A new roundabout in South Orleans that connects Route 28 and Route 39 will be dedicated to an Orleans resident.
The roundabout will be named in honor of Dorofei Klimshuk, said Kevin Galligan, Select Board vice chair in Orleans. The bill outlining the designation was signed by Gov. Maura Healey on Dec. 19.
Klimshuk, 87, died in June 2023. He had “a quick wit and a mischievous personality, with sharp skills in pulling off many practical jokes,” according to his obituary. “Under his tough exterior, he was a kind-hearted, generous and caring guy, always willing to lend a hand. As a private pilot for many years, he loved to fly. He also loved to sail around Pleasant Bay and built a number of boats, both sailing and motor.”
In 2024, the state Department of Transportation created 15 miles of new pedestrian and cycling pathways, including the roundabout, according to the agency.
A new roundabout in South Orleans that connects Route 28, Route 39 and Quanset Road will be dedicated to an Orleans resident. The roundabout, photographed on Jan. 8, 2025, will be named in honor of Dorofei Klimshuk, said Kevin Galligan, Select Board vice chair in Orleans. The bill naming Klimshuk, who died in 2023, was signed by Gov. Maura Healey on Dec. 19.
The new roundabout includes a signalized intersection, sidewalk and crosswalk. Galligan said the roundabout is definitely a safety improvement.
“Back then, it wasn’t even called a roundabout. I’ll call it a wonky intersection,” said Galligan. “It was basically every person for themselves.”
Estimated costs were originally set at a little more than $4 million in 2019. But the final construction cost for the roundabout was $5.7 million, according to Colleen Medeiros, transportation program manager at the Cape Cod Commission.
The state funded project began in 2019 and finished in May 2024. Galligan said it took two construction cycles to finally finish. The delay was due to a moratorium on construction of state roads in Massachusetts, according to Medeiros.
However, there is still room for improvement, said Galligan. Adjustments could be made to the light fixtures, which he doesn’t find very useful.
“I don’t know what they’re lighting,” he said.
Desiree Nikfardjam is a reporter covering breaking and trending news. She graduated from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. You can reach her at DNikfardjam@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: New $5.7 million roundabout in Orleans among 2024 upgrades statewide