Baldwin Road is now state’s longest roundabout corridor

By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
ORION TWP. — The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) opened the roundabout at the intersection of Baldwin and Clarkston roads on Friday, Aug. 16.
According to a press release, the project includes new Americans with Disabilities Act compliant crosswalks connecting to existing pedestrian pathways, pedestrian crosswalk signals and intersection lighting. Other changes include improved storm sewers and drainage, decorative concrete and curbs, utility relocation and tree removals.
A total of $3.6 million was paid for the project using a combination of RCOC dollars, Orion Township dollars and federal funds, according to the road commission.
With the roundabout’s completion, RCOC Managing Director Dennis Kolar said the township’s Baldwin Road corridor is Michigan’s longest roundabout corridor with seven total roundabouts between I-75 and Indianwood Road.
The Orion Township Board of Trustees voted 6-0 in March to approve $50,000 to help expedite the timeline for completing the roundabout this summer, a move that township officials say is necessary to support residents, businesses and kids getting to and from school.
Orion Township Supervisor Chris Barnett urged residents to support the businesses in the area that were affected by the street closures during the roundabout construction. Barnett added that at least one business owner informed him that they had a 60% reduction in profits during the nine weeks the intersection was closed compared to the same time period last year.
“We celebrated the opening of the intersection at Baldwin and Clarkston on Friday with much fanfare. The plaza there had a little bit of a celebration,” Barnett said. “To the extent that you’re interested and able, we would love to give them a shot in the arm for the rest of the year, all the businesses that have been affected by the construction.”
The project was originally scheduled to be completed at the end of September, Barnett said, adding that the township and road commission were able to cut almost six weeks off the timeline “by paying a performance bonus of $150,000 to the contractor. Of that, $50,000 came from the township.”
Baldwin Road has a traffic count of approximately 15,000 cars per day and east/westbound Baldwin has a traffic count of approximately 8,000 cars per day.
Orion Township will complete landscaping of the medians in 2025, according to the press release.
Managing Editor Jim Newell contributed to this report.