ARLINGTON — Crews are kicking off construction early in May on a new roundabout at the intersection of State Routes 9 and 531 near Arlington. The summer-long project will replace a traffic signal at the busy intersection with a roundabout to help reduce collisions and congestion.

The Washington State Department of Transportation’s contractor, Interwest Construction, began prepping the work area starting on Monday, April 30. Crews expect to spend the week installing signs and fencing, and moving equipment into the area.

Work will begin in earnest during the week of Monday, May 7, when crews will begin closing lanes at night, and drivers can expect minor delays.

Drivers are encouraged to sign up for WSDOT’s Snohomish County email updates, or to visit the “Construction Updates” page of its website, to get the latest information on this and other construction projects in the region.

The new roundabout is expected to work efficiently at the intersection even with a significant amount of development that’s anticipated to occur in the area. The surrounding area is planned as a commercial and industrial center for the region, and local planners expect more homes, businesses and drivers in the future.

WSDOT designed this roundabout to accommodate large trucks, buses and emergency response vehicles. More information and YouTube videos about how to drive roundabouts are available on the WSDOT roundabout website.

The project website is www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr9/sr531intersection. Its page on roundabouts is www.wsdot.wa.gov/Safety/roundabouts/default.htm.

For email updates, log onto www.wsdot.wa.gov/emailupdates. For construction updates, log onto www.wsdot.wa.gov/Northwest/Snohomish/Construction.