Wayne County has only one roundabout on its county road system, compared with 15 in Macomb County and 45 in Oakland County. But that is about to change in Michigan’s most populous county, as Canton Township and the cities of Romulus and Northville plan to build new roundabouts at several busy intersections, while Westland and Dearborn are considering similar projects.

In Canton Township, officials are preparing to construct the township’s first roundabout during the summer of 2027 at the intersection of Sheldon and Palmer Roads. The current four-way stop causes long traffic backups during peak hours, particularly after classes dismiss at Bentley Elementary School.

The township is also planning a second roundabout by 2029 at the intersection of Ridge, Saltz and Denton Roads.

In Northville, where Wayne County’s first roundabout opened at the intersection of Seven Mile, Sheldon and Center Roads, plans are underway for a second roundabout at Seven Mile Road and Hines Drive. That project is expected to be completed by 2028.

Northville Mayor Brian Turnbull said it took residents some time to adjust to the first roundabout.

“Initially, people were very skeptical, especially senior citizens,” Turnbull said. “But the results have been extremely positive. I have received far more positive emails and phone calls about the roundabout than I ever expected.”

Like Canton’s planned project, the Northville roundabout was built partly to address traffic congestion and long vehicle backups — a problem Turnbull said has “completely disappeared since then.”

The city of Romulus, meanwhile, plans to construct a roundabout at a five-way intersection near downtown, where Huron River Drive, Goddard Road, Grant Street and Ozga Street converge.

Infrastructure work for the roundabout is expected to begin in late 2027, followed by construction in spring 2028.

The Canton and Northville projects received $2.7 million and $2.2 million in federal funding, respectively, while Romulus received $2 million.

In other communities, Dearborn is pursuing a small roundabout at the intersection of Chase Road and Ruby Street, while Westland is considering two roundabouts at the intersections of Joy Road and Hines Drive and Joy and Farmington Roads.

Mohamed “Mo” Ayoub, Westland’s planning and building director, said the two locations were selected from among 13 intersections studied because of their unusual configurations and the difficulty motorists face seeing approaching traffic.

However, with the city facing more pressing needs, Ayoub said roundabout construction is not currently among Westland’s highest-priority projects.