Prestonsburg, KY (WMDJ) — The long-awaited extension of the Mountain Parkway between Salyersville and Prestonsburg will feature a new traffic design unlike anything currently found in the area.

According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, construction plans include building a modern roundabout near Prestonsburg Elementary School. Once completed, the highway will bypass the existing stretch of road in front of the school, redirecting vehicles through a newly designed connector.

Drivers heading east or west will exit the parkway onto a looped road that passes beneath the highway before linking back to KY 114. The route west of the school will remain as part of KY 114, while the eastern portion will transition into a parkway access road.

Transportation officials say the roundabout will help keep traffic moving efficiently, reduce serious crashes, and cut down on emissions from idling vehicles.