The intersection of U.S. Highway 264 and N.C. Highway 32 at Douglas Crossroads could get be revamped into a roundabout.

North Carolina Department of Transportation engineer Jeff Cabaniss presented the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners with two versions of a safety project for the intersection.

“What happened was they were looking at the crash history down there, and last year there was fatality at that intersection that made them take a look at it again,” said Beaufort County Manager Brian Alligood.

Cabaniss was seeking the go-ahead from the board to apply to the state for funding of the safety project. NCDOT gauges the priority of projects statewide based on a point system; any fatality at a site adds points and increases the likelihood that a project will receive funding, Alligood said.

Cabaniss showed the board two designs: a super street version with turnarounds like those found a little farther west on U.S. 264 at Asbury Church Road and another with a roundabout. Bunyan Volunteer Fire Department, located on the southeastern quadrant of the intersection, was asked to weigh in with a recommendation.

“Their board was unanimously in favor of a roundabout, as opposed to super street section,” Alligood said. “That was mostly because of response time. They have to go out that way for the majority of their calls.”

Should a roundabout be constructed at the intersection, traffic speeds would necessarily be lowered.

“I think Jeff (Cabaniss) said it would take it down to about 35 (mph) or less,” Alligood said.

After hearing Bunyan Fire Chief Wes Williams’ comments about the department’s preferences, commissioners endorsed the project, giving Cabaniss the go-ahead to seek funding from the state agency.