With any luck, residents in New Palestine could see a major change to a set of roads in the very near future.

According to Gary Pool, chief engineer for the Hancock County Highway Department, told Giant FM that a proposed roundabout at County Road 300 South and County Road 500 West in New Palestine could see quite a jump in action at the end of this year.

“The roundabout is on schedule. It should let at the end of this year and get built next year,” Pool said.

The proposed roundabout has been in discussions for several years, and picked up serious momentum in 2015 when Andrew Hall, 15, died in an accident. Hall was riding in a vehicle that went through a stop sign on County Road 300 South and collided with a van.

New Palestine and Hancock County will split the $100,000 cost associated with the roundabout and will be reimbursed by the federal government after the payment is made, according to Pool.

Pool said the roundabout will be a welcomed addition to an area that has been riddled with automobile accidents in recent years.

“It will help. It has actually been quiet the last year,” Pool said.

Quiet or not, the roundabout’s intent will be to cut accidents and injuries, significantly, and that is just fine by Pool. Roundabouts are designed to cut down on speed and head-on accidents.

“There should be a 75 percent reduction in injury accidents if all goes by the book,” Pool told Giant FM.