CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The new roundabout at Mill Street and Yoctangee Parkway will open to traffic Monday, the city said, marking a milestone in Chillicothe’s ongoing work to improve safety and traffic flow around Yoctangee Park.
UPDATE (Aug. 14, 3:47 p.m.): This story has been updated with additional information from the City of Chillicothe.
The roundabout is opening ahead of the new school year as construction funded through the Appalachian Community Grant Program enters its final weeks, the city said. Roadway paving, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, pavement markings, pedestrian crossings and new traffic signs have been completed at the intersection.
“This project reflects our commitment to making this area safer and easier to navigate for residents, visitors and students,” Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeney said in the release. “We know the construction and road closures have been a real challenge for nearby residents, businesses and everyone who travels through this area, and we sincerely appreciate their patience and cooperation. As the roundabout opens, we encourage drivers to slow down, pay attention and give one another time to adjust to the new traffic pattern.”
The city said the new design will improve traffic flow and reduce the risk of serious crashes at the connection between downtown, schools, Yoctangee Park and surrounding neighborhoods, with new crosswalks, updated signage and clearly marked travel lanes providing safer routes for pedestrians.
The city asked drivers approaching the roundabout to slow down before entering, yield to pedestrians in designated crosswalks, yield to traffic already in the roundabout and follow all posted signs and pavement markings. Pedestrians were asked to cross only at designated crosswalks, watch the flow of traffic before crossing and avoid distractions such as phones or headphones while crossing. Cyclists were asked to slow down before entering, watch the flow of traffic, and yield to traffic already in the roundabout and to crossing pedestrians.
While the intersection is now open to traffic, construction on the surrounding streets and park continues as the broader grant-funded project moves toward completion, the city said. Motorists were asked to continue using caution and watching for crews in the area.
The city had previously posted a timelapse video showing progress across the park, including a new parking lot that has been paved and lined and new light poles that have been installed. At the park’s main pavilion, the doors are in, exterior siding is complete, and interior fans and lighting have been installed, according to the city. Work also continues on the park’s new amphitheater, where crews have finished the stage foundation and are raising the shell structure above it, and at Diamond One, one of the park’s baseball fields, the dugouts and press box are nearing completion. Inside the historic Chillicothe Armory, workers are running new lighting, laying flooring, painting and installing windows as part of a full restoration of the building, the city said.
The projects are being funded through Ohio’s Appalachian Community Grant Program, which awarded the city $35 million in 2024 for renovations and new construction in and around Yoctangee Park. The grant, drawn from federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars distributed through the Governor’s Office of Appalachia and the Ohio Department of Development, is also paying for the amphitheater, the Armory restoration, a permanent home for the Chillicothe Farmers Market and upgrades to streets and gateways surrounding the park.
Mayor Feeney has called the grant a “once in a generation opportunity” for the community, saying it completes the vision for the park laid out in the Yoctangee Park master plan and the city’s Choose Chillicothe comprehensive plan.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the City of Chillicothe.
