12/andersontomoonrdsafety/home.