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A spokeswoman for the department said that as of the beginning of the month, accidents at the new circle - officially called a "roundabout" - are occurring at a lower rate than on the old circle.
"Under the old circle, there was an average of eight to 10 accidents a month," said Colleen McKenna. "That's been cut to five a month, and we only expect it to get better."
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Studies, a recent study found that roundabouts reduce all crashes by 39 percent; injury-producing crashes by 76 percent; and fatal or incapacitating crashes by 76 percent over more traditional intersections.
Lt. Donald Short, the officer in charge of the town of Ulster Police Department, said that in the last 30 days, there have been only four accidents reported on the roundabout. Short is among those who does not think the new design is safer than the old one, but he said that perception may change once the project is complete. (Among other things, the circle still is awaiting exit signs and permanent lighting - both of which are to be ready next month.)
"I think part of that may have to do with the fact that the proper signage isn't up yet," Short said. "Maybe once they get that in, and your attention isn't taken away by the large piles of dirt and construction materials that are there, maybe it will be a little more worthy of the residents of Ulster County."
The Freeman has received dozens of letters and online comments about the new roundabout, several of which have been integrated into news coverage. Dennison said the feedback has been helpful in fine-tuning the new circle.
"Articles and reader comments are invaluable and have already helped alert us to some items that needed adjustment," he wrote.
One online commentator referred to the new circle as "malfunction junction."
State Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, D-Kingston, said he receives calls regularly from people who want to comment or complain about the roundabout. Cahill said he has been assured by state transportation officials that many of the problems will be remedied by work yet to be done, which, besides signage and lighting, is to include removing old pavement and road stripes and installing curbs and guide rails.
State Sen. William Larkin, R-Cornwall-on-Hudson, said his office had received two or three complaints about the roundabout, while Langdon Chapman, a spokesman for state Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope, said no calls have been received at his office.
The new roundabout is smaller than the old circle - and has a lower speed limit - and access roads have been created so that drivers who merely need to move from one spoke to the next need not enter the roundabout.
