(WENY) - Construction is well underway on a new road designed to connect drivers traveling on State Route 13 and Old Ithaca Road in Horseheads. The new $25 million construction project includes a newly paved roadway connecting Old Ithaca Road to Route 13.  

“Seven, eight years ago, we started thinking, 'Do roundabouts make sense here?', we took a look, and they did,” Andrew Avery said, adding, “We ultimately got federal funding and state funding to cover 100% of the costs for this project.”  

The new Route 13 connector road project is slated to be completed by December 31st, 2023, but Avery says they are working to have the construction done before that date. The new road includes a bridge connected by two roundabouts on either end. Chemung County Public Works Commissioner Andy Avery says the project will help solve two problems; one with truck traffic to and from the HOST Terminal, and the other with speeding.  

“It slows people down naturally without having to put law enforcement running radar or anything else like that, so it’s a way to use engineering to help accomplish a safety objective.” Avery said.  

Avery says the roundabout's design helps to reduce high-impact crashes. With roughly 40,000 deaths on U.S. roads annually, he says he hopes when finished it will reduce that number in Chemung County.  

“We don't want any of our friends or family dying and we certainly don't want anybody else dying on these roads,” Avery said, adding, “Zero deaths (are) what we're working towards, and a roundabout is one tool in our toolbox to help accomplish that.”