After numerous construction delays, the Virginia Department of Transportation on Thursday afternoon opened a roundabout that will merge two streets in Southwest Roanoke County.

The traffic circle, which is designed to improve the flow of vehicles at Colonial Avenue (Virginia 720) and Penn Forest Boulevard, opened to the public just before 4 p.m. It is the first in a series of similar projects planned for Roanoke, Roanoke County and Blacksburg. A temporary camera has been placed nearby and live feed of the roundabout is available to view online by visiting trafficland.com/city/ROA/index.html. Viewers must select the Cave Spring camera location off the site map.

"We decided to put the camera out for about two or three weeks just to see how traffic was flowing out there," said VDOT spokesman Jason Bond.

Road closures have been in place since the project started in June. The roundabout was originally scheduled to be operational by August and was delayed twice more after that.

"There was a delay with getting it open because the rainy weather and utility work throughout the summer and fall," Bond said.

Although the intersection has reopened, further work on the street will cause additional closures in the area in June and July. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by August.

VDOT has posted safety tips at virginiadot.org/newsroom/salem/2009/roanoke_countys_first_roundabout43427.asp.