A roundabout at Upper Arlington's Five Points intersection would keep traffic flowing decades longer than a redesigned signal, consultants told City Council on Monday, Sept. 14.

Engineering firm American Structurepoint presented refined concepts for the junction of Fishinger Road, Tremont Road and Northwest Boulevard, NBC4 reported. The presentation included updated traffic projections and a 2½-minute animation showing vehicles moving through a proposed circular roundabout during the evening rush.

The consultant evaluated three options: an expanded signalized intersection, a circular roundabout and a noncircular roundabout. Both roundabout designs scored higher than the signal for safety and mobility.

The gap was starkest in long-range projections. By 2048, the roundabout would deliver A or B levels of service on all three approaching roads. The signalized design would rate D on each.

Construction costs were close across all three concepts. Estimates ranged from about $4.50 million for the signalized option to $4.58 million for the noncircular roundabout. Those figures exclude right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation, which the consultant projected would be considerably higher for either roundabout.

The city first studied changes to Five Points in 2016 and revisited the issue in 2024 before hiring American Structurepoint in 2025 to develop options. The city's project page describes the intersection as one of Upper Arlington's busiest and most complex locations, where three major arterial streets converge. The final phase of Northwest Boulevard reconstruction between Wilshire Drive and Five Points began Aug. 3 and is expected to finish this fall.

City engineer Gary Wilfong said the target schedule calls for detailed design in 2027 and construction in 2028, but cautioned that timeline could slip.

"We have construction identified for 2028. That's our current schedule," Wilfong said. "… To be up front, that schedule could get bumped a year when you take all those into consideration."

Wilfong cited design progress, right-of-way acquisitions, utility relocations and coordination with Tremont Elementary School on its own potential projects as factors that could push construction to 2029.

Earlier in 2026, about 120 people attended a public meeting and 1,475 completed a follow-up survey. Roughly 55% of respondents favored a roundabout, with 37% choosing the circular version. About 45% preferred the signalized alternative.

Supporters cited smoother traffic flow and shorter waits. Concerns included pedestrian and bicycle safety, emergency vehicle access, impacts on nearby businesses and driver error, particularly among older drivers and those unfamiliar with roundabouts.

No preferred design has been selected. The city plans another round of community outreach this fall before moving to detailed design.