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Roads to Close for Dallas Roundabout Project

DALLAS — Construction on another traffic roundabout in Luzerne County is expected to shut down part of a busy road near Misericordia University. Business ...

DALLAS -- Construction on another traffic roundabout in Luzerne County is expected to shut down part of a busy road near Misericordia University.

Business owners in the Dallas area hope customers can get used to a year of detours.

Starting Tuesday, drivers looking to turn onto Lake Street in Dallas will have to take a detour while crews begin building a traffic roundabout.

Sara Wise owns the Olde House Café on Lake Street at the edge of the construction site. She believes regulars here will navigate their way to breakfast and lunch.

"There are rumors that go around that the whole entire road is going to be closed and that's not the case," said Wise. "We have a lot of loyal and faithful customers who come back pretty regularly every day, and I don't see them not coming during this time."

Crews originally planned to close Lake Street last Thursday but pushed it off to accommodate Misericordia University, whose students just got back to school.

But that five-day delay is of little comfort to people who do not want a roundabout built here at all.

"It's going to be kind of a mess. It really is," said Alan Davis of Dallas. "You're going to have older people, people who are not that good at driving, they're going to be afraid to enter into the damn thing."

PennDOT claims the roundabout is necessary because there is too much traffic where Lake Street meets Route 415. Left turns are difficult, and there are safety concerns involving walkers and cyclists.

Wise hopes her customers get used to the roundabout.

"I hope it's for the good because it's coming, regardless."

PennDOT expects the Lake Street entrance to reopen in a little less than a year. and the roundabout should be completed in about two years.

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